CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Pickaway County commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 8 to support merging two regional workforce development boards, consolidating job-training and employment programs across an eight-county area that includes Pickaway, Ross and Vinton counties.
The board adopted a resolution authorizing an application to the state of Ohio to merge the South Central Ohio Workforce Partnership, known as the Area 20 Workforce Development Board, with the Area 14 Workforce Development Board, according to the resolution. State rules require every county in both service areas to sign off before the merger can proceed.
Under the plan, the combined board will serve Athens, Fairfield, Hocking, Meigs, Perry, Pickaway, Ross and Vinton counties, the resolution said. Fairfield County’s Economic and Workforce Development Department will become the merged board’s administrative agent starting Oct. 1, while Perry County Job and Family Services will take over as its fiscal agent starting July 1, 2027.
Fairfield County currently serves as the administrative and fiscal agent for the existing Area 20/21 Workforce Development Board, while Athens County acts as the administrative agent and Perry County as the fiscal agent for the Area 14 board, according to the resolution.
Commissioner Gary Scherer offered the motion to adopt the resolution, and Commissioner Harold Henson seconded it. Commissioners Jay Wippel, Henson and Scherer all voted yes, and the motion carried without opposition.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Pickaway County Board of Commissioners.
