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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Verdugo Workforce Development Board’s Application Submission Request to be designated as the America’s Job Center of California SM Operator for the Verdugo Workforce Development Area
Motion:
1. Approving the submission of the Verdugo Workforce Development Board’s request to the Governor of California for approval to be the America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM Operator for the Verdugo Workforce Development Area for four years beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029.
2. Upon approval from the Governor of California for VWDB to be the America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM Operator for the Verdugo Workforce Development Area for four years beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029, authorizing the City Manager, or a designee, to execute all agreements, amendments, certifications, and documents necessary to effectuate the America’s Job Center of California SM Operator services, subject to the approval by the City Attorney.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Calendar
Approved for August 26, 2025 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Verdugo Workforce Development Board (VWDB) has a long-standing history of coordinating partner services for the Verdugo Jobs Center (VJC), on behalf of the Verdugo Workforce Development Area (VWDA), which consists of the Cities of Glendale, Burbank and La Cañada Flintridge. With this experience, the VWDB is seeking approval to be the America’s Job Center of California OperatorSM for a four-year period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029. As the Operator, the VWDB will be responsible for coordinating partner services in VWDBA. Without an approved application, the VWDB would have to conduct a new competitive bidding process for Operator Services impacting the current coordination of partner services. 4g2
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RECOMMENDATION
That City Council:
1. Approves the submission of the Verdugo Workforce Development Board’s request to be America’s Job Center of California SM Operator for the Verdugo Workforce Development Area, which allows for VWDB to coordinate partner services.
2. Upon approval from the Governor of California for VWDB to be the America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM Operator for the Verdugo Workforce Development Area for four years beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029, authorizes the City Manager, or a designee, to execute all agreements, amendments, certifications, and documents necessary to effectuate the America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM Operator services, subject to the approval by the City Attorney.
ANALYSIS
The Verdugo Consortium is a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) comprised of the Cities of Glendale, Burbank, and La Cañada Flintridge. The Verdugo Workforce Development Board (VWDB) is the planning and policy body for the Consortium. Its purpose is to provide employment and training programs within the three cities and to allocate and award Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds toward its goals. Through the JPA, the City of Glendale (City) has responsibility for the administration of all Consortium activities, including approval of federal WIOA requirements, such as the submission of the Operator application, which allows local areas to provide partner services directly instead of awarding a contract through a competitive bid process.
The America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC) Operator role is responsible for coordinating service delivery among all AJCC partners and service providers within the Local Workforce Development Area (Local Area). Pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulation (20 CFR 678.620(a)), at a minimum, the One-Stop Operator must coordinate the service delivery of required partners and service providers. The role of the AJCC Operator may include the following:
Coordinating the service delivery of required AJCC partners and service providers.
Ensuring the implementation of partner responsibilities and contributions agreed upon in Memorandums of Understanding (MOU).
Reporting to Local Boards on operations, performance, and continuous improvement recommendations.
Implementing policies established by Local Boards in regard to the MOU partnerships.
Adhering to all applicable federal and state guidances.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that States use a competitive process to designate an Operator for its system, at least once every four years, or a local workforce board may request and be granted by the state, the option to become its own Operator and provide its own service (WIOA Sec. 121 (d)(2)(A)). In California, a local workforce board can submit an application to the State of California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) to act in the role as the AJCC Operator. Once 4g3
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the application is reviewed and accepted, the CWDB, on behalf of the Governor of California, can designate the workforce board as the AJCC Operator for the local workforce development system. This year, the CWDB is accepting Workforce Board applications for the AJCC Operator. Workforce Boards will not have another opportunity to submit an application until 2029.
On January 15, 2025, the Verdugo Workforce Development Board (VWDB) released a request for proposal (RFP) for Operator Services. The Operator RFP process released in January 2025, resulted in only one bid submission.
Due to the singular bidder, the VWDB staff sought direction from the CWDB. Upon their recommendations it was suggested that the Board submit an application to become the AJCC Operator for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2029. Given the smaller size of our board, representing only three cities, as well as an RFP which resulted in one applicant, the VWDB has sufficient justification to assume responsibility for delivering AJCC Operator services directly. The VWDB’s situation is not unique to the State in which one bid has led multiple boards this program year to submit applications to be their own Operator.
The VWDB currently takes an active role in Operator services by reviewing and editing documents, such as the Partners MOU, required in this role as well as tracking the monthly infrastructure cost. Not only does the VWDB already assume some of the Operator responsibility, but also, it currently provides similar services as an intermediary for projects such as BioTC and is the coordinator of the California Adult Education Program (CAEP). Both of these projects require that the VWDB coordinate partnerships, maintain relationships with all key partners, coordinate and execute MOU’s, assist with tracking and reporting of performance, and coordinate professional development, among other duties similar to the One-Stop Operator. Therefore, the VWDB is poised to assume the role of the Operator.
To provide adequate opportunity for public comment, local boards are required to provide a 30-day period for comment on the VWDB’s AJCC Operator application. The VWDB’s application was widely distributed, including being posted on the VWDB’s website and distributed to all partners with requests to post on their websites as well. The public comment period was from June 27, 2025 to July 27, 2025. No comments were received during this time period. The VWDB reviewed the Operator application at its public board meeting held on June 25, 2025.
If approved, the Operator Application will be valid for four years from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
The Operator application is a federal requirement for workforce boards that seek to provide Operator partner services in their area. As such it was discussed at a public workforce board meeting on June 25, 2025, held at the Verdugo Jobs Center which allowed stakeholders to participate and comment on this item. The Operator application also went through 30 day public comment period which no comments were received. 4g4
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FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5), as it constitutes an organizational or administrative activity of government that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment; thus, it is not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(3).
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1: The City Council may decline to adopt the motion as recommended herein. This would result in the VWDB having to initiate a new competitive bidding process for Operator Services, thus impacting the current coordination of partner services. 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Onnig Bulanikian, Director of Community Services & Parks Prepared by:
Judith Velasco, Workforce Development Administrator
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Minutes of the meeting of the Verdugo Workforce Development Board, June 25, 2025.
Exhibit 2: VWDB Operator Application