THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: Vermilion Advantage CEO Mike Marron
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DANVILLE — The immigration controversy with local community leaders has now involved Vermilion Advantage’s president and chief executive officer.
Vermilion Advantage sent a correction on Monday on a press release it issued on Sept. 18 regarding Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. and Vermilion Advantage representatives taking a trip to Washington, D.C. last week. The trip was to lobby for funding for East Voorhees Street flood/stormwater remediation near the former Quaker Oats property for industrial redevelopment, for general/utility infrastructure for industrial site preparation and workforce training and also blight remediation for new affordable housing.
The press release also included language about seeking funding for “a streamlined regulatory process for immigrants so we are more readily able to attract immigrants into our community.”
According to the retraction from Vermilion Advantage and Marron, “that language was inadvertently included by CEO Mike Marron. That language reflects the personal views of Mike Marron and should not have been included in the release. The language does not reflect the views of Vermilion Advantage, nor anyone involved with the organization or its board.”
“The lobby trip to Washington D.C. was a highly successful effort to discuss funding for infrastructure projects and workforce development surrounding the Quaker site. At no time was the topic of Immigration discussed,” the retraction reads.
Williams too said the trip was successful.
Danville’s Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr
He said he had not seen the language about immigrants in the press release issued by Vermilion Advantage.
“We never discussed it prior to our trip, and we never discussed it all with the (congressional representatives),” Williams said about the immigrants issue.
Marron issued a separate statement, “The mayor who is on the Vermilion Advantage executive committee had an issue with me listing that as a position. Given the controversial nature of the topic, I should have cleared something like that with my board prior to putting it out. I wanted to accept full responsibility for that.”
Marron continued, “I would also mention that a streamlined process for legal immigration has been a long-standing position of almost every major business organization in the state and nation, the manufacturers, the chamber of commerce, and the Retail Merchants Association. Since our largest census, Danville and Vermilion County has lost 40% of its population. We have a teacher shortage, a nursing shortage, a doctor shortage, a lawyer shortage, a therapist shortage, a manufacturing worker shortage, a farmer worker shortage, a restaurant worker shortage and a police officer shortage. I really don’t understand why streamlining the process for bringing legal, talented and productive people into our community should be controversial.”
Williams had no further comment.
This controversy follows Williams’ disagreement with Danville Area Community College President Stephen Nacco, who has been placed on administrative leave by the college board and could be facing disciplinary action up to and including termination for his actions regarding an immigrants grant dispute.
Williams had filed a complaint with the college over what he called Nacco’s “deplorable behavior” stemming from the disagreement over whether to welcome undocumented immigrants to the area.
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