If everyone can take their seats, we'll get started shortly.

So yeah, she only had two seats left and there's people who are going in there.

So

No, no, no.

Sorry.

Oh, what?

Oh, this is not co-operating.

Oh, it's not.

It gave me a whole spiel right.

I should respond to it.

Uh maybe we should uh word sign.

It's fine, I can just read this as well.

We still have people coming into uh city hall, so we're going to give them a moment to get settled in some other rooms and then we'll get started.

Thank you for your patience.

I appreciate it.

Do you mind do you have here?

If we can have money for that view, yeah.

Yeah.

Well, this is my favorite.

I mean, I'd love to just see that book one time.

You're trying to get hooked up downstairs, so it's the computer's not working right.

I think we're full.

We're having technical difficulties.

So they're working on it right now.

To the one ten.

So we're good.

Okay.

We're getting ready.

Great.

Thank you.

Can I have room four o four, please?

Room four.

Great.

Thank you.

Okay, we'll go ahead and get started.

The annual town meeting of the town of the city of Peoria is now called to order at six fourteen PM.

Please rise for a moment of silent prayer or silent reflection, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you.

Under Ellen Law, anyone wishing to make motions and vote at the annual town meeting must be a township elector.

Elector is defined under the law as a person registered to vote within the township, no less than twenty-eight days before the date of the annual town meeting.

Please note that the township boundaries are different from the city of Peoria's boundaries.

If you wish to vote at this annual town meeting, you must check in at the table outside or downstairs on the first floor and obtain a numbered index card to show proof of electoral status during any votes.

The first order of business is the election of a moderator.

Nominations are open for the position of moderator.

Please state your name for the record as you make the motion.

Great, thank you.

Do you can you stand and say your name, please for the record?

Can you spell your last name, please?

Thank you very much.

Are there any more nominations from the floor?

Are there any more nominations from the floor?

Any more nominations from the floor.

Seeing none, the nominations are closed.

All opposed say nay.

Room four oh four.

Did the motion pass?

Did the motion pass by voice vote?

All in favor, the moderator.

Motion pass.

Thank you, four oh four.

Room one ten.

Motion passed.

Great, thank you.

So Dr.

Rita Ali has been elected moderator by majority vote.

Now, Dr.

Rita Ali, if you could stand with me, please.

Please raise your right hand.

Do you swear to perform the position of moderator of the annual town meeting faithfully and impersonally as required by law?

I do.

Great.

Thank you.

Please be seated.

Thank you, everyone.

Before we begin tonight, I feel it is important to address some procedural questions as the annual town meeting is unique under Illinois law.

For one, everyone here has the right to participate, but in a way that is respectful and consistent with the longstanding rules established by the township and under Illinois law.

Balance with the right to participate in this meeting is the duty of the moderator of the meeting to preserve order and to decide all questions of order.

Therefore, the following rules of order will govern tonight's meeting.

Number one, no party may speak until recognized and permitted to speak by the moderator.

Number two, any party recognized to speak may speak for no longer than three minutes, and the moderator reserves the right to limit repetitive comments, statements, andor grant additional time to a spokesperson for a particular agenda item.

Three, no one shall read statements, letters, etc.

on behalf of someone who is not present.

Four defamatory or obscene comments and remarks will not be permitted.

Five, shouting, clapping, or any other disruptive activity is not allowed.

Anyone who violates these rules should be warned to immediately discontinue the actions at issue.

Continuation or rep or repetition of the violation after warning shall constitute grounds for removal from the meeting.

We are at item number four statement of financial affairs of the town of the city of Peoria with request to receive and file.

So I need a motion and a second.

Any elector?

I'm sorry, did can you like raise your hands?

Oh yes, okay.

Okay.

You moved, okay, and seconded right here.

Electores Gordon Young.

Okay.

All those in favor say aye.

Those opposed say nay.

Madam Clerk.

Room 404.

Um item number four.

We're good.

Is a voice vote?

Did it pass?

Yes, it did.

Great.

Thank you.

Room 110.

Voice vote.

Did it pass?

Room 110, yes.

It passed.

Great.

Thank you.

We're good.

Is the voice vote?

Did it pass?

Is there a two?

It is.

Great.

Thank you.

Room one ten.

Can we vote?

Did it pass?

Room one ten, yes.

All right.

Thank you.

Very good.

Is it voice vote passed?

Great.

Thank you.

Room one.

Okay, I think we know that it passed.

Like about 10 times.

So if you wouldn't mind, let's go ahead and proceed.

All right, thank you.

