Butler County officials prepared a job fair in the wake of XPER’s closure and subsequent layoff of its more than 200 employees.

Employers at the fair, which will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the UAW Local 3303 union hall, are looking for workers to fill more than 650 positions, according to Mark Gordon, the county’s chief of economic development. Gordon said the jobs offer “family-sustaining wages.”

“It’s a great opportunity for anybody that is looking for work,” Gordon said. “Not just those displaced from Ibis Tek or XPER, but for anybody in the county.”

XPER was known as Ibis Tek until the fall of 2020, when it rebranded.

Gordon said he doesn’t expect hiring to occur long after the fair. Human resource professionals will be at the hiring fair, Gordon said, who will screen applicants while they are present.

“It wouldn’t be an unrealistic expectation that somebody could go there, (and) within a week or a week and a half have full-time employment with benefits and family-sustaining wages,” Gordon said.

XPER, which was based in Middlesex Township, suddenly closed its doors Feb. 4. In a letter to its employees, the company explained it did “not have adequate funds to continue operations or conduct a sale process.”

County commissioners on Wednesday approved seven rentals of Alameda Park amenities in connection with the county’s hosting of the 2024 Can-Am Police-Fire Games.

In mid-to-late July 2024, the Police-Fire games will include several sporting events at Alameda Park, including bocce ball, cross-country 5K and 10K events, mountain biking and beach volleyball.

Lance Welliver, county parks and recreation director, said both first responders and their families are able to participate in the Police-Fire games.

“I know there’s a lot of excitement in the fire and EMS and police world about doing this,” said commissioner Kevin Boozel.

Welliver told commissioners chairwoman Leslie Osche that the parks and recreation department has already informed interested people, such as mountain-biking groups, about the mid-July closure of the bike trail for the games.