* Background is here if you need it. From Shaw Local…
An $8.6 million state grant awarded to Joliet Township for asylum seekers would fund services now being provided to migrants already coming to the area, Township Supervisor Angel Contreras said Wednesday. […]
He said asylum seekers being bused into the Chicago area already are finding their way to Joliet and other suburban areas. The Spanish Community Center in Joliet has done casework for 2,200 asylum seekers since August 2022, Contreras said.
The grant would be used to fund services already being provided to asylum seekers by the Spanish Community Center and Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, the two organizations named as grant recipients.
“I envision it (the grant) just stabilizing the work that the organizations are already doing so that they don’t go under,” Contreras said. “The people are here already, and we don’t want our systems to go under.”
Contreras’ full letter is here.
* From the township’s grant application…
Shelter and nights of stay are currently provided at the Mainstay Joliet hotel off of the Larkin exit at Interstate 80 in Joliet, Illinois. A Memorandum of agreement will exist with the hospitality owners to continue utilizing services for socially vulnerable individuals and providing guidance to triage, resources and services through direct continuity of care planning. This agreement provides protection to vulnerable clients that are experiencing acute or chronic stages of disease, and/or health and social vulnerability. […]
Spanish Community Center (SCC) will be opening and operating an Illinois Welcoming Center (IWC) program at its 309 N Eastern Ave location, which will be able to provide services to asylum-seekers. The IWC program will have the capacity to provide in-depth case management to 700 clients, crisis intervention services to 350 clients, and resource and referral services to 3000 clients, with a total funding award of $350,000. […]
In the last two years SCC also doubled the size of its legal and immigration programs, greatly increasing client capacity. So much so, that a secondary office location had to be opened in Joliet to house the expanding programs. Due to this growth, there have been several successes in the legal programs. In the current fiscal year, every employment authorization filed by the program has been approved, a family that filed for VAWA recently received their social security cards, and in FY23, the program surpassed its intake and case acceptance goals, conducting 145 screenings and accepting 63 cases.
* But, as you know, Joliet’s mayor claimed he and the local fire department were blindsided…
A state grant awarded to Joliet Township to provide services for migrants is raising concerns from elected leaders in Joliet.
“The decision maker in the city did not have knowledge of the grant request made by the Joliet Township with community partners and organization,” said Mayor Terry D’Arcy.
Mayor D’Arcy at a council meeting Tuesday night told the public his office and the Joliet Fire Department did not sign or approve any memorandum with the township as submitted to the state.
The township’s grant application not only featured the logos of the City of Joliet and the Joliet Fire Department at the top of its front page, the application itself more than just implied support from the mayor and cooperation with the fire department…
Joliet Township Government, with partners Will Grundy Medical Clinic, The Spanish Community Center, and The South Suburban Immigrant Project, with support from the City of Joliet Mayor’s Office, will work through memorandum of agreement alongside local safety net providers to offer temporary, rapid, and responsive support services to those individuals that are, under definition, seeking Asylum in the United States. […]
Working with the local Fire Department, to provide immediate on-site services through community paramedicine, and reciprocity through Joliet Township Government programs such as trauma informed services to violence prevention, non-emergency transportation, housing and shelter, food and nutrition access, and economic development.
If the township doesn’t have that cooperation, the entire program could founder.
* And there are clearly some proposed expansions in current efforts, including this one…
Will Grundy Medical Clinic Health Housing and Hope program has provided health care, shelter, medication and transportation, for over 800 individuals and families that reside unsheltered and within the emergency shelters, Morning Star Mission and Daybreak in Joliet, Illinois. This program will expand to offer a “Welcoming Clinic” for individuals and families seeking Asylum
*** UPDATE *** The City of Joliet’s interim city manager says the city was aware of the grant but it provided no input on the grant application and continues to oppose the proposal…
This statement is being released to provide clarity on the City’s position regarding Joliet Township’s application for asylum seeker funding. The City of Joliet routinely shares grant funding opportunities to other local government and social service agencies that support Joliet residents. We do this to help offset the financial impact to these agencies.
The City of Joliet received a notice of funding opportunity regarding this grant on August 9, 2023.
