PeoriaStory

Peoria City Council July 25: The $8 Million Memo

PEORIA, IL -- Here's David Berry's account of the Peoria City Council meeting on July 25:

A fiscal bomb was dropped on Peoria, this past Tuesday. Seemingly out of the blue, an urgent email from City Manager Patrick Urich hit inboxes throughout city hall. He unleashed news of a nearly $8 million budget shortfall for 2017. This revelation exploded in policy discussion, during the 2.5 hour meeting.

To start, Mayor Jim Ardis announced National Hospitality Week in the city & awarded a commendation to Family House. This fine organization offers a home away from home for the families of patients receiving medical treatment in town.
http://www.familyhousepeoria.org/index.html

During the Consent Agenda, a number of low bid contracts were awarded for a variety of maintenance and construction projects. Among the contractors chosen were:
Corrective Asphalt Materials, South Roxana, IL, Micro-Surfacing, Inc., East Peoria, IL, R A Cullinan & Son, Peoria, IL, Horowitz Concrete Co., East Peoria, IL, Illinois Civil Contractors, Peoria, IL, & TERRA Engineering Ltd, Peoria, IL

First District Council Rep Denise Moore opted to drop her tireless effort to insure racial diversity in city contracting. She did not question staff on these contractors’ commitment to the city’s diversity policy. In the past, she has steadfastly stood on principal and peppered city staff with justified inquiries into contractors’ use of local and diverse workers.

Council then unanimously voted to accept a $150,000 grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation and the National Park & Rec Asso. for construction of Peoria Greensplash Water Park in the 1st District’s Harrison Park.
http://www.1470wmbd.com/green-splash-coming-harrison-park/

It’s difficult to be cynical about the gifting of this much needed amenity, but not impossible. Many residents question the timing & motivation of IL American Water’s generosity, considering the looming decision to approve or dissolve the corporation’s ownership of Peoria’s water supply.

Look for a new “fast food, drive through” restaurant on the corner of N. Peartree & W. Partridge Way, in the 4th District. The area is now zoned for redevelopment.

Consent Agenda item 17-231 concerned the approval of Peoria’s 2017 HUD Annual Action Plan on affordable housing. The plan was pushed through over the heavy criticism of At-Large Council Rep Beth Akeson. She lamented that the City has “no affordable housing action plan”. Staff agreed to hold a policy session within the next 4 weeks.

The topic of distressed property demolition was also addressed in this discussion. Second District Council Rep Chuck Grayeb noted that the city had twice as much money allocated to home demos in 2016 as opposed to 17. Consequently, the city has been forced to stop the razing of blighted buildings in early June this year. He expressed “much consternation” among his constituents.

Many revenue streams that were used last year, have dried up and account for the backlog, City Staff contended. Among the streams not utilized was the South Village TIF. This is curious, considering TIF funds are specifically dedicated to reduce blight.

News of the $7.9 million budget deficit came up during the Public Works’ presentation of the “Downtown Streetscape Master Plan.” A confusing slide show by the Director of Public Works proposed turning Perry and Fayette streets into 2 way though fares & included landscaping additions, designed to slow traffic. The thrust of the presentation emphasized “resetting the grid system of downtown” & “keep people in the downtown area” to “increase economic vitality.

Mr. Grayeb then eased his way into his rebuttal. First, pointing out his, and many residents, wariness of more back-in parking spaces. As his voice rose to agitation, he spoke of the memo received by city employees, revealing the huge hole in the 2017 budget. As the City Manager stared daggers back, Grayeb asked the price tag of this new Streetscape Masterplan. $70 million was the response, as groans rose from the gallery.

“This is fantasy” Grayeb said. He wondered aloud, how such a project could be proposed, when we can’t currently fund the day to day operations of the city. As the 2nd district Rep continued to lecture Urish on the absurdity of bringing a huge price tag project before the horseshoe, at this time of crisis, Mayor Ardis attempted to blunt Grayeb’s speech, by insisting that such discussion would be better suited for the “New Business” portion of the meeting.

Grayeb pushed on and continued to speak out. He soon relented & the presentation was accepted by the council. The discourse was dramatic and is sure to be a topic at future meetings.

In New Business, Grayeb then broached the topic of the proliferation of predatory lending business in his District and the entire city. Citing a recent Peoria Journal Star on this topic…
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170722/high-interest-loan-facilities-at-28-and-holding-in-peoria?utm_content=buffer751e9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
…he asked Corporation Counsel Don Leist if he was sure that Peoria has no power to cap interest rates on pay day loans. This power lies only at the state level, in Leist’s opinion. Grayeb then requested that city staff explore the use of zoning laws to limit the locations and number of loan shops.

During the Citizens Opportunity to Address Council, one testimonial stood out. A recent paramedic for Advance Medical Transport told of unsafe and money-motivated practices by the organization. Stating that he had quit his position at AMT, so he could voice these concerns, the resident said “AMT is always late to the emergency.” 