Okay, before we proceed with items five and six on the agenda, I want to address some background on the process related to agenda items like these, which are items submitted by the public.

Under Illinois law, 15 or more registered voters residing in the township may request an agenda item for consideration at the annual town meeting by submitting a petition in writing to the township clerk by the deadline for this meeting, which by law is on or before March 1st, 2026.

Is my understanding that agenda item number five was proposed by such a petition and is therefore presented first tonight?

Madam Clerk, let's proceed to item five.

Great.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

Item number five, specifically the petition submitted on or before February 5, 2026, to my office seeking the following a special township meeting being called pursuant to 60 ILCS 1 slash 305-5 for the discussion and implementation of a study for the township for the purpose of using township funds to provide services to senior citizens under Article 60 ILCS 1 slash 35-5.

Okay.

As we have done in past annual town meetings where public agenda items or questions have been proposed, it is appropriate for a spokesperson for the petitioners to offer comments for up to five minutes on this particular agenda item.

Is there a spokesperson for this item?

Please step forward and identify yourself.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Mira Ali, thank you for the opportunity to address the citizens of Peoria.

Tonight we are presenting a request for a special meeting of the Township Board.

The goal of this special meeting is for the Peoria Township Board to establish a senior services ad hoc committee tasked with creating a roadmap for developing a financially sustainable senior center with a structured study of the needs of older adults in Peoria by invoking 60 ILCS 1 slash 3555.

We are exercising our rights as electors to prioritize the well-being of our seniors.

This study will provide the data we need to decide exactly which programs deserve our support.

It ensures that when we do that, we will be good stewards of every dollar.

This is an ask to form a committee sponsored by the township and city of Peoria to assess and determine a trajectory that will meet a serious unmet need of Peoria seniors.

By 2030, Peoria will have more residents over the age of 50 than the age of 18.

While the older population is growing, our infrastructure for aging in place has not kept pace with what other communities are doing to retain retiring seniors.

13% of older adults live alone, leaving a substantial portion of seniors without a built-in safety net.

Current programming in Peoria is insufficient for socialization, wellness, and aging in place.

Roughly 75% of residents over 65 own their homes and contribute significantly to the city's assessed value.

Nearly one-third of senior households in the region live above the median state income, making them a vital part of our consumer economy.

However, poverty is rising.

Statewide poverty among older adults has increased 82% over the past 15 years.

In Peoria, approximately 8% of seniors live below the poverty line, with minority seniors facing even higher risks.

Peori is the eighth largest city in Illinois and the only in the top 20 cities in Illinois to not have a senior center.

There are senior centers all around us, from Springfield to Pekin, Lincoln to Galesburg and Normal.

The time is now to get on board with proactive planning for our aging population.

Since founding the Graceland Center for Purposeful Aging in 2020, we have experienced exponential growth.

We have evidence of improved lives.

A resource this vital to the community cannot rely solely on volunteers, donations, or grants.

For comparison, Normals ARC serves 4,000 members with 500 people attending daily.

A financially sustainable senior center will align with the National Institutes of Senior Center's standards for wellness, health promotion, nutrition, socialization, and recreation.

The committee can maximize efficiency by using existing data and identifying gaps to determine financial stability.

The proposed committee would bring together Piore leaders, including people from the government, health care, and community advocates.

At the special meeting, we request that the senior services ad hoc committee be appointed, the committee processes and responsibilities be determined to develop the study, and the goal to provide a recommendation for a financially sustainable senior center to be presented to the township board by October 2026.

This timeline allows that if a tax levy is recommended, the township can meet all legal responsibilities for the upcoming election cycle.

I have 85 letters gathered to submit to the city clerk from Graceland Center participants, Peoria businesses, medical providers, social service agencies, and other senior centers.

Supporting this motion for a special meeting to convene a feasibility study is a vote for a more age-friendly Peoria.

It's a vote to ensure our parents and grandparents and all of us can live with an age with dignity in the community that we help build.

I ask for your yes to move forward with this study.

Do I make the motion?

Oh, not yet.

Okay.

That's all.

It's all right.

Thank you, Ms.

Peggy.

Um before we allow for further comment and action on this item.

I asked the township attorney to provide additional background and procedural considerations for the electors so they are fully aware of the issues involved before any vote is taken.

Hello, I'm the township attorney, John Redling Schaefer.

Good evening.

Thank you.

And thank you, Madam Moderator.

First, I I just have a couple of procedural questions that I want to make sure.

Um your petition is citing a section of the town code that doesn't exist, Article 305.

