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The decision was a bitter
disappointment to parents and guardians of LDC residents, employees,
and members of the Lincoln/Logan County Community who have worked
for many months to save the embattled facility for the
developmentally disabled.
The 14 members of the 15-member
appointed board who were present also voted to close two other
health facilities slated by Gov. George Ryan to be shuttered to help
balance the state’s budget: Zeller Mental Health Center in Peoria
and Singer Developmental Center in Rockford.
"In my opinion, this process was a
waste of time and money. This group just rubber-stamped the
recommendation of the governor and the Department of Human
Services," said Dan Senters, spokesman for the American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 425, which represents
many LDC employees.
Senters was one of 40 parents,
guardians and union members who attended the hearing as a show of
solidarity, even though they were not allowed to testify.
The agency requesting the permit, DHS,
was the only group allowed to present arguments Wednesday morning,
Senters said. Melissa Wright, associate director of the Office of
Developmental Disabilities, testified in favor of closure.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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LDC supporters believe the last-minute
change in board membership was another tactic of the governor to
assure that LDC would be closed forever. Only a few days ago Gov.
Ryan appointed three new members to replace board members whose
terms had expired but who were still serving. One of those replaced
said he did not favor closing LDC.
About 160 residents are still on the
LDC campus. DHS has been unable to move them to other facilities
because of an Illinois Supreme Court order that prevented any
further moves until the permit issue was decided. Senters said he
thought the issue would be moot now that the planning board has
granted the permit and DHS might resume moving residents.
Attorneys
for AFSCME have questioned whether the new appointees could legally
vote on the issue and are considering an appeal of that and other
issues to the courts, an AFSCME spokesman said.
[Joan
Crabb]
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