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Residents and clients urge commissioners to address Job & Family Services delays amid strike
Summary
Multiple public commenters described delayed benefit renewals, unpaid aides and disrupted services at Lorain County Job & Family Services and urged commissioners to return to bargaining and restore services. Speakers read detailed client statements about medical, childcare and waiver impacts.
A lengthy public‑comment period on April 21 focused on service delays at Lorain County Job & Family Services and tensions stemming from collective bargaining and a lawful strike. Several commenters, including JFS employees and affected clients, described application and renewal delays, unpaid aides, and difficulties accessing medical and childcare services.
A resident reading a client's statement said: "My youngest of the 3 just turned 5 and will be starting kindergarten next year," describing the child's loss of preschool placement and parental efforts to resolve a district transfer. Another speaker quoted a prior public statement from Commissioner Jeff Riddell, writing that Riddell had said: "We reached an impasse and the problem is that once they are on strike, we can't really talk to them," and urged the board to resume bargaining. Multiple speakers insisted the duty to bargain continues during a lawful strike and asked commissioners to seek legal paths to restore services and pay aides.
