Committee approves BOCES summer lunch contract, authorizes temporary youth employment positions

Warren County’s Economic Growth and Development Committee approved a contract with BOCES for the county’s summer lunch program and authorized temporary positions for the 2025–26 youth employment program during its April 22 meeting.

The approvals are part of the committee’s annual preparations for summer workforce and youth services. Committee members voted “aye” to carry both items after staff presented program details and said the proposals mirror prior years’ arrangements.

Liza, a workforce development staff member, described the lunch program as a recurring, operational contract: “One of our most known programs is our school lunch or lunch program that provides lunches to students when they're not in school in the summer,” she said, noting that a BOCES chef oversees food preparation and that the program distributes meals to children age 18 and under. She said the BOCES contract is similar to last year’s and is a “housekeeping” item for annual implementation.

Liza also summarized the temporary staffing request for the county’s workforce programs, which run on an annual cycle from July 1 to June 30. She said the county increased the number of training and placement slots from last year, adjusted pay to reflect a higher minimum wage, and added a temporary summer job coach — formerly funded by ARPA — who will assist youth with disabilities at job sites. Liza said program funding is primarily expected from TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) and that final funding amounts will be known in early May. “We help employ people up to age 24 who need work experience,” she said.

Committee members and staff discussed program scale and outreach. Liza said the summer youth employment program typically places between 30 and 50 people, with 50 as an ultimate goal, and that the county’s summer youth employment funding in recent years has ranged roughly from $110,000 to $130,000. She reminded the public that applications for the summer youth employment program are being accepted through the end of the month and noted a separate youth eligibility reference in the discussion: “That goes up to age 20. That's 14 to 20,” referring to a component of summer recruitment.

Liza reported local labor-market context: county unemployment rose to about 5 percent in February (March data were not yet available), and staff are coordinating with the State Department of Labor to serve recent layoff recipients — she said about five Warren County residents had recently lost jobs at Plug Power. The office has been running job fairs in multiple locations and said it continues outreach to local employers to place teens and other trainees.

Votes at a glance - Resolution: Enter into a new agreement with BOCES for the summer lunch program. Motion: Mr. Weil. Second: Supervisor Turner. Outcome: approved (voice vote, “aye”). Notes: Contract similar to prior year; BOCES chef to oversee food preparation; serves children 18 and under; county attorney to correct a noted contract typo prior to execution. - Resolution: Authorize temporary positions for the 2025–26 workforce program (July 1–June 30). Motion: not specified on the record; committee approved. Outcome: approved (voice vote, “aye”). Notes: Positions include summer job coach (previously ARPA-funded); program funded by TANF and/or WIOA; number of slots increased; pay adjusted for higher minimum wage.

Staff and supervisors said they will return to the full board in May with any additional details required for implementation and final funding confirmations. The committee’s workforce staff emphasized the dual aims of the program: provide supervised summer meals for children and supply work experience and training for teens and young adults, including supports for youth with disabilities.

Ending: Committee members took no further public comment on workforce items before moving to the planning and community development portion of the agenda.