But I just want to first state out that clearly the intent is to proceed with 35-5 and 3555, right?

All right.

So it's my opinion the electors have submitted a valid petition, but a statement tonight I want to make sure that I understand for clarity.

You mentioned you wanted a special town board meeting, but your petition asked for a special town meeting, meaning a special town meeting of the electors.

I just want to make sure what your preference what are you what are your petitions asking for?

Because on their face, they say a special town meeting, and that's not a board meeting.

So I would suppose it would be when that the electors would get to participate in.

Yeah.

I mean, that's consistent with the face of your document, but when you said board, I just I started scribbling just to make sure.

All right, thank you for that.

Um, and another follow-up question.

You've mentioned the phrase tax levy, okay.

Now, also within 35-55, which is also in your petition, there is that discussion.

So if we were to craft an agenda for a special town meeting, assuming it passes, you are looking for the creation of an ad hoc committee and then also um the authorization that the electors do have the power to at least start the process under 3555.

So, in essence, two agenda items.

Is that correct?

Oh boy.

Um I'm not trying to put you on the spot.

I just want to make sure that our agenda is correct.

Correct.

So the public is aware of what you're seeking.

For sure on the special meeting, and then if if it would be best, we could always vote or not, you know, vote yes or no for a tax levy.

Yeah.

And so if the fact that that statute was on the petitions, I my inclination was to be over-inclusive in protection of the petitioners' rights, right?

Of what they've asked.

So at this point, I think, madam clerk, that what we'd be looking for is an agenda for a special town meeting, again, assuming it passes, that would have two items.

Number one, the discussion and vote on the creation of an ad hoc senior committee, or we'll call it you know something.

Uh, but then secondly, uh discussion and potential action on a tax levy related to senior services.

Okay.

All right, thank you, madam moderator.

With that background information explained, and and again, in the spirit of transparency, I want to make sure we're all in line.

I believe we're in a position to discuss the voting procedure required by the township code.

Okay.

Thank you.

So have you fully explained the procedure?

Counsel.

Nope, I'm ready to do that right now.

Thank you.

Yes, please.

So, in short, the electors must now determine by a majority vote if they are in favor of having the township clerk call that special town meeting.

Okay.

If the vote is in favor, there's section 355 of the township code that requires a meeting to be held no less than 14 nor more than 45 days after this request is made.

It also cannot start before 6 p.m.

The clerk is not required to pick a specific date right now, but could, if so desired tonight.

Regardless, she has a deference to pick a date in the range set out by that statute.

So based on the information provided by the petitioner spokesperson, we will have two agenda items for such a special town meeting, Madam Clerk.

That will be the as I noted earlier, the ad hoc committee agenda item and then potential tax levy as well.

Madam Clerk, do you know how many electors are in attendance?

I do.

We have a total of 134 present electors.

All right.

So a simple majority on this vote.

We need 68.

Yeah.

All right.

So at this point, Madam Moderator, I believe it's time to present this question to the electors for a motion, second, and discussion.

Okay, thank you.

At this time, I would request a motion to have the township clerk call a special town meeting for the agenda item as stated by the township attorney.

Motion.

Do I repeat what you say?

No, you can say I move.

I move.

And can I have a second?

My name is Diane Grimes, and I'm second that motion is made.

Okay, thank you, Miss Grimes.

Okay.

Is there any other discussion?

Is there any other elector who wishes to speak on this motion, whether in favor or against?

Can we check with the other rooms if there's none present here?

Is there anyone in room 404 who would like to speak on this item?

And Madam Moderator, just so you know there is a 30-second delay between our room and their room.

Okay.

No one in 404.

Thank you.

Room 110.

Is there anyone who would like to speak on this item?

We do have one room 110, and they're on their way upstairs now.

Okay, thank you.

Someone from 110 is on their way up to speak.

Okay.

Come on in.

You can come on up to the podium, please.

If you could please state your name for the record.

My name is Julie Bonar.

My name is Julie Bonard, and I'm here representing Neighborhood House, an organization that is has been serving the Peoria community for 130 years.

As a sole provider for meals on wheels and senior nutrition, also known as congregate sites, I am able to see firsthand the needs of our senior neighbors.

No one should have to feel alone.

Yet research shows that 56% of seniors feel lonely.

For some older adults, changes like family moving far away, retirement, losing loved ones, a shrinking social circle, or health problems can make it challenging to stay connected.

The U.S.

Surgeon General has identified that social isolation and loneliness is a growing health crisis.

