The Will County Veterans Assistance Commission (WCVAC) was formed about 30 years ago by a group of veterans that determined the needs of Will County veterans were being underserved. Legislation is on the books that provides the means for a Veterans Assistance Commission to be made up from the various veterans’ organizations in Will County such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and other Congressionally chartered veteran organizations.

The Veterans Assistance Commission is a separate County Governmental Agency that is operated by and for veterans. The formation of a WCVAC is authorized under The Military Veterans Assistance Act, 330 ILCS 45. According to the Act, Will County is the primary source of funding for the WCVAC. In simple language, the county provides funding based on the needs of the veteran community in Will County determined by the WCVAC board and submitted to Will County for implementation.

Recently, some members of the Will County board have questioned the autonomy of the WCVAC. While the WCVAC personnel are not county employees, they mirror the same benefits and administrative guidelines utilized by Will County. It was long ago determined to be the most cost efficient and effective means of delivering benefits to Will County veterans. The county recently decided the WCVAC could no longer utilize a county credit card used for timely purchases unless expenses were previously approved by the County Board. That change would slow down the current process. Approval of all VAC expenses emanate from the WCVAC board members, not the Will County Board. The WCVAC uses the same oversight process used by all public government bodies. The change has triggered an examination of other responsibilities required of the WCVAC.

They are presently pursuing a credit card independent of the county. They are also seeking to set up their own website separate from the county website. There will, no doubt, be a determination regarding other independent administrative issues. It might also be necessary to employ separate legal services. The county will remain responsible for any increased costs that may be required.

There is currently new legislation being considered in Springfield that takes specific aim at Illinois counties interfering with the operation of VAC’s. According to the Executive Summary of the legislation: “County Governments continue to ignore or misinterpret the Statutes relating to the funding of the VACs and the Statutory relationship that the legislature commanded exist.”

So, change will probably come about via this legislation or some other means. Cooperation and coordination should always be the operative words. Thanks to all the Illinois VACs for all the work they do for veterans. VAC’s take the phrase “Thanks for your service” to a more real-world level.

Joliet Water Commission

One last thing…the Joliet Water Commission is apparently formed and ready to go to work. The City Council has executed a Memorandum of Understanding that includes the projected water capacity allocation for Romeoville. The Joliet Water Commission exists primarily on paper at this point and has a long way to go before any infrastructure is operational. With the addition of Romeoville, the JWC has a total constituency of about 252,000 residents that will be customers and help pay some of the upfront expense of the infrastructure. About 60 percent of the total users will be Joliet residents, with Channahon, Shorewood, Crest Hill and Minooka making up the balance of the organization.

The current cost structure is in 2020 dollars, so future construction and operating costs will rise substantially based on inflation and the rising cost of construction materials. The negotiations for the cost of water from Chicago may  also be higher by the time the faucet turns on in 2030. One factor that is on the horizon is Chicago’s negotiation for the cost of water to the DuPage Water Commission. Their 40-year contract is up in 2024. It appears the cost of water to Joliet is negotiated at a lower cost than the current cost to DuPage. It seems unlikely Chicago will be able to have different tier costs of water with different water commissions. There will be many more communities seeking Lake Michigan water before 2030 gets here. Water from the tap may not be a top priority for most people right now but it will probably be an exceptionally important topic by 2030.

Stay tuned…

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