For the second time in recent weeks, Sen. Steve Sodders, D-State Center, has expressed concerns publicly over the future of the Iowa Workforce Development office in Marshalltown.
Gov. Terry Branstad closed 36 IWD offices last year and replaced them with kiosks at places such as libraries. Even though the Marshalltown office has not been mentioned as far as future closures, Sodders still has concerns about the future of the facility.
"I have heard that as soon as the (legislative) session's over they are going to try and close it," Sodders said at a public forum last week. " Right now, they are not saying that they are going to close it, but I've heard it."
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T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW POTTER
The Iowa Workforce Development Office in Marshalltown avoided last year’s 36 office closings statewide. Sen. Steve Sodders, D-State Center, said there’s talk it could be closed in the future. An IWD spokesperson said that closing it would be illegal.
Kerry Koonce, spokesperson for Iowa Workforce Development, said the state can't close the Marshalltown office because it is a federal-designated office open for the Region 6 area. She said it would be illegal for the state to close it.
"By federal workforce investment law, it has to be there," Koonce said.
The office in Marshalltown employs nine state employees and IWD also partners with Iowa Valley, which has seven employees in the facility as well.
Sodders has vowed to support keeping the local office open, if it were to be in jeopardy.
"I'll be fighting trying to keep this one open," Sodders said.