Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – If they come up with an action plan, who’s going to make sure it gets done?
That’s one of the questions the Massey Commission is looking at as they review various portions of the plan — Wednesday night, it was how to address the community’s economic disparities.
“We’re going to have to keep the data,” says Kelly Hurst, commission managing director. “We’re going to have to keep not just the data for what our community is already doing, but how they’re implementing what they’ve done. And, maybe looking back at data and saying ‘who are these organizations that have been getting all this money that have not been held accountable, that have not been professional in the way they’ve done it?’ And, how do we actually stop that? What are the backstops for that, is what I heard.”
Commission members, especially when it comes to money, suggest that an independent commission is going to have to make sure money is spent properly, and that work has been done properly. The commission says it’s going to be up to the county, city, school districts, city councils, and others to make sure the action items are done.
Speaking of, Hurst says she’d sure like to see those group actually show up at commission meetings.
“We want them to be in this room. We want them to be in this space,” said Hurst, after members specifically called out the Springfield City Council and the Springfield Public Schools District 186 School Board for not being present at any of their meetings. “The invitation is out there to them. A lot of what we’re hearing is, ‘We can’t wait to hear that those plans are.’ That’s what we did tonight. Tonight was the plan. Last week was the plan. Next week was the plan. There’s one more opportunity for the City of Springfield to come on out.”
Alderman Shawn Gregory stopped by Wednesday night’s meeting, and has been there before. But, not many other elected officials have showed up since the commission formed.
Hurst says the conversations may be hard, but they need to be done.
The commission was formed more than a year ago following the death of Sonya Massey by now-former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson. He goes on trial on murder and other charges starting this coming Monday in Peoria, where the trial was moved on a change of venue request. WTAX News and CapitolCityNow.com will cover the trial and have frequent updates.
