Bangor council to consider resolution supporting Job Corps as program faces federal changes

At a June 16 Bangor City Council workshop, Jen Gunderman, director of public health and community services, briefed the council on uncertainty around the federal Job Corps program and said partners are preparing contingency plans for young people served by local Job Corps campuses.

Gunderman said a federal decision to dismantle the Job Corps program was stayed by a court injunction for both Loring and Bangor, and that a court hearing was scheduled for the next day at 3:30 p.m. "We're very worried about a number of young people that don't have a place to go," Gunderman said, noting staff and community partners were coordinating supports and contingency planning.

The update came after the council received a request for a resolution to support the Job Corps program. Council Chair Pelletier said, if there was no objection, the resolution would be placed on a future council agenda. Gunderman told the council there are about 150 young people across the two campuses and that the number of students without concrete exit plans had fluctuated between about eight and as many as 15 to 20; she also said a larger group had plans that "don't seem stable." "We are just saying alert and aware and ready," Gunderman said.

Gunderman identified city staff and community partners — including the city's homeless response manager, Jenna Jones, and Police Chief Lowe — as participants in planning and coordination. No formal vote was taken at the workshop; councilors agreed to put the requested resolution on a forthcoming agenda for formal consideration.

The council did not provide additional details at the workshop about the originator of the resolution request, specific language for the resolution, or the date the item will appear on a regular meeting agenda. Those details were described as to be set when the resolution is placed on the council agenda.