LAKEPORT — On Tuesday the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) received an update on a proposal to join forces with Napa County in a new workforce investment area.
Representatives from the Napa County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and Social Services Director Carol Hutchingson updated the board on the progress made in joining the two counties” workforce investment areas. Hutchingson said the process began more than one year ago when the BOS withdrew from the North Central Counties Consortium (NCCC), an agreement between Lake, Colusa, Glenn, Yuba and Sutter counties. The BOS was not satisfied with the results of the NCCC partnership and began directing staff to look at the other surrounding counties to join with that could be mutually-beneficial. Napa was ultimately decided upon.
Hutchingson and Supervisor Denise Rushing along with members of Napa”s WIB went before a subcommittee of the state WIB in February to see the agreement approved. The proposal was met favorably. The next step is to seek approval from the full state WIB on May 17 with a proposed joint powers agreement (JPA) between the two counties. If approved, the newly merged WIB would begin operating on July 1.
Lake and Napa counties board of supervisors would have to approve the JPA.
Hutchingson and Napa WIB Director Bruce Wilson said a JPA draft would be given to both counties before the May 17 meeting with the state WIB. Hutchingson and Wilson told the Lake County Board of Supervisors that money would continue to flow into Lake County to help serve residents with the search for job opportunities.