In 2023, Surgeon General Murphy stated, given the profound consequences of loneliness and isolation, we have an opportunity and an obligation to make the same investments in addressing social connection that we have made in addressing tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis.

Social isolation and loneliness is as harmful to one's health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

So I am here today in support of Peggy's motion to form an ad hoc committee for senior services within Peoria Township.

Thank you.

Okay.

Okay.

Yes.

I want to say something.

Can you step forward, please?

Yeah.

No, I was lying here.

Um you state your names.

Uh Devon Sidnore.

Okay.

Um, is this a funding issue with this what we're talking about as far as funding this?

Um I know I'm vague, I don't really know what's going on, but I don't like what was being said.

Okay, so is this an issue with funding or not?

Talking to Mr.

Hayes here.

Well, I'm sitting in Patrick's seat.

He's the city attorney, I'm John, the township attorney.

Okay.

No, but that's good.

Thank you for like to know if is it a funding issue.

It's not this has nothing to do with funding tonight.

Well, no, then that's a great question.

What this is tonight is the request to call a special town meeting where we would just talk about these particular agenda items.

Funding probably would come up during that discussion, I'm guessing.

Um, but tonight is just whether or not to have a group, a meeting called to just discuss these senior related services.

Because the situation is real with seniors.

That's fact.

Okay.

I know a lot of people who are in a bad way, and they're seniors.

Everybody doesn't get a pension.

Social Security is minimal with some people.

Funding has been cut at the highest level, so it's real.

So that's kind of where I'm at with this whole discussion.

You know, so I don't want to get into deep with this whole thing because it was kind of irritating me when I heard some of the things that have been said, and I probably took it the wrong way.

So I'm sorry if I took it or if anybody I didn't mean to, but I'm like I said, a lot a lot of agencies are getting cut dramatic, and I've been a part of them.

I've been a parties agents.

I mean, not for profits, and their funding has been wiped out.

So it's real, and that's all I got to say.

Okay.

Any other discussion?

Yes.

Sure.

Uh thank you.

Um are you madam?

Madam Moderator, Madam Moderator.

Uh Attorney Uh John, just uh a question, and I'm definitely for us uh having a special meeting so that way we can explore this issue further because this is a need that is obviously uh warranted in our community and I support, but I'm just want to make sure I'm understanding what is before us.

So we are voting to have a special meeting to discuss this item further, but now there's a second item to possibly talk about a property tax levy um referendum or something along those lines.

And my confusion is if the committee if the meeting is determined to create a ag hoc committee who would explore financial options to fund a senior center.

Wouldn't we need to conduct that study to determine if a proper tax levy would be necessary?

So I don't know if the cart is going before the horse with us talking about a property tax levy before the committee is created to explore what all options are available.

Again, I'm not trying to slow roll the process, but I'm just a little uh confused on the what's going on currently.

And while I would ordinarily call your trustee Alan, I'll call you Elector Alan right now.

Um I appreciate that question.

The issue is we have a petition in front of us that's asking for those together, okay?

And you're absolutely right.

The statute itself that they cite at the end of the petition that you're right to put an iron on what you wanted.

The electors may authorize the township board to levy a tax, and then there's further language in there that says if the board desires to levy the tax.

So what I your question is spot on.

Are we putting the cart before the horse?

But really, part of the discussion based on the petition will be forming the committee and maybe starting that first step to explore the viability of a tax levy as one funding option, just as you say.

Um, the ultimate authority on whether or not a levy is issued rests with the township board.

So that this is just step one.

Um, you're right, some of those wires get crossed, but it is it is still, I guess, from a global standpoint, part of the discussion, and most importantly, what was in the petition, so we have to respect what the petitioners were seeking, those two steps.

Okay.

Thank you for the clarification.

Thank you, madam moderator.

You're welcome.

Well, hearing no others, all those in favor.

Oh, okay.

Trustee, elector Kelly.

Uh thank you, madam moderator.

Um going to oppose this motion, and I would urge uh the electors to do the same.

This, of course, is a good cause.

We have lots and lots and lots of good causes in our community.

And we have lots of organizations that try to address some of these good causes.

Many of them do it well.

But we have quite a few of them, and they're very worthy.

We have the community workshop and training center.

We have Epic.

We have Casa.

We have neighborhood house, friendship house.

These are supported.

These were may get grants from time to time from the city or from some public body.

But essentially, they exist in the city because of the generosity of the people in the city.

They do not exist as a tax liability for the citizens of Peoria.

The Township of Peoria and the City of Peoria has more have more to do for our city than we actually have the money for.

