Chief Elected Officials
In single-county WIOA areas the Chief Elected Official is the Chairman of the County Board. In multi-county areas, such as Area # 26, the term refers collectively to the Chairmen of the County Boards in each of the 14 counties. By law the Chief Elected Official is the Grant Recipient for WIOA funds within the area designation, unless the Governor agrees to assume that position. In Illinois, the Governor did not agree to act in this role. Prior to initial Workforce Investment Board appointment and certification, the CEO's entered into an agreement, naming one of their number as Chairman. This individual must sign-off on all WIOA grant documents. The CEO makes all LWIB member appointments using procedures established in the CEO Agreement.
The CEO Agreement
The Act requires that the Chief Elected Official in a local area shall serve as the local grant recipient and shall be liable for any misuse of grant funds allocated to the area. The Act also makes allowance that in multi-county areas, the counties may enter into an agreement, signed by all county CEO's to designate an entity to be the local grant sub recipient and/or fiscal agent to assist in the administration of grant funds. This option was used by the Chief Elected Officials in the 14 counties of Area # 26. Such a designation does not relieve the Chief Elected Official of liability for fund misuse. The CEO Agreement also sets out requirements and methodology for appointments to the Local Workforce Investment Board. It describes, in general terms, the structure of the workforce system in the local area and mandates the areas where CEO approval and coordination must be obtained for action taken by the Local Workforce Investment Board. The agreement designates signatory authority for all WIOA documents to one of its members, elected by a process contained in the agreement. The local grant sub recipient shall disburse funds for Workforce Investment activities at the direction of the Local Workforce Investment Board. In Area #26, the CEO Agreement combined the functions of the Workforce Investment Board, Local Grant Sub recipient and Fiscal Office into a single entity, the Southern 14 Workforce Investment Board.