I'm sorry.

Okay, sounds good to me.

Everyone can take their seats.

We're going to get started with our meeting.

Thank you.

On Tuesday, February the twenty-fourth.

I'd like to welcome everyone to our City Council meeting and call our meeting to order.

Council Member Allen.

Council Member Carmona.

Council Member Sear.

Councilmember Gordon Young.

Present.

Councilmember Jackson.

Here.

Councilmember Kelly.

Here.

Councilmember Oiler.

Councilmember Reginbach.

Here.

Councilmember Valpula.

Present.

And Councilmember Vespa.

Here.

Yeah, I have a quorum present, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Everyone, please join me and stand for a moment of silent prayer or silent reflection, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge of the United States of America.

And to the Republic from which it stands.

One location and the Liberty and Justice Borough.

Before we move on, I need to read a notice to our township electors pursuant to Public Act 095-0761.

If you desire to have an item considered on the agenda at the annual town meeting to be held on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 6 o'clock PM, you are required to bring a specific request signed by 15 or more electors to the township clerk's office no later than March 1st, 2026.

And the township clerk is also our city clerk, Stephanie Tarr.

Any group of registered voters may request an advisory question of public policy for consideration by the electors at the annual meeting by giving written notice of the specific advisory question to the township clerk in the same manner as required for an agenda item under subsection B of Section 310 of the Township Code.

Madam Clerk.

We are at proclamations.

Do we have any proclamations for tonight?

So then we are on to the approval of the minutes.

Councilmember Regenbach.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I move to approve the minutes of the joint city council and town board meeting held February 10th, 2026 as printed.

Seconded by Councilmember Kelly.

Any questions?

Please cast your ballots.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

We have one public hearing.

26-45 is a public hearing regarding the proposed extension of the duration of the Westlake Special Service Area and increasing the Westlake Special Service Area Sales Tax rates.

Motion passes unanimously.

Is there anyone present here today that would like to speak to the public hearing regarding the proposed extension of the duration of the Westlake Special Service Area and increasing the Westlake Special Service Area sales tax rate?

Please introduce yourself and any affiliation that you may have.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

My introduction, my name is Bob Hall.

I'm an attorney with the firm of Miller Hall and Triggs here in Peoria.

And I'm here as the attorney for the Westlake Shopping Center, and also the one that submitted the applications before you for the two matters in connection with the special service area for Westlake Shopping Center.

Normally there's an applicant that's generally uh triggering or causing the uh public hearing event.

Uh I usually don't get up and make comments at this stage, usually wait for questions or wait for any objections for which a response is appropriate.

But I thought there was a couple reasons why I could deviate from that.

And one is I think it's helpful in the context of uh Westlake to see the background with which these requests have been made.

And I say that because the Westlake Special Service Area has been in existence since 2010, and I think it's been a good example of cooperation and work between the city and a property owner and developer and shopping center owner can be accomplished.

I think it's also important, however, uh, kind of as a follow-up of some of the implementation of development, economic development techniques that you've been implementing recently to kind of see how all these kind of help fit together.

Specifically what I'm referring to, it was very recently adopted a TIFF that included the area out where Westlake and Northwoods is.

Well, just to bring to the forefront, also there's another development technique called a special service area.

Having talked with a lot of you about it, I think you're generally familiar with it, but I think it helps to kind of see how something like that can be successful, not only for the ownership of a project, but also for the city.

And I think the history and our operation of the special service area over the years have demonstrated this.

And so in leading up to the addressing of the two specific requests, I just kind of look at a little bit of background.

I would first like to think that most of you are familiar with Westlake Shopping Center, and I also would be hopeful that you find it successful, uh appealing, and uh worthy of your consumer dollars.

It uh it has not been easy to achieve where Westlake is today.

It's been challenging, and I can say at this point, I don't think Westlake would be the success it is without the special service area.

And I'm gonna explain how that kind of has happened.

And um also I think uh it's important to kind of uh consider the challenges that one has to face that can be met by a special service area in the context of a commercial development like Westlake.

Um in that regard, it's been challenging, as with a lot of centers, in that one of the things you have to do to be successful is manage change.

And in the context of a shopping center, the change is usually vacancies.

So you've got to be able to manage those, deal with them, you've got to be able to compete with competitors, and the service area, the special service area has permitted that to be done.

And here's how it is, and here's how to kind of be in a springboard to where we're looking at even further the success and continuation of the SSA with Westlake.

Uh it has it has done this, that is Westlake achieved, I think, some success, and uh what I think is a good shining example of uh the special service area and work with the city.

