January 14, 2026

01-14-26 Area 10 WDB Meeting Mintues.pdf

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Full Board Meeting January 14, 2026

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Crawford County OMJ Center

225 E. Mary St.

Bucyrus, OH

11:00 Welcome and Lunch 

11:15 Call to Order and Roll Call of Voting Members

·       Motion for approval of 10-29-25 meeting minutes: Made by Melinda Crall, Seconded by Jenni Paramore. Motion passed unanimously.

·       Introductions were made around the room to welcome new attendees.

11:25 Membership Updates:

 Two Crawford County board vacancies resulted from Paul Bishop’s corporate relocation and Ben Blubaugh’s departure. Outreach efforts are underway with Timken, Covert, and other local businesses to recruit replacements.

A total of three vacancies are targeted for replacement with Crawford County business representatives.

 Jim Fox of Forge & Fire, a new Crawford County company, attended as a potential board member, reflecting outreach to emerging businesses.

Resignations and Appointments:

• Paul Bishop – resignation accepted; replacement pending.

• Ben Blubaugh – resignation accepted; replacement requested from employer.

• Matthew McClester (Brick Layers Union Local 23) – resignation accepted due to role change.

  • Motion: Accept Matthew Aberl, Field Representative, Brick Layers Local 23, as replacement.

  • Motion by: Beth DeLaney | Second by: Randa Payne | Outcome: Motion carried unanimously.

Executive Board One-on-One Meetings:

·        Invitations have been sent to Executive Board members to schedule individual meetings with Clint. Members are encouraged to respond with availability.

·        Initial discussions have highlighted interest in grant writing and how the board may support partners in pursuing grant opportunities, recognizing the board itself is not an eligible applicant.

11:30 Other Business:

Area 10 Five-Year Plan (2026–2030): Finalized and posted for public comment through January 31, 2026. The plan is based on Ohio LMI and MSA data. Public comments may be submitted at the bottom of the plan page, and a PDF version is available for download.

 Workforce Board Certification: The board currently maintains 65% business representation, exceeding the 51% minimum requirement.

OhioMeansJobs Center Certification: Certification completed for both OMJ centers. Appreciation was expressed to local staff for their involvement.

Upcoming Event: NCSC & OSU-M Job and Internship Career Fair scheduled for February 24, 2026. Electronic flyers were included with the meeting invite, and hard copies were distributed.

11:50 Agency Reports:  

OhioMeansJobs Centers – PY 2025 (October 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025):

Crawford County:

·        486 Resource Room visits, including 67 new customers and 8 veterans.

·        Five Employer of the Day sessions held.

·        CCMEP outcomes: 6 youth exited; 4 gained employment.

·        WIOA outcomes: 3 adult/dislocated workers exited; all gained employment.

·        One dislocated worker transitioned to truck driving, earning approximately $1,400 per week.

Richland County:

·        3,060 Resource Room customers served.

·        Success Unlimited conducted 20 workforce workshops with 112 attendees.

·        41 participants actively enrolled in WIOA education, training, and employment services, with over $49,000 expended.

·        One employer engaged through the Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) Program, totaling $6,710.80.

Catalyst Life Services – Youth Program (Richland County):

·        Continued strong engagement and positive outcomes.

·        Highlighted success story: Carter Kessler, age 17, now attending West Virginia University, majoring in Marketing and playing football as a Defensive End.

12:00    Area 10 Financials: 

 WIOA funds are budgeted over a two-year period, with 50% allocated to year one and 50% to year two to support consistent planning.

Carryover of funds from year one to year two is permitted if available.

Approximately $40,000 in carryover funds remain available for the current program year.

12:10 Lisa and Clint report out:

Lisa:

·        CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program is fully funded and ready to launch later this fall.

·        Successful visit to newly operational labs at Bucyrus City Schools.

·        Continued collaboration with schools and business partners, including a planned Mobile Workforce Day at Bucyrus Middle School on May 12, 2026.

Clint:

·        LU (Leadership Unlimited) program continues to support youth career exploration and awareness of local opportunities.

·        Attended the 2025 Workforce Summit Presented by OMA Ohio’s Manufactures’ Association.

·        Attendance at the November 2025 Youth Symposium confirmed local programs are aligned at 90% or more with national best practices.

·        Upcoming participation in the U.S. Chamber Business Leads Fellowship, focused on curriculum quality and innovative workforce strategies.

12:15 New Business:

 EmployMePalooza Reverse Job Fair: Proposed for March 24, 25, or 26, 2026 (date to be determined).

Open discussion regarding future job fairs for adults, youth, and dislocated workers.

·        Consideration of sector-specific job fairs targeting in-demand industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and construction.

·        Discussion of alternative formats, including speed-dating style employer-candidate interactions.

12:15 Presentation from Crawford Success Center – Nate Harvey was unable to present due to a prior commitment. The board looks forward to a future presentation highlighting the impact of the Crawford Success Center at an upcoming Crawford County meeting.

12:25 Action Items:

Voting members to submit a professional headshot and consent for website use.

Members to review and submit any suggested edits to the Five-Year Plan within one week.

12:30 Wrap-Up:

·       Motion to Adjourn: First by Beth DeLaney, Seconded by Jeremy Knisely. Motion carried.

Please note: The business portion of the Area 10 WDB Meeting may be recorded, and AI technology may be used for note-taking and recordkeeping.