LA HABRA : ‘Jobs Plus’ to Stay Under City Control

The city has won a months-long battle with Orange County to keep control of a $1-million federal jobs program that serves 10 North County communities.

Orange County officials had asked the state for permission to take over the Job Training Partnership Act program known as “Jobs Plus,” which La Habra employees have operated since 1974. But last week, Gov. George Deukmejian rejected the county’s proposal, meaning that the program will remain in La Habra.

“We are extremely happy about the outcome,” said La Habra Mayor Beth Graham. “It is such a worthwhile program, and we’re just real pleased that it’s going to continue.”

The victory was an unexpected one for La Habra. In October, the city waged an unsuccessful federal court fight to keep the program. City officials notified Jobs Plus employees last week that they would be out of work after June 30, the day the county was scheduled to take over.

But just five minutes after the employees were told of the impending layoffs, the city received a call from Sacramento explaining that the governor had rejected the county’s application. The employees were reassembled and told that their jobs had been saved.

“When they told us we were laid off, of course we were disappointed,” said Mitch Abbott, who has counseled school-age youths in the program for 3 1/2 years. “I’m really glad the program will be staying right here.”

The struggle for control of the jobs program began last fall when Bill Baker, Orange County’s chief of community services, gave notice that the county intended to take over administrative responsibility for Jobs Plus.

La Habra City Council members voted to fight the county takeover and sought an injunction to restrain the county from becoming the agency serving the cities of Brea, Cypress, Fullerton, Los Alamitos, Yorba Linda, Buena Park, La Palma, Stanton, Placentia and La Habra.

U.S. District Judge Alicemarie H. Stotler refused to issue the order requested by the city and dismissed the case on Oct. 19.

An appeal was then made to the governor. Several state lawmakers intervened on behalf of the city, including Assemblyman Frank Hill (R-Whittier) and state Sen. John Seymour (R- Anaheim), according to La Habra City Manager Lee Risner.

Risner said he was delighted with the governor’s decision. “To have lost that expertise would have been a real loss,” Risner said of the program.