Jobs Committee approves two WIOA-funded workforce department positions after short discussion

The Kane County Jobs Committee on Jan. 16 approved two resolutions authorizing new positions in the Department of Workforce Development, both funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

The committee moved and seconded a resolution "authorizing the creation of a program training specialist position for the workforce development department, funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)," and approved it by roll call. Later the committee moved, seconded and approved a resolution authorizing a senior staff accountant position, also WIOA-funded. The chair said the two positions are part of an initial realignment intended to address corrective-action items identified by the state and to increase the department’s fiscal and auditing capacity.

Adam, the department director, described the first phase of the realignment: a new industry-partnerships manager/trainer role to strengthen oversight of performance and compliance and a senior accountant to improve fiscal monitoring and reimbursements for subgrantees. Adam said the department covers Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties and that stronger fiscal capacity is needed to increase the number of subgrantees the program can manage.

Roll-call votes were taken on each resolution; members answered individually when their names were called (for example, Bates voted yes on both resolutions; Strathman seconded one motion and voted yes during roll call). The committee then moved the resolutions on to the finance committee as the next step.

The committee also voted on a semiannual review and release of closed-session minutes during a brief closed session, then returned to open session and voted to release minutes listed in an appendix. The meeting adjourned shortly after those votes.