Bracken County court approves five-year workforce interlocal agreement and resolution

Bracken County Fiscal Court approved a resolution and an interlocal cooperative agreement on the workforce services structure that will remain in place for the next five years.

The resolution authorizes Judge Teegarden to sign an updated interlocal cooperative agreement that renews the county’s participation in the 10-County Workforce Board and designates Buffalo Trace Area Development District as the board’s administrative entity, Assistant Director Justin Settles told the court.

The update is required periodically under federal law. “The federal law that governs workforce services in our country, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, identifies the local, the highest-ranking local elected officials as the subrecipients,” Justin Settles said, explaining why the agreement is returned to local courts for renewal. Settles said the agreement clarifies governance and confirms the Buffalo Trace Area Development District as administrative entity and fiscal agent for the board.

The interlocal partner agreement runs five years and was last renewed in 2021; Settles told the court it expires June 30, 2025. Under the arrangement, Mason County Judge Executive Owen McNeal is the chief local elected official who signs certain financial documents on behalf of the 10-county judges when no issues are raised, Settles said.

Settles also described services that the board and Kentucky Career Center provide locally: employment assistance, connections to training and supportive services such as transportation and supplies, and youth work programs. “One of the programs that we run here in Bracken County is the youth employment program,” Settles said. He said the board decided this year to start the youth program in April — rather than May — to allow Augusta Independent Schools an extra month for recruitment and documentation.

A local business owner who spoke during the courthouse discussion said the career-center placements led directly to hires. “I’ve had two students from Augusta over the last seven or eight years. One is starting his fifth year with us as a full-time employee,” the speaker said, adding that the career center had been useful for recruiting applicants.

The court voted to approve the resolution and the interlocal agreement in separate motions. The resolution authorizing Judge Teegarden to sign the agreement passed by voice vote with all members present voting yes. The interlocal cooperative agreement also passed unanimously.

The court clerk said the county attorney had already reviewed the documents prior to the meeting; Justin Settles told the court the updated packet included changes in state agency names and terminology requested by the state.

With the measures approved, Settles said the county will continue receiving workforce services, including the youth employment program run through Augusta Independent Schools.

The court asked that the signed paperwork be returned to the board’s contact, and Judge Teegarden was authorized to sign the agreement on the county’s behalf.