2 days ago
City of South Fulton leaders hold emergency meeting about Job Corps pause
City of South Fulton leaders said they are already feeling the impacts of the impending Job Corps closures.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Leaders said construction on the new Metro Atlanta Job Corps center stopped years ago and now the community is dealing with land left abandoned.
'We need to hold people accountable,' said councilmember Helen Willis at a press briefing Wednesday.
Willis said the structure at Roosevelt Highway and Washington Road was supposed to be the site of the new Metro Atlanta Job Corps center. She said she now fears blight and other issues with the abandoned property, owned by the federal government.
Willis told Channel 2's Audrey Washington that while the top priority is finishing the campus for students, if the government does not, she wants the property back in the hands of the city.
TRENDING STORIES:
'That's problematic:' Woman accused of taking money from homeowners instead of cutting down trees
Case of mistaken identity ends with young mother killed in alleged Atlanta gang shooting
19 arrested for stealing thousands from Mall of Georgia
'Convey the land over to the city. Let us develop and revitalize the land. Our community doesn't deserve this. The students don't deserve this,' Councilmember Helen Willis said.
'I mean, it's sad to be honest. It's heartbreaking,' Job Corps graduate Tyric Weaver told Washington.
'It's really disappointing, I ain't gonna lie.'
Citing financial issues, last week, the Department of Labor announced a phased pause at contractor-led Job Corps centers nationwide.
Right now, students and staff have just days to leave the facilities.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
With many of the students being at-risk or homeless, there's now a concern about their welfare.
'Kids, they're really not going to have anywhere to go, they're going to be on the streets,' Weaver explained.
'What's going to happen to thousands of youths?' Willis asked.
Now, City of South Fulton leaders are pushing for the Job Corps funding to be reinstated.
They said they plan to reach out to Congress members to restore funding.