As standard practice, City staff reviewed the funding opportunity. A link was shared with Joliet Township and Spanish Community Center to attend a statewide zoom information session hosted by the grantor on this funding opportunity. On September 1, 2023, City staff met with Joliet Township, Spanish Community Center and Will Grundy Medical Clinic. A general discussion was held regarding the current pressures placed on these agencies from asylum seekers currently in the community and whether this grant would help stabilize the financial burden placed on the community.
City staff was aware these three organizations intended to have additional conversations regarding this grant opportunity and its applicability to meeting the current needs in the community. The City of Joliet provided no input in Joliet Township’s grant application.
The City did not receive a request from Joliet Township, nor did we authorize Joliet Township to include the Mayor’s Office and Joliet Fire Department as collaborators. In fact, the City did not receive a copy of the grant application until October 2, 2023.
The extreme amount ($12.1M) that Joliet Township requested does not correlate to any conversation City staff had regarding the current needs within the community.
As Interim City Manager, I do not support Joliet Township’s grant application. In the future, the City will continue to partner on funding opportunities with our governmental and community partners that benefit the residents and businesses of Joliet.
The Mayor’s strong request that Joliet Township withdraw the application stands.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 1:08 pm:
===The township’s grant application not only featured the logos of the City of Joliet and the Joliet Fire Department at the top of its front page, the application itself more than just implied support from the mayor and cooperation with the fire department…===
Yeah. No. No.
For me it was first to hear from the supervisorc and second try to understand with the supervisor’s thoughts and filings how “Joliet” as an entity is involved and why could they be fired up.
This kinda answers a few questions for me.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 1:19 pm:
I’d also add…
… blaming the Joliet mayor, the council, “histrionics”… and then we learn of the use of implied “buy-in”, the use of official seals in an application…
I dunno if dismissing “buy-in” works anymore given the false impression by the application.
- Um, no - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:01 pm:
Regardless of the underlying rational or need, implying consent from other units of government that does not exist is a huge blunder.
A grant application of any kind involving multiple units of government should include strong letters of support and cooperation. Grant writing 101.
This is amateur hour.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:05 pm:
“Mayor D’Arcy at a council meeting Tuesday night told the public his office and the Joliet Fire Department did not sign or approve any memorandum with the township as submitted to the state.”
Good thing the city and Fire department weren’t listed as signing an MOU. That would be the Spanish Community Center, and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, as stated in the application.
Also of note, it is the EAST Joliet Fire Department which provides services for Joliet township, not the city of Joliet. This is not a department the mayor controls. It is independent from the city fire department. Nobody from that Fire Department is raising any objections to this stated cooperation.
Lots of people obviously want to try to find the smallest thing to grab onto here to sabotage it.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:14 pm:
===“Mayor D’Arcy at a council meeting Tuesday night told the public his office and the Joliet Fire Department did not sign or approve any memorandum with the township as submitted to the state.”
Good thing the city and Fire department weren’t listed as signing an MOU. That would be the Spanish Community Center, and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, as stated in the application.===
I’d suggest taking a deep breath.
I can show you what you’ve written less than 24 hours ago to all that you now what to be “important”
What has happened is a very misleading application that has the Joliet seal and the Joliet Fire Department seal.
See, if it doesn’t matter the “buy-in”, why mislead in the application? Why have misleading graphics?
===Also of note, it is the EAST Joliet Fire Department which provides services for Joliet township, not the city of Joliet. This is not a department the mayor controls. It is independent from the city fire department. Nobody from that Fire Department is raising any objections to this stated cooperation.===
This is irrelevant. It’s not a good fact to have that we need to ignore a misleading because it doesn’t matter… except it mattered to be on the application in a graphic, purposely.
===Lots of people obviously want to try to find the smallest thing to grab onto here to sabotage it.===
Friend, the supervisor got caught implying Joliet and it’s FD were on board and part of the application.
This ain’t no lil “whoops”, and it’s not the fault of those pointing it out, it’s the supervisor’s fault, which you continually and purposely ignore those failings.
