Lindsay Craven | The Yadkin Ripple

County commissioners welcome Forbush Elementary second grader Dina Ataalla, Forbush fourth grader Salma Ataalla and East Bend Elementary kindergartners Abby Harper and Maggie Miller. The students led the commissioners and meeting attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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County commissioners unanimously voted to authorize the county to serve as a vendor for the Vocational Rehabilitation Program.

The program works with students who are likely to enter the workforce after high school and need training to prepare them for finding a job after graduation. The program also works with veterans, work first participants, food stamps recipients and others who need training or need to develop their work skills.

The program is split into two categories.

On the job training is a three month program where referrals are sent to the county after being screened by the program. The county can select one or more employees to serve as temporary employees, with no benefits, and pay an hourly wage.

The internship program runs for four months, and the candidates would have more skills and training for their position. The candidates would be hired as temporary county employees and the county would pay an hourly wage and payroll taxes.

Through this program the county can hire temporary or season help and be reimbursed 75 percent of their hourly wages without taxes for on-the-job training employees.

If the county offers an internship through the program, they can be reimbursed 100 percent of those worker’s hourly wages.

Representatives with the program suggested that this program would be a favorable option for parks and recreation work such as grounds work for the summer.

The representatives also pointed out that most or all of the money the county spends training a worker would be reimbursed by the program and that any other temporary or permanent employee training could not offer that insurance.

The board unanimously agreed that this would be a good option for the county to have available.

Other topics from the meeting:

-The board set a public hearing to consider a revision of the Yadkin County Voluntary Agricultural District Ordinance for May 20 at 7 p.m.

-The board voted unanimously to declare May Relay For Life month.

-The board voted unanimously to approve the revision of Partners Behavioral Health Management Board of Directors.

-The board noted a joint meeting with the Yadkin County Board of Education on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Yadkin County Schools offices.

-The board approved the appointment of Margie Williams to the Nursing Home-Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee.

Reach Lindsay Craven at 679-2341 or at lcraven@civitasmedia.com.