Fireworks erupt at board meeting over $8.6 million state grant to house migrants in Chicago suburb
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- Fireworks over a Chicago suburb's plan to house migrants; the township and city of Joliet are at odds over a state grant to fund housing and other services for asylum seekers. Hundreds packed a township board meeting to voice their concerns.
Gov. JB Pritzker's office announced last month that the city of Joliet would get $8.6 million to provide shelter, food, legal support, health care, and other services for newly arrived migrants from Central and South America.
However, some of the people listed as supporters on the application for that grant said they didn't sign on. The request was made instead by Joliet Township Supervisor Angel Contreras. The township is a separate and independent government body from the city.
Township Clerk Alicia Morales has claimed "the process was handled in the appropriate manner, nothing was violated."
"People just don't understand how government works," Morales added.
However, Joliet city officials have said they were never involved in seeking the grant money.
"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," Joliet city officials said in a press release last week. "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."
The grant has angered many in Joliet, who didn't learn of the township's plans to house migrants until Pritzker's office announced the funding.
"People in this community are very upset and concerned about what's going on with this grant, that nobody knew about except with the governor's announcement, which took everybody by surprise," said John Sheridan, president of the Cunningham Neighborhood Council.
"People who I would not have expect to have called have been calling. They have been inquiring. They're asking the same questions that we would have asked if we would have known," said community activist Trista Graves Brown.
Even though the grant was not on the agenda of Tuesday night's township board meeting, it was the topic of heated debate.
At the beginning of the meeting, Contreras acknowledged the township's grant application did not have the support of the city of Joliet or the Joliet Fire Department, despite including their logos on the application.
Contreras told the crowd that including information about support of Joliet's mayor and fire department was a mistake.
"The inclusion of the city of Joliet and Joliet Fire Department logos on the application was an oversight," Contreras said to a chorus of boos from the crowd.
During nearly three hours of public comment, hundreds of people showed up both in support and opposition to the proposal, with township officials warning people would be asked to leave if they were disruptive during the meeting.
"We are seeking asylum from crime, from drugs, from gang activity, from homelessness. We have been asylum seekers," one woman said.
"Let's stand together as one voice to address the needs of all people," another woman said.
Joliet Mayor Terry D'Arcy attended the meeting to ask the board to withdraw the grant, calling it unsustainable.
"It's just not tenable. We cannot do what the grant says, and I found out in the news like everyone else did. I had no knowledge this grant was being applied for," he said. "We see what's happening in Chicago. How can we handle it in Joliet?"
Despite the heated debate during public comment, Contreras said no action would be taken on the grant on Tuesday. He said the township has not accepted the grant, and nothing has been finalized regarding the township's plans to house migrants.
As a result of the dispute over the grant application, Joliet Park District Director Brad Staab said the district rescinded a 6-month lease with the township – worth $15,000 per month – for the Hartman Recreation Center, claiming the township misrepresented what they would use the facility for. The district believed the township for recreation events and expanded community services – not a migrant welcome center.
The controversy has become so intense, a Joliet City Council member said there has been a threat made against a local social service agency that supports migrants.
Meantime, as the influx of migrants into the city of Chicago continues, asylum seekers will be moving into two new shelters on the West Side of Chicago as soon as Friday.
Sources said a community meeting will be held Wednesday evening at Plumbers Hall, 1350 W. Washington Blvd., regarding plans to move migrants into a commercial building at 939 W. Lake St. and an office building at 30 N. Racine Av.