OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Village Trustee Cindy Flaherty, left, and Deputy Mayor Bill Astry, right, listen to public comments regarding the potential closure of the Cassadaga Job Corps Center.

CASSADAGA — Village Board members voiced their support for the Cassadaga Job Corps Center at a recent meeting ahead of its impending closure later this month.

“It’s an important thing for us to support, especially in communities like ours,” Village Board member Cathy Cruver said.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that it is “pausing” Job Corps Center operations nationwide by June 30. The Cassadaga Job Corps Center, which opened in 1978, is one of 99 non-federally operated Job Corps centers.

Cruver said the potential closure has “a tremendous effect on our village” in part because of the ramifications for the students in the program. Cruver, a Fredonia High School teacher, stressed that career certifications and General Educational Development (GED) tests “help keep people be able to support themselves.”

Village Trustee Cindy Flaherty attended a recent rally in support of Job Corps. “It’s a lifeline for many, many kids and it employs more than 100 local people,” Flaherty said. “This is all besides being an important water customer for the Village and all the volunteering they do.”

Chautauqua County Legislator John Penhollow asked the Board for clarity on the direct impact of losing Job Corps in Cassadaga. He urged the Village Board to contact U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy on the matter.

“We need to hit the fact that this cut is not going to save money, it’s going to cost money. … It is going to cost if they decide to swipe out what I would probably guess is a very tiny piece of the budget that is on the hill right now,” Cruver said.

One impact of Job Corps potentially closing would be on the debt service charges to village of Cassadaga water customers. Losing one of the biggest customers of the village — totaling roughly $45,000 annually — would likely mean other residents would see an increase in their bills. “It’s a pretty big impact,” said Village Clerk Annette McChesney.

Also regarding a financial impact, Cruver stressed that Job Corps helps individuals find substantial employment, which creates taxpayers in the community. “Those things need to be taken into account,” Cruver said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Job Corps program operated at a $140 million deficit in 2024. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in 2025.

The Cassadaga Job Corps Center has a graduation rate of 39.53%, according to a Department of Labor official. The cost per graduate in Cassadaga is $123,654.22.

Flaherty stated the reason the graduation rate is so low and the cost per graduate is so high is because students who opt to pursue a GED rather than a traditional diploma do not count toward the total as graduates until they obtain a career training certificate. Flaherty said if students who receive a GED counted toward the total figure, the graduation rate would be near 90% and the cost per graduate would be significantly lower.

“Sometimes it can be hard for people to get through high school. Sometimes it can be hard for people to find jobs. If we can provide folks with certifications and skills, it can only make our county, our village, our state, our country stronger,” Cruver said.

The Village of Cassadaga had fliers with information regarding a petition in support of Job Corps available after the meeting concluded. Valley Outdoors owner Adam Diate stated he will make fliers available at his business, as well. The Village Board will be sending a letter in support of Job Corps prior to the next hearing on the matter on June 17.

“Our country is in dire straits when it comes to skilled workers and skilled services. We need folks to be trained to do the things that they are training these individuals to do there. It’s an amazing program and it should be supported,” Cruver said.