News briefs: Fairfield County Workforce Center receives national award
LANCASTER - Fairfield County has received a 2023 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACO) in the category of Children and Youth for its Summer Career Exploration Camps. The camps are offered free of charge at the Fairfield County Workforce Center to middle school students to introduce youth to careers in engineering, healthcare, and construction.
Fairfield County was one of only six counties in Ohio to win a NACO Achievement Award this year. It is the third award the county has won in the past four years for its efforts in workforce development.
“Fairfield County has proven to be a leader in workforce development and it’s an honor to be recognized nationally for this program,” said Rick Szabrak, Fairfield County Economic and Workforce Development Director. “These accessible Career Camps provide hands-on experience for students to discover career interests for themselves. Students have a blast while learning skills that can help them in any career they decide to pursue.
“The support of the local school districts and partner businesses show how committed the community is to develop our workforce and finding pathways for our students. And our staff and partners have done a great job preparing for even bigger camps this year.”
This summer the Workforce Center Career Camps will be led by instructors from Hocking College, Ohio University-Lancaster, and Lancaster City Schools. There will be no fee or cost to the students participating in the camps – all are funded by the Fairfield 33 Development Alliance, Lancaster City Schools, the Fairfield County Commissioners, and a grant from the Ohio Department of Education. Last year, the inaugural year, over 90 students participated in the camps. The program is being expanded to increase enrollment and further involve the local school districts. Registrations are still open and can be found at www.fairfieldcountyohioworkforcecenter.gov/career-camps.html.
In addition to the three industry-specific camps, the Workforce Center also is offering an all-girls STEM Camp.
NACO was established to promote healthy, safe, and vibrant counties across America. For information about Fairfield Country Workforce Center, visit www.fairfieldcountyohioworkforcecenter.gov/career-camps.html.
Ohio 158/Coonpath Road Intersection Improvements
JACKSTONTOWN - The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 5, will be hosting a virtual public open house from June 16, 2023 – July 16, 2023 to present project information.
ODOT is proposing an improvement project at the intersection of Ohio 158 and Coonpath Road in Greenfield Township. The proposed project will construct a single-lane roundabout and associated roadway approach work. Construction is estimated to begin in April 2025.
The purpose of the virtual public open house is to present project information, including the potential impacts, and receive your input. The information for this project will be presented online to allow the public to provide valuable feedback. The project website can be accessed at the link below or by scanning the QR code.
Comments regarding the project may be submitted by completing the comment form on the website, or by mail or email to the contact information below. Comments are welcome at any time but must be received by July 16, 2023, to be formally documented and considered during the preliminary project development phase.
Family Adult and Children First Council moving under the direction of Fairfield County Job and Family Services
LANCASTER – The Fairfield County Commissioners’, as Administrative Agent, for the Fairfield County Family Adult and Children First Council (Council) in conjunction with Council’s Executive Committee announced today that Council’s Executive Director, Dumitru “Raz” Sabaiduc has stepped down as director of the agency.
To secure continuity of operations and long-term stability of the Council, the Executive Committee and the Fairfield County Commissioners made the decision to move the Council under the direction of Fairfield County Job and Family Services Agency (FCJFS) as its own distinct department within FCJFS. Heather O’Keefe, FCJFS Assistant Director, will provide support and oversight of the council in her role at FCJFS.
“FCJFS has highly skilled staff members who can provide additional administrative support to assist this vital agency who is dedicated to serving families and children within our community,” said Carrie Woody, Council Executive Committee President.
The Council’s Executive Committee, in conjunction with the Commissioners, will begin a candidate search to fulfill the role of Council Executive Director. Heather O’Keefe will be a point of contact for staff and community members and can be reached at Heather.Okeefe@jfs.ohio.gov.
Meetings
The Village of Carroll Finance Committee Members will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, at the Municipal Building, 68 Center Street. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss credit card payments, 2024 water and sewer rates, street loan, and any other business brought before the committee.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: News briefs: Fairfield County Workforce Center receives national award
