Lake County leaders approved a plan to fund training for laid-off Kroger employees, using tax incentive funds set aside for the company.

Kroger announced its pullout from Lake County, shutting its Groveland facility and laying off a thousand employees on Feb. 1.

The county's effort is twofold: first, to recoup some of the money it has given Kroger since the company opened in Groveland in 2021, and second, to support the approximately 1,000 employees who will be laid off.

Kroger earned about $1.3 million in performance grants from the county, paid out annually after the company pays its property taxes. Kroger was in a 10-year incentive agreement with the county, committing to provide a certain level of jobs at certain wages.

The county manager said the county's position is that, because

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