IL Funding is Not ICOIL Business

Recently, the Indiana state legislature passed their state budget,
giving $2.5 million dollars to certain centers in the state.  There were
two centers missing from the list, Everybody Counts and Indiana FACES. 
When a large group of people went to the May monthly meeting of ICOIL on
May 9, they were met with business as usual from ICOIL.  There was an
official request made and unofficial requests made from the audience
filled with people with disabilities to discuss this piece of
legislation.  The council amended their agenda to include the passing of
a new mission statement andd the DSU report.  Their new mission
statement, which would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad, is to 'empower
people with disabilities'.  Then the DSU representative Carol Baker gave
her short report and then someone moved to adjourn the meeting.  Huh??? 
There was stunned disbelief in the crowd.  Shouldn't the council be
discussing an important piece of legislation such as giving $2.5 million
to independent living, but not including the entire network of centers? 
When asked why they were not discussing it, the current chair replied,
'that is not ICOIL business'.  Well if IL funding is not the SILC's
business, then whose business is it?  And why wasn't the SILC involved
in getting this funding?  It is written in their state plan that they
will seek out other methods of funding.  It is written that they will
amend their state plan if they receive significant increases in funding.
 However, there has been no discussion to hold public hearings in order
to amend the state plan.  
 
The corruption in ICOIL is getting more and more blatant.  The
continued ignoring of this problem by both state and federal government
has given the council a free pass to do whatever they feel like, even it
means excluding thousands of people with disabilities from getting
funding for services.  Why wouldn't they?  There are no consequences
whatsoever as the council continues to ignore and violate state and
federal law.