One reason for this is the company’s policy to use ambulances for “long distance, lucrative” medical transport, leaving fewer vehicles for local ALS calls. He also stated that, when confronted with long response times, AMT simply added “quick response vehicles” to supplement service. These “QRVs” are simply cars, which are unable to transport patients in dire need of hospital
care.

AMT’s use of media advertising is just a façade to attempt to improve their public image. He urged to city to begin preparing to opt of its contract with AMT at the next opportunity and allow the PFD to service all medical emergencies.
Link to full agenda and minutes, when available:
https://peoriail.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

  - David Berry

- 30 -

Interesting talk

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

THE FIRST ROBERT INGERSOLL LECTURE SERIES

• Sunday, July 30, 2017, 1:30 PM

• Peoria Public Library North Branch

  3001 West Grand Parkway, Peoria, IL (map)
•  
• Richard Carrier:
  

  "I’ll be giving a speech in honor of Robert G. Ingersoll at the Peoria Library North Branch (3001 W. Grand Pkwy) at 1:30pm. I’ll be speaking on Ingersoll’s influence on me and what he might say of the world of today, in honor of local humanists who with this very event are inaugurating a Robert Ingersoll lecture series. I’ll be selling & signing my books. And we might go out for drinks after."

  
  

  ABOUT DR. RICHARD CARRIER

  Dr. Carrier  is a world-renowned author and speaker. As a professional historian, published philosopher, and prominent defender of the American free thought movement, Dr. Carrier has appeared across the U.S., Canada and the U.K., and on American television and London radio, defending sound historical methods and the ethical worldview of secular naturalism. His books and articles have received international attention.

   

  With a Ph.D. from Columbia University in ancient history, he specializes in the intellectual history of Greece and Rome, particularly ancient philosophy, religion, and science, with emphasis on the origins of Christianity and the use and progress of science under the Roman empire. He is also a published expert in the modern philosophy of naturalism as a worldview. He is the author of:

  On the Historicity of Jesus

  Proving History

  Sense and Goodness without God

  Science Education in the Early Roman Empire Not the Impossible Faith

  Why I Am Not a Christian

  Hitler Homer Bible Christ

  On the Historicity of Jesus

  Dr. Carrier is a contributor to The Empty Tomb, The Christian Delusion, The End of Christianity, and Christianity Is Not Great, as well as copious work in history and philosophy, online and in print.

   

  He is currently working on several projects, but also teaching affordable online courses in secular philosophy, history, and methodology at The Secular Academy, and blogging and speaking about history, philosophy, feminism, and other moral causes, as well as his past in the military. - 30 -
  

Missing monument found

PEORIA, IL -- An 1866 Civil War monument missing since the Peoria County Courthouse was demolished and rebuilt in 1962 has been found, in pieces, in Detweiller Park.

The limestone monument as it originally stood at the old courthouse.

History and military buffs Bruce Brown, Norm Kelly and Bob Hoffer have searched for the obelisk for years, and finally located it.  They displayed the pieces on July 23 to the media.

Two of the pieces years ago were appropriated for brass plaques, with others left to be guarded by trees and Canada geese. An eagle that once topped the monument is missing, as are the top pieces of the obelisk.

Bruce Brown examines what may be a missing piece of the monument, in a pile of rubble at Detweiller Park.

A piece of the monument appropriated for a plaque.

The monument's base, guarded by trees.

It's a shame that this monument was never reinstalled at its original site. Now its reconstruction is unlikely due to the missing components, especially the eagle.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Buying the water company

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

Peoria League of Women Voters July 29, 2017 meeting:   

The Greater Peoria League of Women Voters will host a special public education meeting to learn about "The Management and Operations of a Public Utility - the Greater Peoria Sanitary District" at 10am on Saturday, July 29, at the Advanced Medical Transport (AMT) at 1718 N. Sterling in Peoria 61604.

This is one in a series of public education meetings regarding issues identified regarding public ownership of the water utility.

Stan Browning, Executive Director of the Greater Peoria Sanitary District will speak about how that utility is organized and managed as a public utility. League questions for Mr. Browning  include questions about transparency and management as it may relate to possible operations of a publicly owned water utility in Peoria.

Many options for management / operations of a city owned water utility are possible with city ownership/control: city-run department; city owned with outside management; as an independent agency; consolidating with an existing government like GPSD; establishing an independent foundation to operate the system; or privately managed system in which the city owns stock.

LWVGP's position supporting the City of Peoria moving forward on Due Diligence toward possible purchase of the water utility does not include a recommendation on how the utility should be managed/operated. But most questions asked in our previous meetings included management/operations and the high rates charged in Peoria.

The event is free and the public is invited.

The League is a non-partisan, issues-oriented, volunteer, member-directed organization committed to open, responsive and effective government brought about by informed, involved citizens with membership open to both men and women in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. For more information, go to www.lwvgp.org.

 

Too many absences?

PEORIA, IL -- The Peoria District 150 School Board on July 17 heard a fascinating report from activist Sharon Crews on 7th grade student absences. There are lots of them, but they don't keep students from being promoted.

The report, posted below, received a respectful reception from the board whose members wanted to know more. She paid $69 in copying fees and  spent many hours to compile it. She should be a paid consultant!

