In a unanimous move to protect local autonomy, the Atoka County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution Monday opposing the establishment of a single, state-mandated workforce development board.
Commissioner Jesse Dunlap (District 1) warned that a state-level consolidation of the Southern Workforce board would strip local leaders of their ability to direct funds where they are needed most. The move by the state would effectively shift control of a $7 million budget, currently used for retraining and assisting the unemployed in Southeastern Oklahoma, to state officials.
'Our workforce agreement is one of the best ones in the state,' Dunlap said. 'The state has decided that they could spend this money better if they had control... we would really like to keep the money here.'
