REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE, JOB DEVELOPMENT TRAINING

AND OPPORTUNITIES

May 12, 2009

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

ATTENDANCE

Present:

Chairman Collins, Commissioner Sims (2)

Absent: Vice Chairman Schneider, Commissioners Gorman and Suffredin

Also Present: Commissioners Butler, Gainer and Peraica; Karen S. Crawford, Director, President’s Office of Employment Training, Charles Jenrich, Chairman of the Cook County Workforce Investment Board and Pat Driscoll, State’s Attorney Office

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Your Committee on Workforce, Job Development and Training Opportunities of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at the hour of 10:00 A.M. in the Board Room, Room 569, County Building, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois.

The Secretary of the Board informed Chairman Collins that a quorum was not present at this time, but testimony could be taken.

300317

RESOLUTION REGARDING REVIEW OF FEDERAL STIMULUS DOLLARS FOR COOK COUNTY’S UNEMPLOYED ADULTS, DISLOCATED WORKERS AND YOUTH (PROPOSED RESOLUTION). Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by Earlean Collins, County Commissioner. RESOLUTION WHEREAS, Cook County is a home rule unit of local government pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 (a) of the 1970 Illinois Constitution, and as such may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs; and WHEREAS, the President’s Office of Employment Training (“P.O.E.T”) along with the Cook County Workforce Investment Board (“WIA”) are committed to assisting the residents of suburban Cook County through the administration of the federally supported WIA program which provides residents with employment training, job placement, and educational opportunities; and WHEREAS, statistics show that long term unemployment individuals are more likely to turn to crime and with unemployment rates in Cook County above the national average it is paramount that P.O.E.T. along with the Workforce Investment Board utilize the 15.5 million dollars from the Federal Economic Stimulus Package dollars effectively. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board conduct a public hearing to discuss the allocation of 15.5 million dollars for Cook County’s unemployed adults, dislocated workers and youth. *REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE 05/05/09.

Mr. Charles Jenrich, Chairman of the Cook County Workforce Investment Board, stated it is an honor to have been chosen for the task at hand. The role of the Board is to oversee those dollars that come to us for the South and West of Cook County. The Board is approximately 54% private enterprise. The Board looks for directions from the President’s Office of Employment Training. The monies are mandated through the Federal and State. A percentage of the dollars must go to dislocated workers, as well as to adult and youth funding programs. The Board has set up an oversight committee that’s constantly evaluating the activities of the vendors and providers for their services and if they are meeting performance expectation. The Board has a unique opportunity this year; it is receiving 15 million dollars which is being given to us during the stimulus period of time for activities over and above our normal yearly plan. These dollars are provided for the dislocated workers, adult and youth population.

Ms. Karen S. Crawford, Director, President’s Office of Employment Training (P.O.E.T.), stated on February 17, 2009, that President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Re-Investment Act. The President’s Office and Employment Training (P.O.E.T.) received 15.5 million dollars in American Recovery and Re-Investment Act funding to be spent in a 120 days and which has to be spent by June 30, 2010. The Workforce Board met last month to determine how the funding should be utilized. Stimulus funding of 2.5 million dollars came to P.O.E.T for adult services. The Workforce Investment Board, as a function of their work last month, determined that the entire 2.5 million dollars of adult funding should be spent on apprenticeship opportunities for adults in South and West suburban Cook County. P.O.E.T. will put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for agencies, service providers and companies that can facilitate apprenticeship programs, so the adult population being served can “earn as they learn”.

Ms. Crawford continued to state that with the youth funding, the Workforce Invest Board voted to reactivate the President Stroger’s Summer Youth Program. They elected to spend 100% of funding on summer jobs this year. P.O.E.T. put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) and in the process of gearing up for over a thousand young people to work across Cook County in the summer jobs program. The dislocated worker program is the largest pool of funding at 7.2 million. The Board’s decision for dislocated workers’ money was to use that to focus on apprenticeships, on job training opportunities, incumbent worker opportunities and traditional services for dislocated workers.

Chairman Collins asked the Secretary to the Board to call upon the registered public speakers, in accordance with Cook County Code, Sec. 2-108(dd):

PUBLIC SPEAKERS

1) Charles Jenrich – Cook County Workforce Investment Board

2) Charles Griffin - Mayor of Ford Heights

3) George Blakemore – Concerned Citizen

4) Mike Neal – Community, Economic & Business Development Consultants

5) Chris Meskin – Concerned Citizen

6) Cynthia Alexander, Director of Development – Safer Foundation

7) Jack Fitzpatrick – Employment and Employer Service

8) Pastor John H. Rice - Executive Director Homeless Shelter/

Bethel Facility, Chicago Heights

9) Ira Williams, Director - CEDA

Chairman Collins thanked everyone in attendance and adjourned the meeting for lack of a quorum.

Respectfully submitted,

Committee on Workforce, Job Development and Training Opportunities

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Earlean Collins, Chairman

Attest:

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Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary

The complete audio recording of this meeting is available in the Office of the Secretary to the Board, 118 North Clark Street, Room 567, Chicago, IL 60602.