Peoria City Council

The Peoria City Council Tuesday night had a first look at a $6-million deficit in next year’s city budget. An increase in pension costs and a drop in sales tax revenue are responsible for nearly 40% of that projected shortfall.

Massage parlors in Peoria now face registration requirements. The Peoria City Council last night passed the measure, but with a new name. It is called the bodywork ordinance because it also affects other businesses like acupuncturists. City assistant Corporation Counsel Chrissie Peterson says the city now requires employees to be at least 18 years of age.

The MacArthur Highway bridge in Peoria will be closed for repairs this summer. The city expects bid letting early next month. The council then will approve a construction contract at its first meeting in March. The bridge will completely close in May and not reopen until the end of November. The new bridge will include a sidewalk on one side.

The Peoria City Council Tuesday took a first step toward historic designation for the old Chase Bank building.

The block where the building sits had been in an urban industrial zone. That would have benefitted Caterpillar if it had built its new world headquarters there. With OSF HealthCare buying the property for its new ministries headquarters, it needed historic tax credits to make renovation financially possible.

Action by the Peoria City Council last night will help keep the Hotel Pere Marquette open. Hotel owner Gary Matthews is behind in paying his lenders, which includes the city of Peoria.

The council approved a special service area (SSA) allowing the hotel to charge an additional four-percent sales tax on room nights. The tax will raise approximately $400,000 a year to help the city pay for bonds it issued to help restore the hotel.

The special Peoria City Council meeting to approve the 2018-2019 budget, instead offered council members a briefing on the latest proposed cuts to the fire department.

In the face of declining revenue, Peoria city staff has proposed a net cut of 11 workers to help balance the 2018 budget.

The city of Peoria faces a budget gap of about $5.5 million this year, a deficit that grows to nearly $8 million next year if no changes are made.

The city of Peoria faces a projected budget deficit of nearly eight-million dollars next year.  The city council Tuesday night agreed to offer a voluntary separation incentive to employees in hopes of reducing that deficit.

A new state law sets guidelines for the dissolution or consolidation of townships. Peoria Township is entirely within the boundaries of the city of Peoria, and the city council sits as the township board of trustees. 

The Peoria City Council Tuesday is expected to set in motion a process whereby a Portillo’s Restaurant will open next year in the city. Developer Willie Torchia has acquired the land at Sterling Avenue and Baumann Way, in front of the Westlake Shopping Center. He will spend about 700-thousand dollars to prepare the site and construct a building to lease to Portillo’s. He is asking the city to create a Special Service Area tax, where Portillo’s will add one additional percent to the tax rate on their sales. That money will reimburse Torchia for development costs.

The city of Peoria faces a nearly $8 million dollar deficit in next year’s budget, a deficit that will grow to $11 million dollars by 2020 without corrective action.

Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich reported to the city council Tues. that one of the primary reasons for the growing deficit is the mandatory contribution for pensions.

"In 2012, were levying about $16-million for all of our retirement costs. In 2016, we were at $19.7 million," Urich said. 

Peoria’s Downtown Development Corporation is proposing the creation of a special service area. It would include the medical and warehouse districts plus downtown and the riverfront.

Planned services are street and sidewalk clean-up, landscape maintenance, decorations, directories and a website. Funding would come from three sources, two of which are taxes.

The City of Peoria faces significant challenges with operational expenses growing at four-to-eight percent. That’s coupled with no corresponding growth in revenues, which remain stagnant. Council members are meeting over a two-day period to determine the strategic direction for the city under those financial constraints. Mayor Jim Ardis says he believes that will not include any tax increases.

Recently elected Peoria township and city officials were sworn into office Tuesday night at city hall.

Several familiar faces including mayor Jim Ardis, city clerk Beth Ball, five returning council members and other officials took the oath.

There are two new men on the city council. Zach Oyler is an at-large councilman and Denis Cyr, after winning the fifth district race by a single vote, now sits at the council horseshoe.

Denis Cyr is the declared winner of the 5th District Peoria City Council seat.

The Peoria City Council unanimously approved expanding the boundaries of the Peoria Urban Enterprise Zone to encompass Northwoods Mall.

As of Tues., the Peoria City Council now has a full complement of members.

The Peoria City Council is looking to fill an at-large seat, at least for a little while.

The resignation of At-Large Councilman Ryan Spain leaves a vacancy the council is looking to fill.

The mayor’s office is accepting applications from those interested in serving on the council in an at-large capacity.

Those interested in applying are asked to submit a cover letter, resume and any other supporting documentation to the mayor's assistant Brenda Hopwood.

The 1st District Peoria City Council Seat has some competition in the April 4th. David Berry is challenging the incumbent, Councilwoman Denise Moore.  He made a formal announcement yesterday. Berry says the incumbent is doing a good job on the whole but he would like to see more:

“Now issue I am seeing overall 1st District is that when it comes to public funding it’s nearly 100-percent going to private sector projects and in some cases there are zero dollars going to job train and continuing education.”

The final field of candidates is set for Peoria City municipal and township offices in the spring elections. Mayor Jim Ardis is facing two challengers. Marie Kennell and Couri Thomas both filed candidate petitions Monday.

An Egyptian-born imam is running for the vacant Peoria City Council At-Large seat.

36-year-old Amr Elsamny works for several local nonprofits and advocacy groups, including the Peoria Community Against Violence and the Interfaith Alliance. 

Elsamny announced his candidacy at City Hall Mon., flanked by supporters from various faith groups, including St. Paul Baptist Church and the Universalist Unitarian Church. 

Approval of the City of Peoria budget hit a temporary road bump Tuesday night.

The City of Peoria has the option to buy the water company every five years, with the next opportunity coming in 2019. Illinois-American Water Company currently provides the service.

The Vice President of Diversity at ICC Rita Ali is running for the 5th District Peoria City Council Seat. Ali made the announcement at her home in North Peoria where most of the homes in her subdivision featured one of her Red and White Ali yard signs.

The Peoria City Council got its first look Tuesday at proposed changes in road standards for new subdivisions.

At-Large Peoria City Councilman Sid Ruckriegel announced Thursday he is running to retain the seat he was appointed to last November.

Peoria City Council looked at several ways to make neighborhoods more cohesive Tuesday night. 

One recommended change in land development codes would put properties into "unified" zones.

Under typical zoning, residential, office and commercial properties are in separate zones. But Community Development Director Ross Black says a new unified development code would give the city more flexibility.