Astoria city leaders, community organizations and hundreds of residents pressed federal officials Wednesday to reverse a U.S. Department of Labor decision to close the Tongue Point Job Corps center, a specialized residential training program that officials said would displace hundreds and ripple through the local economy.

Mac McGoldrick, director of Tongue Point Job Corps, told the Astoria City Council that the Department of Labor’s May 29 notice ordered centers to send students home by June 6 and terminate staff by June 30. "This decision, made by the US Department of Labor, will displace more than 330 students and a 171 staff members," McGoldrick said, adding that a temporary restraining order issued June 4 had “ceased all shutdown activities.”

The temporary restraining order from federal court was described by McGoldrick and other speakers as a pause that buys time but does not resolve the underlying dispute, and presenters pressed elected officials to keep pressure on federal leaders while the community lines up immediate help for students and staff.

Why it matters: Tongue Point is the region’s long-running residential Job Corps center and houses the nation’s only Job Corps maritime training program. Local leaders and employers described a direct economic loss if the center closes—estimates cited during the meeting included about $16.3 million in local spending tied to the center and roughly 171 benefited professional jobs that would be difficult to replace.

What officials said and asked for
- McGoldrick emphasized immediate student safety and continuity of services, saying many students would face "housing and food insecurity" if sent home without a transition plan. He asked the public to continue contacting congressional representatives to reverse the closure.
- Gustavo Guerrero, representing the office of U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, read a letter from Oregon’s federal delegation urging the Department of Labor to "immediately reverse course," warning the rushed timeline would leave many residential students without safe housing or medical continuity.
- Community organizations and employers — including Clatsop Community College, Columbia Memorial Hospital, Northwest Oregon Works and the Astoria Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce — offered temporary housing leads, job placements and other transition supports. Jared Hogue, president of Clatsop Community College, described steps the college has taken to keep students enrolled and to fund terms of education for affected students.

Public comments and local offers of help
Dozens of students, alumni, instructors and staff spoke during public comment, describing Job Corps as a life-changing program that provides trade certifications, GEDs and wraparound supports. Students in seamanship, clinical medical assistant and dental programs said the program provides safety and a path to stable employment.

Local nonprofits and congregations volunteered housing and other immediate assistance. Clatsop Community Action reported it had identified more than 30 housing units for staff and was close to lining up similar options for students. Religious congregations and local businesses also offered short-term hotel funding, job fair coordination and other supports.

Numbers and timelines cited at the meeting
- Department of Labor notice of closure: May 29, 2025 (centers instructed to send students home by June 6 and complete staff terminations by June 30). (Quoted from remarks by Mac McGoldrick and the read delegation letter.)
- Temporary restraining order: issued and announced June 4, 2025, described by presenters as "ceasing all shutdown activities" but only a partial, temporary remedy.
- Local impact figures cited at the meeting: "more than 330 students" and "171 staff members" displaced (Mac McGoldrick); about $16.3 million in direct local spending tied to Tongue Point (David Reed, Astoria Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce); program training cost per student cited as approximately $42,500 per year and average first-year graduate earnings cited at about $45,156 (Mac McGoldrick).

City council response and next steps
The Astoria City Council convened the special meeting to gather information and provide a public record to aid advocacy. Council extended the special meeting to continue public comment and pledged to work with county, state and federal leaders and community partners to coordinate housing, employment services, and legal advocacy. No binding local policy or funding decision to take over the center was made at the meeting; the council described the session as an information and coordination step.

What remains unresolved
Speakers emphasized that the temporary restraining order does not settle the question of long-term operations. Much depended on federal decisions, ongoing litigation and political advocacy. Councilors and community leaders urged continued letter-writing to the Oregon congressional delegation and federal officials and said they would schedule follow-up meetings as new information becomes available.

Closing note
The meeting, called June 4 by Mayor Fitzpatrick, ran through public comment from a large turnout of students, alumni, staff and community partners who repeatedly urged local officials to press the Department of Labor to preserve Tongue Point Job Corps or at minimum secure an orderly, humane transition for students and employees.