The Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Programs created by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Public Law 105-220, 29 U.S.CA. Section 2801, et seq., provided federal funding for state and local efforts designed to promote quality employment and training services to help eligible individuals and youth to find meaningful employment, and to help employers find the skilled workers they need to compete and succeed in business. Hennepin County has participated in the federal programs and, pursuant to a July 2012 Joint Powers Agreement with Carver County, became the Chief Elected Official with authority to contract for programs in the Hennepin-Carver Workforce Development Area.

Since the original Joint Powers Act (JPA), Congress has replaced the Workforce Investment Act with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA”) Public Law 113-128, now codified as 29 U.S.C §3101. Among other things, WIOA requires revamping the JPA’s role in the local board—now called the Workforce Development Board. Part of that effort will require Hennepin and Carver Counties to amend and renew their joint commitment to work with the Workforce Development Board and the state Department of Employment and Economic Development, with the Hennepin County Board acting in the role of the “Chief Elected Official” pursuant to WIOA.

The purpose of the Hennepin County and Carver County Joint Powers Agreement is to establish a mechanics for Hennepin and Carver to cooperate in the development and the implementation of the employment and training services in Hennepin County (excluding the jurisdiction of the City of Minneapolis) and Carver County, i.e. the Workforce Development Area. Minn. Stat. sec. 479.59 authorizes two or more governmental units, by Agreement, to jointly or cooperatively exercise and power common to the contract parties or any similar powers, including those which are the same except for the territorial limits within which they may be exercised. Under this Joint Powers Agreement, Hennepin and Carver will cooperate in the implementation of the employment and training services as authorized by the Congress of the United States and enacted in Public Law 113-128, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). This agreement will have continual duration, subject to rights of either party cancel upon 90 days notice.

Hennepin County is the Administrative Entity responsible to the state and federal governments for required plans, management of funds and achievement of outcomes in the Workforce Development Area, including development and implementation of any Request for Proposal process that may be used to select vendors to deliver employment and training services, as authorized under WIOA in Hennepin County, and will inform Carver as to all federal, state and Hennepin requirements pertaining to Carver’s administering of WIOA funds.

Carver County is responsible for the development and implementation of employment and training services within its county, and any Request for Proposal process that may be used to select and vendor(s) to deliver WIOA employment and training services in Carver County.

The operation of employment and training services under the Act will be achieved independently by the Hennepin Human Resources and the Carver Health and Human Services Departments respectively.

Current Request: Amd 1 to Joint Powers Agreement A188954 between Hennepin and Carver Counties for employment and training services, extending the end date to July 1, 2023.