Countywide : La Habra Sues to Save Control of ‘Jobs Plus’

Attorneys for the city appear in federal court today seeking an injunction to prevent the county from taking over job-training services in La Habra and nine neighboring communities.

According to La Habra City Atty. Richard D. Jones, the city will argue that Orange County is ignoring an existing agreement that permits La Habra to control the jobs program.

The city has administered the federal Job Training Partnership Act, referred to countywide as “Jobs Plus,” since 1974 for the cities of Brea, Cypress, Fullerton, Los Alamitos, Yorba Linda, Buena Park, La Palma, Stanton, Placentia and La Habra.

With an annual budget of nearly $1 million, the program has 16 full-time employees and operates offices in La Habra, Stanton and Buena Park. Services include job placement as well as job training. A Summer Youth Employment Program provides summer jobs for school-aged youths.

According to Ron Faulkner, a supervisor for the program, the funds are allocated to the communities on a “fair share” basis, proportionate to population.

At a recent meeting of the board which governs the 10-city agreement, Bill Baker, county chief of community services, gave notice that the county intends to take over administrative responsibility for the program effective July 1, 1990, Faulkner said.

The county currently administers programs for 13 communities and wishes to add the northwest communities to that number. In the wake of the county announcement, the cities of Seal Beach, Westminster and Garden Grove have passed resolutions indicating a desire to join the 10 current members in a joint-powers agreement that would enable La Habra to continue operating the program.

Officials in the La Habra office of Jobs Plus expressed concern that the county would not be able to match the current level of services.

“We think it might be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ ” Faulkner said. “It takes two hours to drive here from Santa Ana. How often will they be willing to make the trip?”

Faulkner said that during the 15 years of operation, local officials have established rapport with schools and local employers. He was skeptical of the county’s ability to maintain such close ties.

Sixteen full-time employees also are concerned about their jobs, he said.

“The county might pick up some of the counselor positions, but we would probably see at least four or five people lose their jobs,” he said.