It's done this by the SSA and the funds it collects by making financial infusions to enhance and provide for improvements in the shopping center, whether they be the external appealing ones or whether they be the ones that address the infrastructure of the buildings themselves to try to address and change things around.

And a lot of times, just as in your home, a renovation takes a lot more in cost and time and trouble than does building at scratch.

And so we're competing in that regard because we're always having to face that renovation factor, I'll call it.

Here's how it's been done.

It's been done in kind of with two components.

And each of them, what I'd say be self-imposed.

Self-imposed meaning Westlake and we came to the city and asked for this to be done.

And specifically, it was one, it was the imposition of an additional real estate tax upon the shopping center, over and above what's otherwise payable.

So it's nothing that comes out of the pockets of the city or any other governmental body that is included in the tax bill.

The other thing it did was it requested the addition of a sales tax.

And that again was also self-imposed.

But it produced funds which produced financial infusions, and so some of the improvements can be made.

The first of which, and uh probably most expensive of which were those paver parking lots that you see, which we think enhanced it, and it certainly prolonged the life of the center.

Uh now, with that said, I think the results I would submit have been very positive.

Uh, they've been positive and a success for the ownership of the center, and I think it's been positive for the city.

And the reason is is because the with the success in addressing all the vacancies, like our scene, you can see other shopping centers in town facing big vacancies, and therefore maybe decreased value, decreased sales.

Westlake has done better.

You've had increased sales, therefore increased sales taxes.

And Westlake is not in any way dipped into the sales taxes you would otherwise get if the special service area did not even exist.

It's all self-imposed and in addition.

The other thing, too, with respect to the real estate tax, all of the increment in the growth in value from the enhancements in Westlake Shopping Center have accrued to the value of the city.

Contrary to say a TIFF district, where the increment usually goes back, and at least for several years, typically 20, the city is going to be losing that increment.

Not in the case of the special service area.

So it has some other special values that the city has achieved and realized with that.

So again, I go back and just repeat.

Really, if you can view Westlake as it being a success, and if you can view Westlake as being an addition, both aesthetically and for a shopping experience for the people of Peoria, it wouldn't have been done if you hadn't back in 2010 or your predecessors, if you hadn't worked with us who set up the special service area.

Which brings us to the special request, the limited requests.

One of them is to let us increase the sales tax by 0.25%.

Is what that means is on a purchase of 100 dollars, the additional charge to a consumer will be a quarter, 25 cents.

Submit that the impact is not terribly draconian.

And is what that also does is it brings it in parity with the other commercial SSAs in Peoria and also the business district that you just implemented for Glen Hollow.

It would have a 1% addition.

Right now, the 0.75% is what is Westlake.

The 0.25% will make it a 1% also.

All the same.

The other thing we're asking for an extension.

The extension it goes out to 2055, and it's the same period at which the special service area started.

And what we're trying to do with that is with those two components is to refinance with the lender for the SSA, which is Mort Community Bank.

And with that, and dependent upon that, uh we're looking to most immediately fulfill the obligations of a signed lease with a national tenant to put in uh a new uh sporting goods and sporting apparel tenant.

Again, lease already signed, is all we need to do is get started, which is somewhat subject to your help and assistance, once again, as you've always been in the past.

But the um the other tenant, uh Mr.

Collin and I just been between last Friday and yesterday, have spent about five hours finalizing and negotiating the terms of a lease, which which we expect to um uh sign up shortly and have another tenant to fill in the vacant space where humana used to be.

Now, when you have that and consider that, when Guitar Center recovers from its water uh water line damage break and recovers, which we expect that to be open in about three months, and then when you add these other new other new tenants to the center, the tenant that this excuse me, the center will be virtually at a full occupancy and adding more to the revenues through sales and everything for the city, as well as our SSA that helps goes back to the improvements.

So I would just submit in conclusion that um when this comes back to you on March 10, as I understand the agenda presently is set for.

Um, we would ask you to say yes, as you've been saying before.

And I'd like to say and submit uh Peoria's growth has uh probably has been able to grow by not saying no.

So we'd like to join in some of the continuous things you've been doing in the past and trying to enhance economic development in the city.

And I don't know if there's any questions or to be appropriate, but uh thank you for the opportunity to address you.

Thank you, Mr.

Hall.

Is there anyone else that would like to speak to the public hearing regarding the proposed extension of the duration of the Westlake Special Service Area and increasing the Westlake Special Service Area Sales Taylor and lastly, is there anyone else who would like to speak to the public hearing regarding the proposed extension of the duration of the Westlake Special Service Area and increase in the Westlake Special Service Area Sales Tay?

Mayor, if I could, before we close the hearing.