With respect
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:15 pm:
I’m glad to see Joliet is so focused on going by the book now. It will make it much easier for them to also address the flagrant ethics violations on display at the Tuesday council meeting by a council member.
Or is it now ethical to use your position on a board, during a public meeting, to not only advocate and solicit the public to create a specific referendum but to advocate for a specific outcome?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:23 pm:
===I’m glad to see Joliet is so focused on going by the book now. ===
This only works if now you readily admit mistakes were made by the supervisor, some apparently purposely misleading.
Just saying.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:25 pm:
“implying Joliet and it’s FD were on board”
Show me where that is stated in the grant?
Is the ‘local fire department’ mentioned in the grant as assisting the one you want it to be for the sake of your position, or is it the other Fire Department the township is working with and who hasn’t expressed any objection to this?
If you want to rest on the choice of graphics, while ignoring the wording and not the reality on the ground, that’s your choice.
Despite there already having been over 2,000 who have done so - without anybody noticing. The police chief also specifically stated there have been no problems or calls related to their presence.
It wasn’t until people knew about the grant, that the ones already here suddenly became a problem. That speaks for itself, frankly.
You don’t want immigrants coming to Joliet, I get it. Do I get to make the decision on the cricket stadium in Oswego now? I mean, I don’t live there, but who cares.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:27 pm:
“This only works”
…If the person demanding to hold others by the book, also goes by the same book.
It’s called integrity.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:30 pm:
===It’s called integrity.===
So you’re admitting the application is disingenuous.
I mean…
===The township’s grant application not only featured the logos of the City of Joliet and the Joliet Fire Department at the top of its front page, the application itself more than just implied support from the mayor and cooperation with the fire department…===
Honesty seems lacking in it, as you now seemingly admit.
- VK - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:35 pm:
The gaslighting and whataboutism happening in this comment section is truly remarkable.
- E Pro - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:37 pm:
TheInvisibleMan: did you see the Supervisor got his trial for DUI #3 delayed until January?
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:41 pm:
E Pro:
23-013904 is the police report number, with the description given stating this to have happened.
Does that impact the city councils decision, in the same way you are hoping to impact the supervisors position?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:48 pm:
What should be the discussion is… an application that meets the criteria of those looking over the grant… it has the necessary buy-in, and there’s no need or concern that this application is purposely misleading.
The rest is ridiculous and embarrassing by the supervisor, which is likely a reason why they were MIA.
It’s no one’s fault an application is riddled with inaccuracies except for the ones submitting it.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 2:57 pm:
“which is likely a reason why they were MIA.”
There have actually been constant hints in these threads by another poster about why he was not available. One is in this very thread.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:05 pm:
===There have actually been constant hints in these threads by another poster about why he was not available.===
Possible criminality while behind the wheel is a red herring in so far as any ally could refute, in his stead, false items.
Can’t refute what’s in an application, legal troubles or not,
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:19 pm:
===The gaslighting and whataboutism happening in this comment section is truly remarkable. ===
Yeah. I’ve been busy with other things, but I’m gonna clean out some of these comments and then banish anyone who goes off-topic going forward.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:20 pm:
“Joliet officials acknowledge they knew about grant for asylum seekers”
Oops. Latest headline in local paper.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:21 pm:
===Show me where that is stated in the grant?===
It’s on the top page
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:23 pm:
===“Joliet officials acknowledge they knew about grant for asylum seekers”===
And?
What changes? How is this changing anything?
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:27 pm:
“‘How is this changing anything?”
The.City.Lied.To.You.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:28 pm:
===Is the ‘local fire department’ mentioned in the grant as assisting the one you want it to be for the sake of your position, or is it the other Fire Department the township is working with and who hasn’t expressed any objection to this?
If you want to rest on the choice of graphics, while ignoring the wording and not the reality on the ground, that’s your choice.===
Bud, it’s not my choice. This isn’t a “facts optional” document.
It’s like you want the whole idea of a truthful, bought-in application to be meaningless. A mere box to be checked, no real truth.
===It wasn’t until people knew about the grant, that the ones already here suddenly became a problem. That speaks for itself, frankly.===
It speaks volumes that it took for them to find out a lot the grant that they then had issues.
