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Workforce board outlines response to plant and store closures, seeks state assistance
Summary
Solano County's workforce board reported multiple recent closures — including a shipyard and a refinery employer — and outlined rapid‑response services, training shifts and pending state grant requests (including $3 million targeted at dislocated worker training and small‑business layoff aversion).
Dave Hubbell of the Solano County Workforce Development Board told supervisors on Feb. 3 that multiple business closures and announcements are affecting hundreds of local workers and could have cascading impacts across the county.
Hubbell listed recent and pending closures — including Mary Island Dry Dock, a Budweiser facility, a Valero announcement and a CVS store — and estimated the current direct impact at "more than 600 employees" with a potential worst‑case of up to 2,000 workers affected by second‑ and third‑order effects by year‑end.
The workforce board outlined six response areas: rapid response onsite sessions (unemployment insurance, job readiness, no‑cost training), targeted career fairs (including a NorCal career fair on April 2), short‑term reallocation of WIOA funds (about $189,000 shifted to dislocated‑worker services), expansion of approved training providers, and advocacy for additional state assistance. Hubbell said the board submitted a pending $3 million assistance request to the state (seeking $1.4 million for dislocated‑worker training, $500,000 for small‑business layoff aversion, and funds for support services). He said another request for Budweiser/Mare Island impacts totals about $400,000 and that a neighboring workforce board has pledged $200,000 as a subrecipient allocation.
Supervisors asked how the county can support outreach and safety‑net connections for displaced workers. Board members agreed on the need to align local K–14 curricula with industry needs and to support district‑level roundtables. Hubbell said he will make the case for jobs on an upcoming Capitol Day and requested the board's help with supportive messages and advocacy.
No immediate county appropriation was requested at the meeting; the workforce board is pursuing state grants and partnership strategies to respond to dislocations.
