THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, June 11, 1996 TAG: 9606110316
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HERTFORD LENGTH: 40 lines
The Albemarle Commission wants to revamp its job-training program and has made plans to install new members on the committee that handles the operation.
The plans will be discussed June 26 at a 6 p.m. dinner meeting in the commission's Perquimans County headquarters.
The meeting is one of many moves now in progress to revitalize the Albemarle Commission. Twice in recent years, the commission has been in serious financial difficulties that threatened the group's existence.
Most recently, Hal Walker, executive director of the Albemarle Commission, stepped down after state auditors criticized the commission's bookkeeping. An interim management team is running the commission on a day-to-day basis.
The reorganization announced Monday affects a Job Training Partnership Act Program that has been part of the commission's 10-county agenda for several years. The commission was organized and subsidized by a consortium of northeastern counties to provide expertise in programs considered too expensive or complex for single-county convenience.
``But the (job training) governing board has not met for some time, and it is imperative that it be realigned at this time,'' said Lisa Johnson, administrator of the program.
Patsy McGee, a Pasquotank County commissioner who is a member of the Albemarle Commission, said Monday each of the 10 counties served by the commission will be asked to appoint a county commissioner to sit on a new governing board for the job-training operation.
Another committee has been meeting to determine how best to salvage useful programs that have bogged down in the recent financial and management problems.
Several of the member counties have privately discussed withdrawing from the commission, a move that would almost certainly cause the agency to dissolve. Also suggested has been a takeover of some of the commission's viable programs by the Northeast Economic Development Commission.
The Economic Commission, which receives more than $1 million a year from the General Assembly, is expected to discuss Albemarle Commission salvage proposals at a regular monthly meeting June 19 in Williamston. by CNB