We do the best we can.

But we we we have a big mountain to climb as well.

And we struggle to take care of our responsibilities.

Are any of these senior centers?

Public institutions.

Okay, it exists without public money.

I don't know about these other ones, whether they're funded by the public or not.

Nevertheless, I think our plate is full.

Should single out your organization for public help.

And not all these other wonderful organizations we have.

Thank you, and thank you, Madam Moderator.

Welcome.

We're going to move.

Oh Trustee Carmona.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

Although I partially agree with the statement from John Kelly, I believe that this process is put in place for a reason.

The electors are here exercising their rights.

And I strongly believe that those rights are legitimate and that we should follow the process.

And if I understand this correctly, for the time being, this town, this uh this special meeting would be called to discuss what this is, what it entails, and hopefully explore it further.

And it doesn't by any means mean that it's gonna happen, but I do think that we owe it to the public, um, to everybody who is here today to have their voices be heard.

So I will be supporting this motion.

Thank you, madam.

Well, moderator.

Yes, sir.

Johnston, I just have a clarifying question.

So at this township special meeting, there's gonna be discussion of how to fund it.

Does that have full authority over the city of Peoria if the vote was to do it?

Or could they say we want to have a referendum of the citizens of Peoria about a discussion or up or down, essentially what we did with the library.

Yeah.

You're asking me.

Yeah.

Make sure.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Madam Moderator, if I can go ahead and address it.

Um so this special town meeting will, again, I'm putting words in your mouth.

I'm sorry.

We're going to discuss uh sounds like various if it approved, if it's approved, various financing options.

The statute that governs us is 35-55, where as to your point, the electors may authorize the township board, and then I mentioned how the township board, if it desires to, and then I'll read the next step, it shall order a referendum on the proposition to be held at an election.

So to your point, there's another uh step even after that.

Okay.

Yep, great question.

Okay.

Uh trustee elector Euler.

Thank you, Madam.

There we go.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

Uh, I think this example is uh a prime example of what this process was created for was for the public to be able to weigh in on public policy decision making in an arena that affects specifically this township board.

And so I will support the uh motion before us to have this special meeting.

However, I want to be very clear that my support of having this discussion is not support of a tax levy to pay for it.

That's a very different discussion, and I just I just want to make sure that everyone knows up front that I am very supportive of hearing from the public uh discussion based on the need for senior services in our community.

That's what uh this board is for, and that's what this discussion is about.

So I think this is well placed and um great job getting this on the ballot.

But when it cut does come to a discussion on um funding such a thing, I wouldn't be for the proposed idea of raising a tax levy to support it.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Is there anyone else before we move forward with the vote?

Oh, yes.

Seriously, I didn't know where the elevator was.

So downstairs we have a delay, so it's a little hard to know where you guys are.

And when I ran up the stairs, I just want to make sure.

Sorry, trying to breathe.

We're asking for a township meeting to have a discussion.

And so a tax levy might be part of that, but I think the fact that we have all these pockets of places doing senior services is an absolutely perfect example of why we need to have a commission meeting to do that.

Sorry.

Clearly, I need more aerobic exercise.

Baron, I just wanted to make sure that was clarified because we downstairs did not hear that you understood that.

So we're asking for a time to be able to have everybody come and have a conversation about what is needed.

So thank you.

You're welcome.

Take a breath.

Elector uh trustee Gordon Young.

Thank you, madam moderator.

I um I have some questions here.

I'm wondering if it is possible for the motion to be amended.

And the reason why is because I think it is two separate things as being asked, and it's causing confusion.

And so it if if that's an option that would go uh you know on the list possibly for the committee that may be um formed.

What if it wasn't part of this motion?

Otherwise, we're voting on one and maybe the other may not be approved.

And so it I think we're being asked to answer two questions in one, but it's really two separate things.

And if is that to me, yeah.

Sorry, yeah.

Uh, and and I agree with what you're saying, the sentiment there.

The issue is we were presented with a petition that asked for both.

Okay.

And so, in order to respect the statutory role of the electors who submit the petition, those two agenda items, as confirmed by the spokesperson today, need to be on the agenda.

But you're absolutely right that during the discussion at the special town meeting, you know, I've heard comments pro and against the tax levy, right?

That will certainly be part of it, and that's why um again honoring it's a balancing of honoring what the petition calls for and actually what we talk about that night, I think is gonna morph into something that may be, as you say, a bifurcated issue that maybe the you know, some are pro-senior services, some are anti-levy.

Let's explore and let's task, let's assume the committee is agree, you know, they agree to form a committee.