Yes, Council Hayes.

Thank you, Your Honor.

So under the statutory provisions of uh special service area law, there's a required 60-day period after the public hearing until you can pass the related ordinances.

In the past, the city has um received a waiver from the owner of the Westlake shopping center and has shortened that period of time.

I'm told to expect that waiver, and because of that, we'll be placing the final action on these items on the agenda for March 10th.

Okay.

So I just wanted the council and the public to be aware that uh we're complying with the law and using that waiver as we have consistently in the past on this SSA to move up that date.

Mr.

Hall has expressed today the transactions that are awaiting conclusion, and I would imagine that those lease transactions are dependent upon us taking action on the 10th as well.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you, Council.

So that waiver is submitted by the owner.

Right, because the SSA affects the property owners.

The notices and those waivers really attend to that person's interests.

We have a single ownership here, which is rare over this span of time that a retail entity is still owned by the same initial owner and speaks to the financial strength of this whole set of items.

So we've recognized and accepted those waivers in the past to move forward on this matter, and I'd recommend doing so again if the council's inclined to approve these requests.

Thank you.

Very good.

Thank you.

May I get a motion to close the public hearing?

Move by Councilmember Kelly, seconded by Councilmember Euler.

Please cash your ballots.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

We are on to the consent agenda.

26-46 is a communication with request to approve a contract for the 2026 landscape stewardship and maintenance projects with GIMAX group in an amount not to exceed $350,000.

26-47 is a communication with request to approve a six-year extension of the franchise agreement with I3 Broadband Inc.

to continue the construction operation and maintenance of video service and fiber network in the city of Peoria.

26-48 is a communication with a request to adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 18 Article 14 section 18-621 of the code of the City of Peoria relating to tobacco retail licenses.

26-49 is a communication with request to concur with recommendation from the planning and zoning commission and staff to adopt an ordinance amending special use ordinance number 15188 as amended in a class R5 residential cluster development district to allow for the installation of an additional freestanding sign for the property located at 2400 West North Moore Road.

26 50 is a communication with request to concur with a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and staff to adopt an ordinance amending special use number 16932 as amended in a class B1 downtown commercial district for the Peoria Civic Center facilities to add four foot tall fencing in the front yards of the property located at 201 Southwest Jefferson Avenue, commonly known as a Civic Center, located at 201 Southwest Jefferson Avenue, 702 and 720 Fulton Street, and 109, 1251 29 and 135 Southwest Monroe Street.

26-51 is a communication with request to concur with a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and staff to adopt an ordinance approving a special use in a class R2 single single family residential district for a short-term rental for the property located at 615 West Timothy Drive.

26-52 is a communication with request to concur with a recommendation from the planning and zoning commission and staff to adopt an ordinance approving a special use in a class R for single family residential district for elderly housing for the property located at 1511 North Bigelow Street.

And 26-53 is a communication with request to approve the Labor Day picnic at River Riverfront Festival Park on September 7th, 2026, sponsored by Peoria Area Community Events Inc., subject to their filing of the necessary permits and approval as required by the city code.

And that concludes our consent agenda.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Are there any items to remove from consent?

Can I get a motion to approve?

Uh move by Councilman Carmona, seconded by Councilmember Allen.

Any questions?

Please cash your ballots.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

We are on to the regular agenda.

26-54 is a communication from the city manager and director of public works with a request to approve the sole source purchase of a conolite traffic cabinets from traffic control corporation in the amount of 100,000 dollars.

And this item requires two-thirds vote of council members voting, no less than six votes.

Mr.

Manager.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

This is pretty straightforward.

These are the traffic cabinets for our traffic uh intersections, uh signalized intersections, and it's a sole source purchase, that's why it's here on the regular agenda.

Okay.

Uh questions.

Uh Councilmember Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh Mr.

Manager, uh perhaps you have just answered my question.

Um does a sole source uh contract require, is that the requirement?

It's not that uh it's not budgeted.

No, this is this is budgeted.

This is just because it's sole source, it requires the council to take a two-thirds vote.

Thank you.

You're right.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You want to make a motion, uh, councilman?

Uh yes, ma'am.

I would uh move to approve uh item 26 uh 54.

Um seconded by councilmember Jackson.

Any questions?

Please cash your ballots.

Umbach stecked out, but motion passes passes.

Madam Clerk.

26-55 is a communication from the city manager and finance director comptroller with a request to approve a resolution expressing official intent regarding certain capital expenditures to be reimbursed from proceeds of one or more obligations to be issued by the City of Peoria.

Mr.

Manager.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

I do have our finance director Kyle Craddy here, who's going to explain uh the rationale behind this proposed resolution.

