The local employment assistance agency is doing everything it can to assist paper mill employees with the looming shutdown, with solid support for the state, says its leader.

Jody Walker, executive director of South Central Ohio Job & Family Services, updated the paper mill response team Monday on their expanded services in response to the looming crisis.

He said his agency serves Ross, Hocking, and Vinton counties, but has added an emphasis to address the Pixelle issue and how best to support the mill’s workers and the community.

They already have have office hours in the Main Library Annex three days a week, and are considering a similar office on the grounds of the mill, possibly once a week.

Walker also pointed out that they delayed their annual job fair a little bit to this Wednesday, to focus more on the needs of paper mill employees. It will again be at the Shoemaker Center on the campus of Ohio University Chillicothe. He said they will have 80 employers seeking employees – more than usual.

Walker said his job is to help steer workers where they want to go, and that his agency meets weekly with two state agencies to coordinate that: Rapid Response, and Unemployment Compensation, of the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.

“There’s a lot of support from the state to make sure that we wrap around services as much as we can, and answer question for employees as we kind of walk through this with them.”

Walker says his website and “Scioto Valley Forward” are good ways to lean more, in addition to calling his office or stopping in at his office in the Ross County Service Center.

Find the article on the Scioto Post.

Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.

Jack Kratoville