SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The Sullivan County Department of Labor will be holding an outreach and job fair sessions for employees laid off as a result of the recent Frito-Lay closure in Liberty.

The announcement of the Frito-Lay closure and nearly 300 layoffs on February 20 came as a shock. District 1 Legislature Matt McPhillips said “I grew up in Liberty, and, you know, now, obviously I’m in Bethel and representing District One, but, you know, just to see the effects that that could have on a town, I mean, you know, like you say, it’s not even just the business itself, right? It’s the ancillary operations, right? You have all those storefronts on Main Street, and, you know, kids in school and, you know, and a lot of families that we’re depending on that,” at the legislature on March 6.

“We really want to keep as many of those people as local as possible,” said Laura Quigley, commissioner of community resources.

As part of the New York State Department of Labor rapid response program, Quigley said there are two sessions scheduled. One outreach session on March 21 will discuss resources and training opportunities with workers affected by the closure. It will be available in both English and Spanish.

A March 28 job fair, hosted at the Frito-Lay site plant, is scheduled for employees impacted by the closure to connect with county businesses looking to hire, she said.