The task may be to the committee find other options other than a levy.

We don't know, right?

That I'm not trying to spoon feed and I don't have an opinion on this.

I'm just telling you that you're absolutely right, but to try to balance it with what the petitioners asked, we can't ask them to change their petition now.

Um so I get exactly what you're coming from, and I apologize that there that you know you're from a parliamentary standpoint.

Your question makes sense.

It does.

Um, but I think it's just gonna have to be lobbed into one discussion.

Um, assuming this motion passes.

Okay, so essentially just consider it as a possible option, but not a requirement.

Really, if if I'm if I'm gonna generalize this, and I apologize if I miss stating, we're the the motion here is to have a special town meeting to talk further about these options.

Okay, yes.

I get it.

All right, good and good clarification.

And it I I do agree that um and can appreciate all the effort that you put forth, Peggy, and um and everybody involved.

I will be supporting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And usually on the author.

I'm not a lawyer, and so I did my best with the statutes.

So if they were overlapping, the primary concern was to have a discussion because that's square one.

Yeah.

No, I'll be the first to support a concept that the law sometimes is is not the easiest to read.

No.

So I I will just tell you that that's why you know, again, a citation may have had a different number.

The statute itself calls for different steps throughout.

That's why we're trying to honor the intent of the petition on its face.

Okay.

Hearing no others, all those in favor of having a special town meeting for the stated purpose.

Please raise your hands or cards if you have cards.

Okay, I ask that you keep your cards raised until we have you counted.

Uh room 404 and room 110.

If you could go ahead and count your cards as well.

She's counted us.

Yeah.

Shanting double.

Ian.

She had counted us.

Yes.

Are you done with that?

What's your name?

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, just to verify, you had counted us, right?

Okay, I just want to make sure it wasn't counted again by Ian.

Room 404, can you give me your tally when you're ready?

We have 32 in favor.

Room 110.

Can you give me your total?

We have 16 yes and zero nays in room one ten.

I haven't called for the nays yet.

Yeah, we'll get back to you on the nays, but thank you.

Yes.

We have a hundred and twenty yes.

We have a hundred and twenty yes.

Okay, thank you.

All those opposed of having a special town meeting for the stated purpose, raise your hands or cards, please.

You count it here.

Okay.

Room 404, the number of nays.

So we have a total of three nays.

Okay.

So the oh, go ahead, please announce.

Oh no, the so the motion passes.

Thank you.

Uh so Mr.

Township Attorney, where do we go from here?

Great question, Madam Moderator.

The clerk has now officially received a request to call a special town meeting for the two agenda items listed.

She shall now do so under 60 ILCS 1/35-5 of the township code.

And the agenda shall be those items discussed previously and part of the motion.

As a reminder, the clerk's office shall have deference on the specific date, but section 35-10 of the code requires notice in a fashion similar for this annual town meeting.

Madam Clerk, do you have a particular date in mind?

I do.

We are looking at May 12th.

That's Tuesday, May 12th at 6 p.m.

here in council chambers.

All right, very well.

Madam Moderator, the clerk and I will handle all appropriate notice requirements for a special town meeting on that date.

Okay.

Thank you.

I will look to you and the township clerk to take the appropriate next steps.

Madam Clerk, let us move forward with agenda item six.

Item number six is shall the following advisory question of public policy be placed on the ballot for submission to the votes in the township of Peoria in Peoria County in the state of Illinois for the November 3rd, 2026 election.

Shall the Illinois Congressional members who represent Peoria Township vote to support the Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act, House Bill 2723, and Senate Bill 2462, which would repeal amendments to the Illinois pension code that penalize American businesses that choose to boycott Israel.

Before we proceed with item number six, I again want to address the related process here.

For what is called an advisory referendum, which is also known as a public question.

Excuse me.

Again, 15 or more registered voters residing in the township may request an agenda item at the annual town meeting.

For this agenda item, petitions were submitted asking for something other than a special town meeting that a non-binding question be placed on the ballot for the next upcoming election, which in this instance is November 3rd, 2026.

The township code simply states proposed questions like these must only be related to public policy.

And the code does not clarify if they must uh relate to township business.

Tonight, the electors will vote on whether or not this proposed public question should go on the ballot.

A yes vote means you want the question in item number six on the ballot.

A no vote means you do not want this question on the ballot.

With that in mind, let's proceed with item six.

Mr.

Township Attorney, do you have any comments on this item six before we hear from a spokespokesperson for the petitioners?

I do, madam moderator, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak.