Activist Terry Knapp praised staff members for being open to his idea, that the free monthly newspaper, The Community Word, should be used in classes, to teach students about journalism.  The high schools now don't have their own newspapers, he said, though an alumnus has scanned and compiled all of the former Woodruff High School newspapers on a disk.

Here is a recording of the comments:

Download D150 July172017

 --- Elaine Hopkins

Here are the comments of Sharon Crews:

I have given you the attendance records for only Calvin Coolidge’s 7^th graders for 2016-2017.  Since you wouldn’t yield to my begging for free data for three grades, I purchased only the 7^th grade records for $69.  This was a much more time-consuming task than I expected, so I will give you the data for the 7^th graders from the other schools later. 

It is my understanding that policy dictates that a certain number of absences per year should result in a student’s being held back for a year.  I don’t know if out-of-school and in-school suspensions count toward that total.  Therefore, I do not know how many Calvin Coolidge students should have been retained.  However, the column of data stating “Retained,” indicates that no 7^th graders were retained.

I was startled to learn that attendance is taken nine times a day, which means that there are nine times a day when students have the opportunity to get lost in the building or outside.  The records show that way too many students take advantage of those opportunities.  The data included tardies, but I did not record that data, so the information I gave you includes only absences.  I am curious to know whether or not hourly absences are considered as part of a student’s total absences, especially when pass/fail is decided.

There were 111 7^th graders at Calvin Coolidge.

The students with the highest number of absences are as follows:

41 whole day absences plus 40 class period absences

40 day plus 28 class

39 day plus 130 class

34 day plus 64 class

29 day plus 104 class

26 day plus 64 class

25 day plus 55 class

24 day plus 41 class

23 day plus 189 class

One student who was absent only four days was marked absent for 86 periods, absent from 2^nd period 22 times.

You will notice that a considerable number of students who have fewer daily absences have way too many period absences.  On page 4, please note that the hourly totals do not include absentees who were absent all day.  I was surprised to see that the fewest absences at 194 were for first period.  The most absences were 455 for second period.

Perhaps 7^th graders are not mature enough to handle moving around so much—it seems like they are getting lost much too often.  Of course, high school students do the same thing.  Schools don’t have much control over students who do not come to school, but there should be more control over the movement of students from one class to another.

Most of all, this data should cause you to consider the extent to which such erratic attendance prevents teachers from covering all required material and keeps them from maintaining continuity. 

By the way, schools are held legally accountable for students, so these hourly absences should be of concern to you.  If a child shows up for school, the school should be able to locate the child very quickly at any time during the day.  If any legal authorities would ask where a child was on any given day at any given time, the school should be able to provide that information. - 30 -

Check your dehumidifier NOW

PEORIA, IL -- If you have a dehumidifier check it today to see if it is one of millions being recalled because they burst into flames!

This happened to friends, who luckily were at home when their basement dehumidifier caught fire last week.

They smelled something, and found a big fire.  A handy fire extinguisher put it out, but it was a close call for this couple, who have owned their home for years.

So -- I checked our basement dehumidifier, bought in 2009, and it's on the recall list! I immediately unplugged it. 

I have a choice between a $78 refund or a new one shipped to my home. But that could take 10 weeks, so I'm probably going to take the refund and buy a new one.

Despite the US brand name, these dehumidifiers were made in China, by two manufacturers, Midea and Gree. Here are the websites with the recalls:

https://www.recallrtr.com/dehumidifier   and

http://greedehumidifierrecall.com/ProductEntry.aspx

Check both of them, as it won't say on your dehumidifier which company made it.  Here's a magazine story on the recall. Tell your friends about this situation.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

Water Company Buyout Press Conference

PEORIA, IL -- Here's a news release:                                                                                                                       

WEAVER AND SPAIN WILL EXPLAIN WATER LEGISLATION IMPACT ON PEORIA

 

PEORIA — State Sen. Chuck Weaver and State Rep. Ryan Spain say the cost of water should be clear to consumers and any effort to price a private water utility should be fair to cities that are considering a purchase.

Both former members of the Peoria City Council, Spain and Weaver will hold a joint press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 13, at the Peoria Public Library North Branch.

They will discuss two bills they sponsored in the General Assembly this spring. Senate Bill 1536/House Bill 462 are designed to provide transparency about the cost of water in individual communities. SB 1537/HB 463 would prevent appraisals that increase the price of a private water utility when the buyer is a unit of government; the purpose is to ensure a fairer, true market value in appraisals.

Weaver and Spain will be joined by members of the CEO Council of Central Illinois, the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria, the Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, Change Peoria and other organizations that support the legislation. These civic groups have called for more information about Peoria’s water supply.

The Peoria City Council may decide whether or not to trigger an appraisal process of the water system by the fall of 2018; the system is operated by Illinois American Water Co. These civic groups want local residents to know what is at stake as their elected representatives weigh the water issue. Both the CEO Council and the LWVGP recently have conducted extensive studies about Peoria’s water services.  - 30 -