Lucas County honors retiring workforce leader and outlines WIOA-focused strategic actions

The Lucas County Board of County Commissioners on June 9 honored retiring Workforce Development interim director Burma Stewart and received a detailed presentation of strategic actions intended to improve public access to workforce services and ensure compliance with federal WIOA requirements.

County staff and commissioners praised Stewart's more than three decades of public service and steady leadership during transitions. Commissioner Gerken said Stewart was a “quiet strength” whose work helped county initiatives navigate complicated policy and court interfaces. Stewart thanked the board and repeatedly credited her team, saying, “It is all compliance at this point,” and noting the department's emphasis on meeting state and federal requirements.

Michael Hart told the board that the presentation is part of implementing the county's strategic plan and that departments will provide a summer series of updates tied to plan goals. The Workforce Development Department outlined three primary actions: (1) create a concise, public-facing inventory of services (a one-page or trifold document) so residents and employers can quickly find youth, adult and layoff-recovery programs; (2) develop and prioritize written procedures to reflect changed WIOA and Department of Labor guidance so staff have clear, up-to-date operational steps; and (3) strengthen board governance with structured work sessions and measurable outcome metrics, with a goal of a deeper follow-up work session and progress updates by December 2026.

Presenters said initial next steps include compiling service inventories beginning with the county's CCMEP youth program, prioritizing and drafting unit-level procedures (file management, complaint processes, interagency releases of information), and scheduling additional board work sessions to translate strategic goals into measurable outputs.

The board recognized Stewart's retirement with remarks from workforce board colleagues and county commissioners and will present a proclamation and take photos following the meeting. The county’s workforce staff said they will continue executing the strategy and return with milestones and progress at future meetings.