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Commissioners hear proposal to continue New American workforce navigator; city currently funds $45,000 a year
Summary
City and county jointly funded a full‑time navigator that has served about 3,000 people over three years; workforce leaders asked the commission to consider two funding options to continue the position.
City commissioners on March 4 heard a proposal to continue funding a New American workforce navigator position that serves immigrants, refugees and other limited‑English residents trying to enter Bowling Green’s labor market.
The workforce board requested that the city continue its share of the position, which the city has been funding at $45,000 per year; Warren County has matched the same amount. John Swords, a leader of the regional workforce board, told commissioners the program has served roughly 3,000 people since it started and that the single full‑time navigator carries a heavy caseload.
Swords said, “Really, since we turned this on, we’ve served over 3,000 people. About a thousand per year. And the funding that you guys have provided in conjunction with Warren County fiscal court has really allowed this to happen.”
The presentation described the navigator as a mobile, community‑facing position that connects jobseekers and employers and fills a gap for immigrants and refugees who are not covered by state vocational rehabilitation services or refugee grant programs. The workforce board said the region has an estimated 5 percent of residents with limited English and that local need in Warren County is higher than region‑wide averages.
City staff and the board offered two options: a more generous budget to support both a full‑time and a part‑time position, or a smaller renewal that would sustain one full‑time navigator. The board said the full‑time navigator served roughly 1,000 clients per year and that outside funding and small internships have supplemented the position at times.
Commissioners and staff emphasized the navigator’s role in helping fill jobs tied to recent local economic growth. Swords said employer partnerships and events have been important to the program’s outreach and that the navigator acts as a “workforce interpreter” between businesses and jobseekers.
No formal vote was recorded on March 4. Board staff said they will work with city budget staff as commissioners make decisions for the coming fiscal year.
