The recently received prosecutor’s opinion sought by commission president Les Boggs hasn’t answered the question Boggs sought.

Is it law that the department of job and family services must control part of the funding that supports the OneStop job placement program in the county.

Boggs contends that a recently passed House bill makes it mandatory to take control of the Work Investment Opportunity Act funds from the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization switching it to the DJFS.

The commission president came to that opinion following advice from a private counsel. However, Boggs asked for a prosecutor’s opinion to determine if that was correct.

Since the opinion he received did not directly address that, he has asked for a second prosecutor’s opinion.

The opinion from assistant prosecuting attorney Robert Anderson quotes Daniel Fitzpatrick, deputy director of the state DJFS, that the creation of a new program “will require each county to select a lead agency to a combination of WIOA and TANF (welfare) services to individuals who are ages 16-24.”

Anderson adds that according to Fitzpatrick not all funds are being combined, just those for that specified age group.

Boggs has supported moving all authority for WIOA funds to the DJFS, which opponents say would jeopardize the OneStop program in Ironton forcing clients to go out of county to get job placement help.

A week ago Boggs offered a proposal where the commission would sign all contracts to keep services with the CAO through Dec. 31. If switching control of WIOA funds is mandated, the commissioner said he would offer to contract with the CAO while the DJFS maintains financial control, as was done four years ago.

The CAO could accept or decline this proposal, Boggs said.