State freezes $2.35 million in grants for Stroger job-training program
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity also demands county program return unpsent $1.8 million
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August 18, 2009
BY LISA DONOVAN Cook County Reporter/
[email protected]
The state is freezing $2.35 million in grant money for Cook County President Todd Stroger's job training program after a probe raised questions about spending and accounting practices at the office.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is also demanding the county program -- named the President's Office of Employment and Training, or POET -- return $1.8 million in unspent grant money dating back to 2007.
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The state is freezing $2.35 million in grant money for Cook County President Todd Stroger's job training program after a probe raised questions about spending and accounting practices at the office.
(Jean Lachat/Sun-Times)
In a strongly worded letter sent Friday from the state commerce department to the county, the state also said it 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.
The order comes on the heels of POET, a $14 million-a-year program, failing to pay some of the 16- to 24-year-old employees in the program, among other allegations, according to the state.