Will County VAC – Jack Picciolo Should Resign –

Will Co. (ECWd) –

The Will County Veterans Assistance Commission has been embroiled in numerous problems for some time, and rather than actually take steps to fix it, a select few members have been pushing back with false statements and in some cases clear lies about certain matters.

Jack Picciolo, the current alleged VAC Board President, does not have the proper delegate paperwork to even be on the VAC, let alone its President, and has not for years by his own admission, yet he leads the charge in misinformation.

In a recent email that Picciolo sent to the Commander of the Illinois VFW, he claimed: “To be accused of any illegal activity without facts is wrong.” 

While the email is filled with too many lies and misinformation to address in one article, let’s share some facts with Picciolo.

Picciolo, in his position as board president, violated the Open Meetings Act numerous times.  That is undisputable as there is clear video evidence to prove it.  Picciolo should resign from his alleged position immediately because he is unable to even recognize the most basic illegal activity of which he was the leader.  Violations of the OMA are considered a Class C Misdemeanor so yes, we are accusing him of illegal activity.

While the Federal authorities and others are investigating the $495,000.00 of CARES Act money paid to the friend of the former VAC Superintendent, Picciolo can’t help himself in his communication with the State Commander of the Illinois VFW.

“None of the WCVAC board members, myself included, has been contacted by the FBI.  That rumor has been circulating for some time now and I am ashamed to say that it started with our current Assistant Superintendent.  The legal system was only triggered because Will County Treasurer Candidate Raj Pillaii has filed suit, and a temporary restraining order, against the current WCVAC Board”.

While board members may not have been contacted by the FBI, we have confirmed the FBI has spoken with staff of the VAC regarding the small fortune spent on a company that was not even registered when the contract was entered into.  To allege the “legal system” was only triggered because a VAC member filed suit is a flat-out lie.  The legal system was triggered because of a whistleblower who spoke with the authorities long before any suit was filed.  Of interest is the suit points to Picciolo holding a position he is not allowed to be holding due to not being a delegate of an approved VSO.

While Piccolo rambles on with more misinformation in his email, I wonder if he is aware of a very concerning email between the former Administrator of the VAC and her friend that received the no-bid $495,000.00 contract for marketing.

To put things in perspective, while bidding may not be required, there are sound reasons to bid out public contracts as the courts have said for years.

“The purposes for requiring public bodies to engage in competitive bidding are to invite competition, to guard against favoritism, improvidence, extravagance, fraud and corruption and to secure the best work or supplies at the lowest price practicable. (O’Hare Express, Inc. v. City of Chicago (1992), 235 Ill. App.3d 202, 208; Smith v. F.W.D. Corp. (1982), 106 Ill. App.3d 429, 436 N.E.2d 35; 10 E. McQuillin, Municipal Corporations § 29.29, at 302 (3d ed. 1981).)”

It is clear from the email, there is a coordinated effort with an outside vendor and the former Administrator to secure public funds, which is inappropriate.

“I was thinking about this overnight. If they aren’t balking at the funding we should do the Million for marketing
Apartment flip costs
500k for wellness

Also woke up at 4:30 am. WTH

Geriann Wiesbrook, Founder
Hey G Consulting”

If they aren’t balking at the funding, we should do the Million for marketing?

Who is “we“?

In what society is it appropriate for a vendor to communicate with the person in charge of spending public funds and urge more spending, which ends up in their own pocket?  This points to favoritism, extravagance, and corruption, which are key problems that come from not bidding out public services.

We need to remind everyone that the former administrator, as we pointed out in this article, focused her pitch on veterans’ wellness but the actual funding went to marketing and now we know her friend wanted a Million for marketing……if they aren’t balking.  “They” being the Will County Ad Hoc CARES Act committee.

While Picciolo continues to ignore the truth, it is this type of communication that point to serious problems with how the VAC Superintendent was operating.  Picciolo went on to claim yet another lie regarding Amanda Koch, a Will County VAC member, and now former Will County Board member.

“It’s important to note that Ms. Amanda Koch is a delegate representing VFW Post 1493.  Ms. Koch believes her volunteer role on the VAC is important enough that she resigned from her paid role as Will County Board Member. Ms. Koch, like myself, understand the mission of Veteran’s Assistance Commissions is to help, not hurt veterans or the reputation of the Veterans Assistance Commission. “

To claim Koch resigned her paid role as Will County Board member because she believes her volunteer role on the VAC is more important is laughable at best.  He misrepresented to the Commander of the Illinois VFW with that statement because the truth of the matter was exposed in this article. She was in violation of the Officers Prohibited Activities Act by holding both offices as clearly spelled out in the letter from the Will County State’s Attorney’s office.  That is why she resigned from her County Board seat, which was due to end in December anyway.

Picciolo should be ashamed for spreading such misinformation to the Commander of the Illinois VFW in his attempts to cast blame on everyone else rather than accept the fact all these problems have come under his leadership, or lack thereof.

Jack Picciolo should resign.