William Westmoreland of Pack Mountain reports regional workforce gains, $9–10 million budget and 329 job placements

William Westmoreland of Pack Mountain told the Pacific County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 9 that the regional workforce board managed about "$9 to $10,000,000" in revenue this year and served 776 people across the five-county region, of whom 329 reached employment.

Westmoreland delivered a 15-minute annual report during the board's morning meeting, saying the organization uses federal and state funds under a five-county interlocal agreement. "We had about a 9 to $10,000,000 budget," he said, adding that "we were able to serve 776 people across the region" and that "of the 776 we enrolled last year, 329 got to employment." He described services as one-on-one case management, business coaching, training and placements.

Why it matters: Pack Mountain coordinates workforce services across Pacific, Grays Harbor, Mason, Lewis and Thurston counties; the board's approach shapes local job-training priorities and how state and federal funds are applied in rural communities.

Westmoreland outlined a shift toward sector strategies and employer engagement. He said Pack Mountain focuses on six regional sectors, works with cohorts of employers to identify hiring needs, and has launched a "high road employer quality jobs" program to steer taxpayer-funded training toward employers that meet quality standards in pay, benefits and advancement prospects. "So the quality standards that the board approved are focused on, not only compensation and benefits, but culture, the ability to be trained and advance within the organization," he said.

He also described specialty initiatives, including an "economic security for all" program focused on longer-term self-sufficiency for working-poor households and a savings-match incentive tied to state funds. "We helped 41 participants save $82,000 last year," he said, describing those matched savings as intended to fund purchases such as cars, technology or small-business starts.

Commissioners thanked Westmoreland and raised concerns about state-level funding decisions that they said had disadvantaged rural counties. Westmoreland noted Pack Mountain had "pushed back" in some cases and recovered funds for the region, and he pointed to the group's work on planning grants and transitions for service members leaving the Joint Base Lewis–McChord area.

The full annual and impact reports, Westmoreland said, are posted in reverse chronological order on the Pack Mountain website and are distributed to commissioners; he offered to follow up with additional data if requested.

The board offered its appreciation and moved on to the remainder of its agenda.