County receives stimulus funds to hire teens

More than $1 million in federal economic stimulus package money is coming to Medina County. This is addition to the Workforce Allocation Act funs the county will receive in May.

William Hanigan, Medina County Workforce Development director, said he received the official letter of notification April 23 from Ohio Job and Family Services, the state administrator of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.

Congress and the State of Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services require the biggest portion, $515,442, is to be spent for "summer youth work experiences." Seventy percent of that, $360,809.40, must be spent before Sept. 30 on youth employment projects.

Thirty percent of that 70 percent ($108,242.82) will be spent on administrative costs and hiring people to supervise and instruct the new workers and make sure that the young workers will be safe on their jobs, Hanigan said. The administrative cost per student will be $721.63, or almost $100 per week of employment per student.

The eligibility criteria are "economically disadvantaged, those on assistance, disabled youth and foster children."

Youth will be hired for eight weeks during the summer and will work approximately five hours per day for non-profit organizations, villages, townships and cities. As many as 150 youth may be hired. No local businesses will be involved.

Hanigan said he would be like to emphasize that youth workers will not replace workers who have been laid off; they will not take away job opportunities from adult workers.

It's a win-win situation, Hanigan said. New youth workers will have gainful employment during the summer. They will be able to list their valuable job experience on future resumes. They'll be earning money, plus local government agencies and non-profit organizations will be able to use additional workers to maintain cemeteries, parks and schools.

"Because of the lateness of the rollout, applications are not yet being accepted," Hanigan said. The hiring process is being worked out and should be in place within two weeks....