Thank you, Mr.

Manager.

Uh this uh ordinance in front of you tonight is a little bit different than what we have done in the past in terms of bond ordinances.

You are probably more used to us bringing the ordinance in front of you saying we're gonna go out to market and sell the bonds.

Um what this ordinance allows us to do is take some more time and assessing the market.

Um kind of in our discussions with the finance with our financial advisors, we believe uh probably a late summer, early fall issuance is gonna make more sense with where the market currently sits.

You know, we might be right, we might be wrong.

Um it also lets us work through a few projects in terms of what those dollar incense are um because the minute that we put that bond ordinance on the table and it's approved, that sets what our what we're gonna sell in terms of bonds.

Um but with that in mind, what we also do have is we have projects that are starting or equipment that we need to purchase.

And so what this ordinance does is it allows us to um reimburse ourselves once we issue those bonds for those projects back to January 1, um, just so we don't have to go out and issue into a market that we don't at this at this point think is favorable for us.

Um and I just want to kind of you know kind of bring this to council's attention, it's a little bit different than how we've done these in the past.

Um but with that I'm available if council has any questions.

Director Craddy, what does our credit rating look like?

So we are a single A2 rating with a positive outlook.

Um we're still kind of below the what I would say for a lot of communities is that double A rating that really allows you to go into the competitive market.

Um but what I also like to say is really what you're gonna pay depends on what's out there on the market that day.

Um I've been in double A credits that sold at a triple A rate um just because of what the market was.

Um we have seen um a movement away from a negative outlook to a positive outlook over the last few years because of our um fund balance levels.

Um really what the rating agencies continue to tell us though is is that our pension obligation is the main driver of not moving up from our current rating.

Do you have any projections on when we might be able to get an upgrade?

Uh I think we would have to um get to a point that um we are not seeing growth of our pension obligations the rate that we were.

Oh my um because really that long-term liability is what the rating agencies continue to look at as the the main driver um for kind of where they're holding our credit.

Okay.

Councilmember Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

And thank you, uh Director Craddy.

Um I am um a little a little worried.

Um if what your advisors are telling you uh if the market believed that there wouldn't be any reason to delay.

Um so they're stepping away from the market, which is okay.

And saying no, the market is not quite right.

And we're going to have lower rates than the market thinks we're going to have in the summer or in the fall.

I I hope that's right.

You know, dealing with the public's money as we are.

I uh we we should, I think uh I I'm not going to oppose this just to get to the end, but we need to be careful.

Um people have been whipsawed by interest rate changes.

Um if you were not perhaps as prudent as you might be, why uh you get you get hurt.

Um so um I think your request is reasonable.

Uh but I don't think we should make a habit of it.

Thank you, Director.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

Uh Councilmember Regenbach.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Director Craddy, I was just gonna um say thank you for having the foresight and uh um the acumen to to realize that with the new chairman of the Federal Reserve Board coming on, and just the market's anticipation of two more rate cuts, if not three at this year.

I think it's a very prudent move.

Um clearly the world's a crazy place right now, and who knows what the geopolitical impacts could be, but financially, I think this makes a lot of sense and um thank you for thinking out of the box a little bit and not just rushing into something.

So that that's the stuff that sets us apart, and we appreciate your leadership.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

Uh Councilmember Vespa.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I agree with what Councilmember Riggenbach just said, but you know, just to be clear, um job growth is very poor, right?

The last year we only had 180,000 nationally.

I mean, that's generally what you want a month to keep up with population growth.

And then GDP was revised downward the last several quarters, and we had a very poor GDP growth report a few days ago.

So that means that we should expect cuts, rate cuts from the Fed uh looking forward this year to stimulate the economy.

But you also see the dollar being unloaded as a reserve currency overseas, which weakens the dollar, which makes me think that the Fed chair might second guess that.

He might he might decide it's not a good idea to weaken the dollar.

So I do I do so I do agree with the conclusion.

Um I think this is the prudent move.

I mean, we can only we can only make the best decision with the information presented.

Um, but I I would have to guess that yes, these rate cuts are definitely coming to spur an economy that's stuck in the mud.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

Uh Councilmember Kelly again.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'd just like to remind the council that the rate cuts that are being talked about are short-term rate cuts, and we're talking of long-term bonds, uh, which don't move that way, and the Fed has very little control over long-term rates.

They do over short-term.

So it is still iffy, uh, but I'll vote for it.

Thanks.

Uh thanks again, Director Craddy.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

Uh, can I get a motion to approve?

Move by council member Gordon Young, seconded by council member Allen.

