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Receive an update from the Workforce Development Board on their Midyear Financial Forecast and progress of Workforce Programs and Activities
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors receive an update from the Workforce Development Board of Solano County (WDB) on their Midyear Financial Forecast and progress of Workforce Programs and Activities.
SUMMARY:
The WDB made changes in revenue and expenditures on the midyear budget for Fiscal Year 2017/18. The presentation will provide an update on changes requested and the programmatic reasoning and impact behind the changes, as well as a general overview of workforce activities conducted.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Department’s Midyear Financial Report budget of $6,923,441 represents a $1,097,231 increase in revenues and expenditures, +18.8%, when compared to the FY2017/18 Working Budget.
The Midyear Report totals include the actual amount of available new funding for the Workforce Development Board (WDB), as well as the actual amount of unspent federal funds at June 30, 2017, which are available for expenditure in FY2017/18.
Request for Board approval for the changes in revenues and expenditures is included in the County’s Midyear Report following this presentation.
DISCUSSION:
The WDB does not receive general funds from the County. The WDB submits a plan for grant activities, service levels, and use of funds, to the State of California on behalf of the County. The State allocates Federal money to the WDB through the County based on predetermined funding formulas. The WDB may also receive discretionary funding awards through the North Bay Employment Connection regional collaborative, through federal/state/local funding awards for special workforce projects, and through other awarded service contracts.
WDB is predominantly funded through federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) formula funding. The increase of $1,435,546, in grant revenue is due primarily to the difference between actual and estimated unspent federal funds at June 30, 2017, which remain available for expenditure in FY2017/18. Some of these funds include state allocations for regional activities through the North Bay Regional Planning Unit, of which Solano has been the fiscal agent. A decrease of -$154,821 is the amount of federal grant funding that will remain unspent in a multi-year plant closure project that ended December 2017.
Additional revenue changes include a decrease of -$183,494 that aligns the final amount for a County-WDB contract for CalWORKS services with total revenue. The increase also includes additional revenue of $150,000 which has been awarded under WIOA by the State of California, Employment Development Department. This funding will be used to integrate workforce services with the Foundation for California Community Colleges Work-Based Learning Systems Innovation Network.
In addition, the WDB has been focused in FY2017/18 on three main priorities: 1) Strengthening Infrastructure, 2) Increasing Collaboration, and 3) Expanding the External Footprint. These priorities have led changes in program, approach, and expenditures. The presentation will review these programmatic and organizational changes and how these changes connect to the midyear budget request.
Major expenditure changes include increases in:
• Other Professional Services - this include the services of the contracted One-Stop-Operator mandated under WIOA to coordinate the activities of the Job Centers, and a recalculation of the contracted assistance with Regional Planning and Capacity Building grant efforts. Additionally, the newest funding award will use professional services to assist in developing the capability of the workforce system and the Community College to deliver work-based learning services.
• Software - covers the projected cost of software that will be used to refer customers between entities and connect service providers in the Solano workforce system, improving communication and service coordination.
• Education & Training - to train staff of the Solano WDB and other workforce staff.
• Employer Outreach - to develop employer/business networks and industry sector strategies for the NBEC region.
• Training Contracts and Transportation - for unspent client services funds carried over for expenditure in 2017-18.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to receive the report from the WDB. This is not recommended because this presentation supports efforts to improve workforce development services within Solano County.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrator’s Office has been consulted and concurs with the recommendation.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION