REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE, JOB DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
The Honorable,
The Board of Commissioners of
ATTENDANCE
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Present: |
Chairman Collins, Vice Chairman Schneider,
Commissioners Gorman and Sims (4) |
Absent: Commissioner
Suffredin
Also Present: Commissioners
Beavers, Butler, Daley and Gainer; Karen S. Crawford, Director, President’s
Office of Employment Training, Charles Jenrich, Chairman of the Cook County
Workforce Investment Board and Albert Pritchett Chairman,
Workforce Investment Board
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
Your Committee has considered the following items and upon
adoption of this report, the recommendations are as follows:
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302413 |
RESOLUTION REQUESTING REVIEW OF
THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING (P.O.E.T.) (PROPOSED
RESOLUTION). Submitting a Proposed
Resolution sponsored by Peter N. Silvestri, John P. Daley and Earlean
Collins, PROPOSED RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the President’s Office of Employment Training (POET) was
established to offer job training services and programs to assist residents
in the search for employment and to help them enhance existing job skills;
and WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity is freezing $2.35 million in grant money for POET after a probe
raised questions about spending and accounting practices at the office; and WHEREAS, the
state is also demanding that POET return $1.8 million in unspent grant money
dating back to 2007; and WHEREAS, the state is cutting off the county’s direct access to
grant money for POET’s summer job program for youth, directing administrators
to go through a rigorous reimbursement program through the state; and
WHEREAS, state officials say they are not
trying to shut the doors on POET but would like to push it toward more
responsible management. NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners
promptly hold a meeting of the appropriate committee to review the program
and the allegations against it so that it can be run as intended. |
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302435 |
RESOLUTION
TO EVALUATE AND DISCUSS THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE OF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING
(P.O.E.T.) (PROPOSED RESOLUTION).
Submitting a Proposed Resolution sponsored by Earlean Collins, County Commissioner. PROPOSED
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,
on August 14, 2009 the President’s Office of Employment Training (“P.O.E.T.”)
received written communication from the Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity (“DCEO”) that access to cash for Grant 08-762007 had been
suspended; and WHEREAS,
while DCEO acknowledges that P.O.E.T. continues to make progress in some
areas of program management and administration, they note that P.O.E.T. needs
to be more aggressive in four major areas: (1) Service Providers; (2) Program
Monitoring; (3) Financial Management; and (4) Reorganization of the Labor
Workforce Investment Board (“LWIB”) and County Board oversight; and WHEREAS,
P.O.E.T. is a vital part of Cook County’s ability to provide necessary job
training and placement services to residents of south and west suburban Cook
County and therefore it is imperative that P.O.E.T. come into compliance with
both Federal and State guidelines to ensure continuous funding. NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that this Board conduct a
public hearing on |
Commissioner Gorman,
seconded by Commissioner Schneider, moved to receive and file Communication Nos.
302413 as amended and 302435. The motion
carried.
Chairman Collins stated the purpose of the meeting was to
ascertain a better understanding of the federal, state and local policies as they
pertain to the Congress’ intended goals for workforce development programs. It
has been alleged that the President’s Office of Employment Training (P.O.E.T). in
Chairman Collins stated that Mr. Warren Ripley
(Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) and Ms.
Theresa McMahon (Deputy Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity), have been very critical of P.O.E.T services, and were invited to speak at the
committee meeting and provide an update on the federal stimulus package as it
relates to workforce development programs. P.O.E.T had anticipated there would be
difficulties with receiving the proper paperwork to implement the youth jobs
program for summer employment. Chairman
Collins predicted there would be problems in
Mr. Albert Pritchett, Workforce
Investment Board, Oversight member stated the role of P.O.E.T is training and
employment of its participants. The agency’s responsibility is not to keep
agencies in business that is not performing.
One problem that P.O.E.T experiences is the south
and west suburbs have limited job opportunities. P.O.E.T needs commitments from businesses, at
minimum, to assist the agency to improve the employment and training
programs.
Mr. Charles Jenrich, Chairman of
the Cook County Workforce Investment Board, stated his belief that P.O.E.T’s Workforce Board, (CCWIB) has been falsely regarded
as a rubber stamp board by the State of
Karen S. Crawford, (Director, P.O.E.T)
stated the program provides significant services for individuals located in the
south and west suburban
Chairman Collins inquired about
the number of jobs that were available for the summer program?
Ms. Crawford responded that system-wide
over 4,624 applications were received and 1,200 positions were filled.
Chairman Collins stated
In addition, the formula grant is a two year program were the federal government stipulated
the 80% of the funding should be spent in the first year of the program. If the funding was not spent, the State would
lose the funding and the federal government would be sent to another
state. So with that kind of pressure,
the program is doomed for failure.
Commissioner Sims inquired about
the letters received from the State of
Ms. Crawford responded the State
of
Commissioner Gorman inquired about the
certification of the staff.
Ms. Crawford responded the fiscal director
possesses a degree in computer technology which is significant to P.O.E.T. There is an accountant who is a college graduate. One bookkeeper
came to P.O.E.T with experience from one of P.O.E.T service provider agencies and
the other bookkeeper is a graduate of
Commissioner Daley inquired on the
number of meetings the Workforce Investment Board schedules.
Mr. Jenrich responded the
Workforce Investment Board meets nine times a year as a full board.
Commissioner Daley stated that the
CCWIB meets more often the State Board and that the last time the State was in
trouble with the USDOL they seemed to focus unfairly on the
Commissioners Beavers inquired as
to the payment of the summer jobs for the youth.
Ms. Crawford replied the majority
of the youth came to the orientation without all the required documentation for
payroll processing. All the young people
received their paychecks.
Commissioner Gainer inquired to
the validity of the State of
Ms. Crawford replied there are
four benchmarks remaining of the original ten given to complete. The letter dated July 29 affords P.O.E.T
ninety days before the local area is reorganized by the Governor. It is P.O.E.T’s
intention to meet all remaining benchmarks within the ninety day period,
however the State will assess if they have been completed to their
satisfaction. Also, in the letter there
is a requirement that all invoices be submitted in the beginning of August and using
software provided by the State of Illinois; yet it is September 9th and
the software has not been received.
Chairman Collins, Vice Chairman Schneider,
Commissioners Daley and Gorman voiced their disappointment in the State of
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) George Blakemore – Concerned Citizen
2) Michael Neal – Youth Committee
Workforce Investment Board
3) Jack Fitzpatrick - CEO, Employment and Employer
Services
4) Rachel Romo –
Executive Director, Central States SER
Commissioner Gorman,
seconded by Vice Chairman Schneider, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried and the meeting was
adjourned.
COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTION WITH REGARD TO THE MATTER NAMED HEREIN:
Communication Number 302413 Receive
and File
Communication Number 302435 Receive
and File
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Respectfully submitted, Committee on Workforce, Job Development and Training
Opportunities xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Earlean
Collins, Chairman |
Attest:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary
The complete audio recording of this meeting is available in
the Office of the Secretary to the Board,