Monrovia is hoping to withdraw from something called the Foothill Workforce Development Board (FWDB), which distributes federal money "for job skills assessment, basic education, job training, job placement, and community workforce development."
Except the Monrovia City Council says it has been doing very little of that for Monrovia, and has actually been doing less and less of it over the past four years. So now the council wants the city to join a similar program administered by LA County, where it believes it will get a better deal.
"The City of Monrovia believes our community, as well as those of Duarte and Arcadia, have been underserved by FWDB administration and operations, particularly in terms of job training for MAD residents and the equitable sharing of WIOA [federal] funds."
Arcadia and Duarte, by the way, are also thinking of pulling out of the Joint Powers Agreement, which is made up of Arcadia, Duarte, Monrovia, Pasadena, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena.
The city says that Monrovia, Arcadia, and Duarte (MAD) make up 39.2 percent of the population of the FWDB, but are only getting 26.5 percent of the money, while Pasadena, with 48.3 percent of the population, gets 66.3 percent of the money. Also, it says FWDB uses nearly 60% of its total budget for administrative expenditures and only 40% for its services. [Comment: 60% admin costs seems extremely high.]
For the city to withdraw and join the county's program involves a public comment period, which ends May 9. You may comment by email to PIO@ci.monrovia.ca.us.
If the county is cool with Monrovia joining, the switch will also need to be approved by Sacramento.
This motion to withdraw was approved by the City Council: https://is.gd/1vYlJK
This is the application to join LA County's program: https://is.gd/Q3vlEr
- Brad Haugaard
"nearly 60% of its total budget for administrative exp[enditures"!!! OMG. This is unacceptable.
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