BDI, Burke County Meet with Community Partners about Prison Closure

For Immediate Release 

BDI, Burke County Meet with Community Partners about Prison Closure

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. (September 4, 2013) – Burke Development, Inc. and various community partners met today to discuss ways they can help state employees who will potentially lose their job as a result of the closure of the Western Youth Institution. These organizations are working in partnership with Western Youth Institution management to provide employees with a Resource Guide, which will contain information about local organizations and programs that might be useful for them during this time. Numerous organizations were represented at the meeting including: Burke County, Burke County Health Department, Burke County Department of Social Services, Burke Development, Inc., the City of Morganton, Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board, NC Division of Workforce Solutions, Burke County United Way, Western Piedmont Community College and Vocational Rehabilitation. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety there will be a reduction of 323 employees. In an email sent August 21 Keith Acree, a member of the Communications Office for the Dept. of Public Safety, said, “NCDPS has been planning for these prison closures for several months and has been holding positions vacant so that qualified employees may be moved into those positions when their jobs are eliminated. We have identified 225 positions at NCDPS facilities in the western part of the state that are available for Western Youth Institute employees. We are currently short about 100 positions, but that situation may improve in the four months remaining until Western closes.” After providing additional information to those in attendance Bryan Steen, Burke County Manager, discussed the importance of helping the individuals who will not be transferred to another state facility and therefore will be left without a job. “These are hard working Burke County citizens and we want to make sure they are aware of the various resources available to them,” said Steen. “Our hope is that we can help them plan for the future and prepare for this transition into a new job through some type of education or training.”   About Burke Development, Inc. Burke Development, Inc. (BDI) is a nonprofit organization supported by private and public funding that is charged with accelerating economic growth in Burke County. BDI works with industry leaders, site selection consultants, government agencies and other entities to facilitate expansion strategies for existing businesses and recruit target industries to Burke County. For more information about BDI visit www.BurkeDevInc.com.

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