Uh as with the prior agenda item, my office and the clerk's office reviewed the petitions and feel this item is properly before the electors, consistent with the township code, as modem as Madam Moderator noted, the township code simply states proposed questions like these must only be related to public policy.

That's all the statute says, and the code does not clarify if it must relate to township business.

Now, if at all possible, just like I asked some clarification, I may be doing this a little bit out of order, asking the spokesperson to address this, uh, but the con but the the theme is to be consistent here to make sure the electors are fully informed before voting.

I would ask this the spokesperson to clarify something uh for us here during their remarks, namely the reference to congressional members who represent Peoria Township, and then ask about them voting on a state law or state laws, the Illinois Human Rights Advocate Protection Act.

So again, just for clarification purposes, um, you know, to try to explain that and as part of your uh statements would be good so so that uh the electors would know the intent of the petitioners.

Uh again, I appreciate that if this ballot passes, it's a non-binding question that goes on the ballot.

I just want to make sure everyone, including myself, fully understands the intent of the petitioners.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

As I referenced earlier, and as we have done in past annual town meetings where public questions have been proposed, it is appropriate for a spokesperson for the petitioners on this item to offer comments for up to five minutes.

Do we have a spokesperson?

Yes.

Please state your name.

My name is Justin Luba.

Okay.

And please proceed.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

I'm at a moderator.

Just to quickly um clarify the question uh asked by the township attorney.

So the reference to congressional members was meant as a reference to Illinois state representatives.

The language in the bill doesn't specifically Yeah, the word congressional members was a mistake, but we mean state the state representatives who would be voting on overturning this particular issue.

So thank you for the opportunity to speak.

A vote of yes today will place the aforementioned referendum on the November ballot and is not a vote on the content of the referendum itself.

In Illinois, we have a law that makes it illegal for state funds, particularly pension funds, to be invested in companies that divest from or boycott Israel, thereby requiring that Illinois Pension Board make investment decisions that protect Israeli national interests over those of our public sector retirees.

This law is a restriction on corporations' freedom of speech.

And a similar law failed in the Illinois uh National Congress one year before it passed in the Illinois legislature.

The Illinois Pension Board, which determines the companies to restrict funding too, advises the pension fund managers of seven Illinois retirement funds.

This Illinois Pension Board is comprised of unelected members who dictate financial policies for Illinois.

The Illinois Pension Board has no fiduciary responsibility to the pensioners of Illinois, no oversight, and no fiscal analysis.

This means that they can direct the Illinois Pension Board to divest from corporations without any thought to how this will affect uh Illinois pensioners financially or in terms of their ability to live quality lives.

Because of this, the Illinois Pension Fund has a high potential for abuse by members who have the benefit of national foreign interests in mind.

This is a clear violation of financial uh ethics.

The Illinois pension board has forced funds to be sold at a loss after conducting no substantial analysis of the long-term impacts of this policy.

At this time, 31 companies, including Adidas and Air Canada, appear on the prohibited investment list.

The five affected Illinois retirement systems, TRS, SERS, of which I'm a member, SERS, GARS, and JRS collectively manage approximately 120 to 130 billion assets.

The potential for losses is devastating and uh in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The equal weighted basket of restricted companies returned approximately 15.7% annually over a representative five-year period compared to approximately 8.6% for the national benchmark.

This spread of approximately 7.1 percentage points per year has been lost to Illinois pensioners due to the law that this referendum question uh is gaining gauging public interest on to overturn.

Our effort here is in support of the Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act referred to in the referendum, which aims to restore constitutional protections for peaceful protests, support the financial health of Illinois retiree pension fund, and separate Illinois law from foreign policy agendas.

By voting yes to add the referendum question to the November ballot, we will have the opportunity to let our representatives know our stance on this issue.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Mr.

Township Attorney, do you have any follow-up questions for the spokesperson?

I do not, Madam Moderator, so we are ready to proceed with the question.

Okay.

We need a motion and a second for this item.

Can I get a motion?

Uh moved by the speaker.

Yes.

And a second.

Can you I okay?

You get that name, Madam Clark?

No.

Can you who made the motion?

Okay.

And did we have a second?

She was a second.

Oh, okay.

Who made the the initial motion?

Thank you.

The speaker.

The spokeson, sorry.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Any discussion?

Yes, please come forth and state your name.

Kathy McNeil, and I'm a Peoria Illinois United States citizen.

I'm a member of the Peoria chapter of ACLU, not representing them now, but as a citizen, I want to remind everyone about the First Amendment, the freedom of speech, and of course, freedom of assembly.

