PEORIA, IL -- Candidates for Peoria mayor and at-large city council member appeared at an environmental forum on Jan. 23, sponsored by the Global Warming Solutions Group of Central Illinois.
They answered questions on issues such as recycling and solar energy (they're for it).
The most applause and the sharpest differences between them concerned the apartments in Riverfront Park. The applause from a large audience was for those opposing the apartments. This is obviously going to be a top issue in the city elections.
Two mayoral candidates appeared, Marie Kennell and Couri Thomas. Both oppose the apartments. Mayor Jim Ardis didn't show up. "Mr Twittergate" has been an enthusiastic backer of the apartments. He also took campaign money from one of the developers. (See previous posts on Riverfront Park for details.)
Both of his opponents are inexperienced and have never held elective office in Peoria. They face a rough fight to unseat Ardis. That's a shame, since Ardis should be replaced on the issue of Twittergate alone.
(He had police arrest a guy who mocked him on Twitter by setting up a ridiculous fake account in his name -- an act that cost the city $500,000 in legal expenses to settle an ACLU free speech lawsuit.)
Three candidates for councilmember-at-large spoke. Rob Hanauer opposes the apartments, calling them "ill advised." He asked, "why take up green space when you don't have to?"
But Scott Kelsey said "it's a job creator," apparently not realizing that building them elsewhere would also create jobs.
Sid Ruckriegel, who was appointed to the council last year, hedged, saying the city's application to the "IDNR" could not now be withdrawn. Actually the application to take parkland for the apartments is with the National Park Service, and of course it could be withdrawn.
He also claimed to not have voted on the contract extension, since he was not on the council at that time. That was in error. He was not on the council when the initial deal went down, but he did vote recently to extend the contract.
Other candidates for the council-at-large seats did not appear. They are Amr Elsamny, John Kelly, and Zack Oyler. Elsamny opposes the apartments, Kelly hedged and would not say when interviewed on the phone. He apparently supports them. Oyler's position on them is not known.
Two of the six will be elected. Several other candidate forums will take place before the election.
The primary election is Feb. 28, Early voting and voting by mail have already begun.
-- Elaine Hopkins
Hello, it was an awesome event. Thank you! With all the bad decisions approved by Jim Ardis, folks are ready for change! I would rather have no experience then bad experience. I intend to do all I can to reverse these bad decisions! Vote for change for your future!
Posted by: Marie Kennell | January 28, 2017 at 04:43 PM