By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – The City Council fully endorsed Mayor Arthur Vigeant's Youth Summer Employment initiative by appropriating $40,000 at its April 23 meeting. In introducing the new program, Vigeant requested $15,000 as an initial investment, but acting on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, councilors increased it by $25,000 to cover anticipated program expenditures in July and August 2012.
Vigeant will report back to the City Council the results of the program for consideration of funding for 2013. The Youth Employment and Public Service Internship Program, the first of its kind in the city, is a joint venture of the mayor's office, Middlesex District Attorney Gerald Leone's office and Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce, which serves as the regional Workforce Investment Board for the Marlborough area.
The summer program is tailored toward students from families whose household income does not exceed the median area family income of $64,509. All students are required to attend five hours of mandatory unpaid job readiness training. They will be paid $8 an hour and will work 20 to 25 hours per week. The program will carry a maximum of 20 students, with 12 employed by the city. Remaining students will work for and be paid by local companies who have volunteered to become part of the program, according to the mayor. Candidates must be from Marlborough and will be required to have a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check consistent with those of full-time employees.
In other business, Councilor-at-Large and Finance Committee Chair Michael Ossing announced a meeting for Monday, April 30. On the agenda will be an order requesting approval of borrowing $62.4 million, the city's share of the costs of repairs and renovations to the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School. Students from Marlborough, Hudson, Maynard, Berlin, Westborough, Northborough, and Southborough are members of the district.
Also on the agenda is a communication from Vigeant requesting $200,000 for the Marlborough Economic Development Corporation to fund operations and special projects for the remainder of the calendar year. Ossing also announced that the Finance Committee will begin an overview of the budget process for the new budget beginning May 9.