There's no more discussion.

Please cash your ballots.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

26-56 is a communication from the city manager and corporation council with a request to consider the sign application for a class C1 packaged goods, liquor license for the retail sale of alcohol at Midwest USA Inc.

doing business as King Zone 2411 North Knoxville Avenue with a recommendation from the liquor commission to deny.

And on your desk, there is a handout from Councilmember Carmona, and the cover sheet is entitled King Zone.

Okay.

Uh is it Council Hayes?

Do you want to speak to this or city manager?

Your Honor, um the uh liquor commission met, and on the basis of the location and the proximity uh to some other uh challenged areas, the police department recommended denial and the uh liquor commission recommended denial.

Um the property sits a uh block and a half uh south of McClure on Knoxville, uh a smaller convenience store footprint with a uh small uh parking lot.

And so uh that's why it's phrased to consider.

And I think Councilman Carmona has been working with the owner and may have some additional comments about the request for site approval.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council.

Uh Councilman Carmona.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um first, I kind of just want to start off by saying that I absolutely respect the site approval process.

Uh I do agree and understand with the concerns from the police department.

Um to deny under the current conditions.

Um what I see as a opportunity, though.

So uh in front of you, and I'll just kind of speak about it for anybody who's listening at home or in the audience.

Uh if you just go to page two, um, I wanted to explain here what King Zone actually sells.

So the first picture on top is uh something that I would think you know anybody would look at it and say that that's an actual grocery store.

So it's a bunch of spices, uh, soups, coffee, tea, um, a lot of different stuff.

The bottom uh left picture has some household goods, toilet paper, paper towels.

The bottom right picture has some frozen meals, salmon, shrimp, frozen fruits and vegetables.

If we go to page three, the top left-hand picture will show uh cooler with uh pizza rolls, breakfast sandwiches, and at the very bottom there's a lot of uh ground beef rolls.

Uh to the right of that, we have a picture with the cooler filled with a bunch of pizza, some tortillas, and at the the bottom picture, probably my uh my kids' favorite aisle is a bunch of ramen and different uh Asian uh noodles.

Picture four is just another look at the spice area where there's a bunch of condiments and potato chips and some household cleaning goods as well.

Picture five will show you the current state of King Zone, which uh believe it or not, um looks much better than it did just two months ago because the owner is doing a pretty good job of trying to clean the area up after my recommendations.

Now, what you see right below that picture is uh a pretty cool design of what King Zone could be.

It kind of illustrates what some paint and a decluttering of signs will do for the facade and the look and feel of the store.

Going on to page six is just a couple other examples of different designs for the outside of King Zone.

Now, before I make a motion, I kind of just want to explain some of the due diligence that I've done throughout this whole process.

Number one, I believe that the owner and operator of this store has a goal to be an asset to the neighborhood and not a liability.

Number two, I've consulted with our corporation council.

Thank you very much, Council Hayes, uh, along with the police chief and the liquor investigator to come up with some ideas for a strong plan of operation to make sure we protect the interests, safety, and well-being of the surrounding neighborhood.

Uh more to come on those details later if things go well.

Number three, I've also consulted with uh my neighboring district council member, Tim Riggenbach.

Thank you very much for uh checking the store out and um giving your input as well.

This decision affects both of us equally because it's right on the border of our districts.

So I thank you for having an open mind.

Uh lastly, number four is uh I met with Madam Mayor yesterday because I didn't want her to be blindsided by um what I was about to do.

So I walked into every proclaimed grocery store/slash market in this whole area, and it probably isn't a surprise to anybody here to find out that they mostly sell a bunch of junk food, pop, tobacco, and vapes.

Something that we're all concerned with.

Everybody here knows my style and how I feel about the free market economy and law-abiding citizens being able to sell whatever they want, as long as they follow the law.

So to each their own, I wish them success.

But this is why I brought this packet to you today, because this is very different from those other stores.

Now we all talk about food deserts at one point or another, and I think we can all probably agree because it's a fact that there is very, very little profit to be made on groceries alone.

Now, if a law-abiding citizen is bringing groceries to a food desert, and also wants to um keep his doors open and continue to try to be an asset to the community, I would like to try to help them.

Now, this means that the operator is going to put his money where his mouth is.

Okay, because facade improvements, new signage, and upgrades in general take a lot of time and money.

So I'm not here to ask to approve this motion.

I'm here to ask and make a motion to defer this item until our March 24th meeting to give the owner the chance to make improvements.

After that time, um I will keep everybody up to date, and I will bring receipts and proof as to what's going on to know where to go from there.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

So you made a motion and it's been seconded by uh Councilman Allen.