It’s like you saying if they didn’t know, that’s ok?
===You don’t want immigrants coming to Joliet, I get it. Do I get to make the decision on the cricket stadium in Oswego now? I mean, I don’t live there, but who cares.===
When Rich has a post on the cricket stadium….
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:29 pm:
===The.City.Lied.To.You.===
The application is a fabrication of truth.
So…
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:39 pm:
To the update,
This got my attention
===The City did not receive a request from Joliet Township, nor did we authorize Joliet Township to include the Mayor’s Office and Joliet Fire Department as collaborators. In fact, the City did not receive a copy of the grant application until October 2, 2023.===
“…nor did we authorize Joliet Township to include the Mayor’s Office and Joliet Fire Department as collaborators. In fact, the City did not receive a copy of the grant application until October 2, 2023.”
That’s… wow.
Again… (sigh)
===What should be the discussion is… an application that meets the criteria of those looking over the grant… it has the necessary buy-in, and there’s no need or concern that this application is purposely misleading.
The rest is ridiculous and embarrassing by the supervisor, which is likely a reason why they were MIA.
It’s no one’s fault an application is riddled with inaccuracies except for the ones submitting it.===
- Frida's boss - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:45 pm:
The grant was false. Nothing more nothing less.
Even if the city knew about the grant where is the signature or MOU with the mayor and the FD?
Now what the Supervisor should be doing is working to get them on board and hope the MMC doesn’t pull the grant.
Maybe if he removes the language about him increasing his township staff headcount and increasing his other pieces of internal infrastructure and is just going to be the pass-through for outside agencies already doing the work, he may be able to get others on board.
Then at least those agencies doing the work can get some financial relief. But make it about them and the work they’re already doing.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:50 pm:
To the update;
The timing of this is bothersome.
September 1:
“the city also acknowledged a meeting was held on Sept. 1 between their staff, the township, the Spanish Community Center and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic.”
The story states no opposition was given by the city at that time, and in fact goes on;
“City staff were aware the township, Spanish Community Center and the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic intended to have “additional conversations”
No opposition came to the township from the city by Sept 15th.
Sept 15th:
The grant was sent to the state
Time passes. Still no opposition from the city comes into the township, with now almost a month passing since the cities first meeting in early september.
Sept 29th:
Announcement is made of grant recipients.
One month later, and the mayor claims he didn’t know about this yet.
At no time before now did the city express any negative concerns about this. The city was aware all of the parties listed in the MOU would be continuing to seek the grant. From the townships perspective, why would the township not think they at least have the support if not financially, of the city who has been attending these meetings with no objections to the discussions taking place. How is the township fabricating anything.
This is why one of my very first statements on this was it would be wise to not place too much weight on the accuracy of what they mayor says.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 3:53 pm:
===How is the township fabricating anything.===
Oh, for Pete’s sake. This is your last gaslighting warning.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 4:04 pm:
===The story states no opposition was given by the city at that time, and in fact goes on;
…
No opposition came to the township from the city by Sept 15th.===
Did the township notify they were submitting, or give a copy of the submittal beforehand?
===…nor did we authorize Joliet Township to include the Mayor’s Office and Joliet Fire Department as collaborators. In fact, the City did not receive a copy of the grant application until October 2, 2023.===
In the end, the township supervisor “messed” up in a big way by adding support that first never existed, and those same folks were likely against it.
It doesn’t get much worse.
- VK - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 4:34 pm:
==At no time before now did the city express any negative concerns about this.==
“Hey here’s this thing you might want to know about” is in no way permission to put anyone’s name on anything. This is a basic level consent issue. If I as a person don’t tell you that I am on board with a thing, the correct answer *isn’t* to assume I’m on board with that thing. The same holds true for governments, elected officials, and agencies.
There is not a competent staffer working for any agency or elected who would not get, in writing, permission to include the name or logo of another agency or elected for a flyer announcing a diaper drive let alone a grant for multiple millions of dollars.
Putting forward a defense of “well they didn’t tell me no or that they didn’t like it” is an absurd defense that draws clear parallels I do not think I have to explain.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 5, 23 @ 4:38 pm:
What VK said.