JACKSONVILLE, ILL. -- UPDATED: January 24 at 5:20 p.m.
Transitions of Western Illinois commented on how the closing of the Jacksonville Development Center might effect them.
Sean Eifert, Director of Sales and Production, said, "We're willing to do whatever we can to assist the State in transitioning people back into the community."
Transitions did lose business in their laundry service program because they provide laundry services to Jacksonville Development Center.
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Original Story:
It was just a few weeks ago that Illinois governor Pat Quinn said the Jacksonville Developmental Center would stay open.
But late last week, the governor announced a plan that would see the JDC close along with the Tinley Park Mental Health Center near Chicago.
The governor says the closings are two-fold. One is to move residents from those facilities into community care centers like group homes. The second is to save the state millions of dollars.
The timeline given by the state for the actual closing of the JDC is October 2012.
State Rep. Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville) and Jacksonville Mayor Andy Ezard on Monday offered sharp criticism of Quinn's plan.
"When you're talking close to 400 jobs, and these are good jobs, it's a real devastating hit to our community," Ezard said.
"What Quinn will say is 'No,no,no, (the legislature) passed a supplemental budget, but I said we were going to start closing two facilities down.' I guarantee you," Watson said. "With having so many facilities in my district, I would have known if that were the letter that he intended to do. Also, no legislative leader has come out and said, 'Yeah that was the agreement.' "
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