Um I do have some questions for you.

Um, and one of them is as it relates to what King's zone grocery could look like, these designs.

Are these your designs or are these the owner's designs?

The owner has um taking a lot of confidence in me to kind of direct him to be an asset, more of an asset to the community.

So these are just AI generated images, basically um meant to illustrate how some paint and decluttering of signs can change what a person thinks about when they drive by it.

Okay.

And he's willing to make some financial investments to kind of bring it up, upgrade his property to perhaps one of these looks, designs.

Yes, ma'am.

Now I think uh the first picture you see under, you know, is a very it's a stretch.

It's gonna cost a lot of money.

Um, but I just wanted I just want to see if this operator um can be successful, and I do want to give him time in order to make some of these changes.

Okay.

And you know, not to stereotype this store, but there's been similar stores like this in other parts of the city on May Lee's South Side, the East Bluff, near uh North Valley, I would say for the most part, uh less so in the central part of the city, but mostly council districts, uh, one, two, and three.

And in many of those instances, there was denials, uh recommendation by the police to deny packaged liquor, which includes not just beer and wine, but all types of liquor for a class C.

Um, but yeah, I mean, I applaud your efforts to try to support this business owner um to upgrade his property and for this not to just be a packaged liquor store, because many times I think when some of these uh stores get their liquor license, then that becomes the main product.

Grocery doesn't become the main product.

Uh it's the sales are overtaken by alcohol, beer, wine, and other alcohol.

So I know that you're looking at a plan of operation.

Would you say that that plan of operation might restrict the types of alcohol sale?

Or are you are you considering that councilman?

The plan of operation that I would support would be very strict.

And if after a period of time of proven good behavior, um to let that expand into maybe liquor that is behind the counter.

Okay.

Which is covered by glass and is protected.

So it will be a gradual move, all dependent on the performance and compliance from this operator.

Okay.

And so my question now is directed to uh corporation council Hayes as it relates to plan of operation, and as the liquor commissioner, maybe I should know the answer to this.

But a class C allows for the sale of all types of alcohol.

Uh can a plan of operation, would it be appropriate for a plan of operation to restrict a store like this from other types of alcohol besides beer and wine?

And I know we restrict our gas stations to just the beer and wine.

So the um council in its ordinance has given itself a free hand to fashion a plan of operations and condition any licensure on the plan of operations.

So plan of operations approved by the council would allow uh the method that Councilman Carmona described.

Okay.

Um, and uh give the uh council assurance that that's enforceable and ties back to the licensure.

Okay.

Um so if the site approval was more generous than the plan of operations allowed, it would allow the meeting of the conditions of the plan of operations to ease those restrictions without coming back to council for relicensure.

Okay, very good.

Thank you.

Uh council member uh Riggenbach.

Thank you, madam mayor.

I think corporation counsel, you just answered my question, but the plan of operation is attached to the license, not the site.

Is that correct?

Um the ordinance allows the council condition any license on the conditions that are in the plan of operations.

The license the site approval gives the broadest permission available, and the council can restrict that with a plan of operations and control a licensure that way.

Now the mayor issues licenses without coming back to council once there's site approval.

And so that that flexibility, and this is how that flexibility is accorded in circumstances like this.

So in our fear always that a new owner comes in.

The liquor commissioner slash mayor would have the ability to require plan of operation on a new owner as well, correct?

So our ordinance speaks to the council when they do a site approval, making a plan of operations during um the course of enforcement proceedings to settle enforcement matters.

The mayor, this mayor and prior mayors have offered a plan of operations as a method of resolving a liquor violation short of a suspension or revocation.

And so they've been fashioned in that way through the mayor's enforcement authority, but this method is supported in the ordinance as well.

Thank you.

So it wouldn't be transferable to a next owner.

The plan of operation would be specific to this owner.

Okay, we have a motion on the floor and a second.

Please cash your ballots.

This is to defer until March 24th, I believe.

Councilman Velpula.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

26-57 is a communication from the city manager and finance director comptroller with a request to receive and file the month ended December 31st, 2025, unaudited financial report.

Mr.

Manager.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

Our finance director is back up at the podium, and I'll turn the floor over to him.

Thank you, Mr.

Manager.

Um, in your packet is the the last uh regular financial report for 2025.

Um a little bit different with this report compared to the reports that I provided you previously is I did provide the usual report that looks on this really on a um a cash basis that we have collected uh revenues and we've had expenses out.

Um so I'll touch on that first, but I also put some information in here for the council of of where we look like we're gonna end um 2026 at this point or 2025 at this point.

Um so the report is presented.

Um the general fund, the revenue is down 8.2% compared to budget.

Um again, that budget number is gonna be the budget number for the entire year.

That's really why you're seeing that difference.

Um the expense side, we are down 4.1% compared to expected budget.

Um really kind of some of the same traits that we've seen over the last few months in terms of what that uh really where our financial assumptions have gone.

Um I'll kind of turn over more to the the financial report or the uh the memo that gets into you know, really taking into account that activity that we've had post uh December 31st.

So those collections of things like sales tax um as well as some in income tax and as well as some additional expenditures that we traditionally have.

Um we are gonna be closing our books in the next week or so, so we are close to having a pre-audit um financials, and that's what's in front of you tonight.

Um so really I I would call really the main the main differences is we had assumed um a little bit over one hundred and twenty-nine million dollars in revenue for the general fund.

Um we're tracking to be closer to 132 million dollars.

Um that's really driven by stronger than anticipated home rural sales tax as well as states to state sales tax.

Um some of the changes that were made in the last budget um really helped us on um out of state sales tax.

Um we really believe got more revenue out of out of state sales tax versus the use tax, which was really a proportion of on a per capita basis.

We kind of won out in that formula.

Uh the other piece is there was um uh taxes now charged on leased equipment.

Um, and I would that's another area that while not necessarily directly anticipated when we were looking at the budget, um, those numbers have been relatively strong in terms of what we're seeing in that market.

Um so that's really where we've seen that growth and in revenue and why we continue those assumptions going into the 26 budget.

On the expense side, we'd assumed 133 million dollars in expenses.

Um we're gonna be right around 131.1 million dollars in expenses.

Um really, you know, we're um this really can kind of goes back to the staff again, um, making sure they're being diligent with how we're spending the money and what we are using the funds for.

Um, and so I just want to give kudos to the staff to always being mindful of of how we're using uh taxpayer dollars.

Um and then really I think really the bottom line, I think which is what everyone really looks at.

We had anticipated uh use of fund balance uh in 2025 of 3.7 million.

Um we are actually gonna have an addition to fund balance of a little bit over a million dollars in the general fund.

Um so it will continue to help us um offset some of those uh long-term uh pension requirements that we're facing.

Um so really we had almost uh a little bit over four and a half million dollar swing and anticipated results.

Um so all in all, I think a good strong financial year.

Um we will come back to you when we have the finalized audit in either late June or early July.

Um some of these numbers can change slightly as we work through some, just how we have to treat some information and some new and some maybe some additional bills that come in.

But I don't anticipate it's gonna uh vary wildly from what's on in front of you tonight.

Um and so with that I'm available if council has any questions.

Any questions or can I get a motion to receive and file council member Kelly?

Thank you.

Uh and uh uh director cranny, I I think uh councilman Sear would be happy uh this evening uh we're hearing and uh you answered the questions that I had, but I just think it's uh we're uh a million dollars to the good that was not anticipated.

Uh some of that comes from things we can't control, but uh I think in your role uh as finance director, uh you've been very prudent and have served the city very well.

So I I thank you, sir.

Uh thank you, madamer.

As as you recall, the civic center received uh 25 million dollar grant from the state of Illinois, and we bonded 20 million.

We're down to the final few center.

But the two big projects that I just want to highlight it, you'll be seeing construction fencing coming up around the civic center and surrounding City Hall, basically here beginning in March as the arcade improvements are made, and then um too bad councilman Sears is not here to hear the the ice plant um construction will actually begin in May.

So a lot of good things happening, and if you haven't been to the civic center lately, I uh just really encourage you to enjoy this jewel that we have.

And if you haven't been to the Civic Center lately, I uh just really encourage you to enjoy this jewel that we have.

It's truly never looked better, and it's gonna look even better in another 18 months.

So thank you, and thank you for your leadership in serving on the authority, the Civic Center Authority for appreciate that.

Uh Councilmember Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I would just uh I don't have any particular business.

I had I have to speak on everything tonight, apparently.

But anyway, um I would like to welcome uh they're almost all gone.

Uh the scouts who were here and the scout that remains here.

Uh and uh just to let the council know uh this past weekend was a merit badge university for uh the WD Boyce Council, although there were scouts that came from other councils too, and downtown is where they met and primarily uh at the uh distillery labs.

But a very enlightened group uh met here at City Hall.

And uh they were shown into uh the chambers and shown all around and asked questions and uh got answers and uh um uh but it was a uh and it was kind of eye-opening for many of them.

They just didn't uh anticipate the dignity of these chambers.

And uh I would say there were 25 or 30 of them, and they were working on their citizenship in the community merit badge as well as citizenship uh in the nation.

Uh so uh I'm um I'm not surprised, but I'm very happy that uh our city hall is open to things like that.

Uh uh I think those those young men will not forget that.

So thank you, madam mayor.

Welcome.

I totally agree.

Uh council member Gordon Yan.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I am thrilled to announce that this morning at 7 a.m.

the city went live with our new dispatch and police record software system.

Oh commonly referred to as the CAD and RMS system.

So for those who aren't familiar, it's CAD stands for computer aided dispatch and RMS as record records management system.

Our primary objective is to ensure that the more than 30 first responder agencies we serve, and most importantly, the community members we rely on who rely on us experience no interruption in service.

And so far, everything's been going great.

I would like to take this time to thank the emergency communications director, uh Brandon Blaney, who has done an amazing job, and the information system technology program manager, Rob Whitney, for his leadership.

Together, the preparation for this transition has been amazing.

This is an exciting and significant time.

It's a milestone for all of Peoria, or for our first responders, and most importantly, for the citizens of citizens of Peoria in this community.

So again, thank them, and hopefully things will continue to go well.

And I can tell you from uh professional experience, this new cast system is like state of the art.

That's great.

Yes.

So again, thank you to them.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

Councilmember Carmona.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh Mr.

Manager, um, I have a question regarding juvenile crime.

Is our lobbying firm uh that we have on the books, are they advocating for change at the state level?

Um is there something we can do locally to bring the police department leaders together to exhaust every resource we have to try to help the situation.

You know, um councilman, yes, and and they are looking at at avenues for us to look at legislation that we might be able to advocate for.

Um maybe if I could ask the police chief to come up and maybe just talk a little bit about um you know his public statements recently and and his advocacy has led to some additional comments and support from other uh police chiefs throughout the state.

So I think that there's more effort uh that's moving in the right direction on that front.

So I'll thank you.

I could just turn it over to the chief for a few moments to let him talk about that.

I was looking for an email I just sent out when he when you asked that question.

So uh last week I had I I drafted an email.

Oh let me apologize.

Good evening, Mayor, Council, City Manager.

Um I drafted an email just last week um to send out to uh chiefs in and around the area, all the way out to Rockford, Elgin, West Chicago.

Um Peoria is not the only city experiencing what we're experiencing.

I mean this is happening across not just Illinois but across the nation.

But I think there's this is a time right now for for chiefs of police, the executives of of each department to really stand up and ask for what we want.

We are the boots on the ground while the legislators are looking in.

So we're gonna have this conversation.

I started this conversation with our um state's attorney as well.

Um just had a conversation last week with the chief of Elgin, who was just called me out of the blue and was talking about something they're working on, so this is perfect timing because their state's attorney is the president of the state's attorney's group for the state.

Um and so we are starting to have this conversation, but we really need to get our ducks in the roll to figure out what it is we want to see and what we want.

We know what it is.

We gotta jot it down, put it on paper and really present it the right way to our legislators.

And so that's what we're working on, and we're driving that from Peoria, and there's other chiefs and other departments that are driving it in their colonies.

So we're gonna come together to start presenting that.

I think the time is now.

We we're seeing what's happening.

There's legislation out there currently where they're working on trying to change the age to 21.

We're against that.

There's other things we're against as chiefs, and so we need to start voicing uh our voice now.

And um that's what we're gonna do.

Any questions for me?

Uh thank you, Chief.

I really appreciate your leadership.

I know me and you spent some time together talking about these things, so I want you to know that how uh happy and proud I am that you're our leader in the police department.

Absolutely anything that you need from us, even if it's public putting public pressure online or trying to do something to advocate for some sort of change.

Um you let us know and we're we're there for you.

Thank you.

Well, I I'll say I know I appreciate that.

The police department appreciates the support that we're getting from you as a police department and as a whole, and we're getting that support from our community, and and we really appreciate that.

It does not go unnoticed.

And um, we're gonna we're gonna push that information out to the public and uh we hope our legislators are jump on board as well and see that it's needed, some changes needed to modernize our our juvenile justice.

Yes, ma'am.

We are at citizens opportunity to address the city council.

Um I was just wanting to know if it was possible to demolish the big owls strip club in the city of Peoria to go along with the new arcade for the city hall or the uh civic center.

Um just making a parking lot available and maybe limit the homeless population crowding by the uh city link.

I don't know if that was possible of being addressed with the board here.

Seems all murder took place, and I don't think it's able to uh reopen on the Amhern Power Grid.

Might make a better message.

That was all I had to address.

Maybe ask.

Thank you.

We have an executive session.

Uh,