Also, in the Declaration of Independence, you know, we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal.

So let's see, I think that's about here.

So with that being said, um you might expect that my comment on this vote would be yes to change undeniably the parts of the law that we pretty much believe is unequal rights.

Okay, thank you.

Any additional discussion?

Yes, just please come forward and state your name.

And all my name is Greg Johnston, and I'm asking you to vote no on this proposal to put this advisory question on the November ballot.

Over a decade ago, Illinois unanimously passed the anti-boycott law.

Lawmakers wanted our state to stand against discriminatory boycotts, targeting the world's only Jewish state, and to stand with Jewish communities as anti-Semitism rises.

This law keeps Illinois pension funds from investing in foreign companies that use their economic power to boycott Israel.

It should be noted that Illinois also restricts investments to Iran, Russia, terrorism, and other serious concerns.

This is not just a neutral human rights issue.

The bills are being pushed by advocacy networks that openly support the boycott investment and sanctions campaign against Israel.

Most believe the objectives are not compatible with Israel continuing as a Jewish nation-state.

This is unacceptable.

While the legislation has been introduced in both chambers of the state legislature, even with the Democratic supermajorities, only a minority of Democratic members have put their names on these bills.

Leadership has yet to move them out of committee.

It appears there is little interest in moving this legislation forward.

This advisory question does not have anything to do with any local interest in Peoria Township.

It will not change our tax rates, our roads, our services, or our pension funding.

Using township and county ballots in this way puts a highly polarizing foreign policy fight into a level of government that was not designed for it.

Should not be sufficient to put this on a bet on a community-wide ballot.

They should follow procedure and go through the city council to try and get a referendum on the ballot.

For all these reasons, I believe this is the wrong issue in the wrong place, using the wrong tool.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

So my name is Paul Beyersdorf, and I'm also asking that you vote no on the proposal to put this advisory question on the November ballot.

First of all, the responsibilities of a township board include financial oversight of monthly expenditures and manages the monthly budget, land use decisions.

The board members collaborate with planning and zoning departments to review building permits and enforce zoning requelations.

The board also isn't deals with community services.

They administer programs like general assistance and emergency assistance, focusing on serving with integrity and respect for all of their constituents, just like we did on item number five.

So the bottom line is this proposal as stated does not constitute township business.

It is divisive in nature.

The existing law does not restrict commerce in Illinois, does not prevent companies from contracting with the state, and does not limit free expression or political speech.

The law as it exists was passed unanimously 15 years ago by the Illinois General Assembly.

Additionally, 38 other states have adopted measures to oppose this same proposal.

When presented to the United States House of Representatives, it was soundly defeated by a vote of 398 to 17.

The only way this law can be changed is by the General Assembly, not by a township meeting.

This proposal being presented is intended to be divisive, does not promote peace in the Middle East, and goes beyond the scope of township business.

I'm asking for a note, a vote, a vote of no on this proposal.

Okay.

Yes, on this item.

As we saw in 2022, and again in 2024, and again in 2026, as we passed advisory referenda onto the voters.

This is exactly what this process has the attorney described.

This is exactly how this process is meant to be used.

It's an effective tool for speaking to our legislators in a large mass of voters from within a township.

10 or 20 or 30,000 voters can weigh in.

The speakers suggesting their opposition to this are speaking as though this is a vote on the item itself.

But it's not they should express their opposition to potential voters in the election when this item would appear.

But and there's no foregone conclusion, at least I have no foregone conclusion that it would pass or fail at the November election.

That's up to the voters.

But the voters should be given the chance and the opportunity and the right, as we've seen in the past, is an effective way to speak to our legislators.

This is absolutely the business of a township meeting to give this members of the township a chance in one opportunity, one election, to essentially send letters to your legislator in the form of an advisory referendum.

The legislators may not listen to the vote, but they certainly will know how the voters feel.

And I would not say it's a foregone conclusion of the outcome of that vote, but I think we need to put it on the ballot in order to know what the electorate feels.

So I urge pass this on to the voters as we have in the last three uh, and as I said, in 22, 24, and 26 on electoral reform.

It's been an effective tool.

Let's keep using it.

Trustee Elector Euler.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

Um, while statute may allow for this discussion, I've always been steadfast in the fact that we need to focus on the topic for the governmental body that we are having the discussion and representing, and I don't see anything in this topic that relates to township business, and so for that reason I would be voting no because we're taking taxpayer time and resources on non-township related issues, and what we're here for right now is township business.

This is state and federal discussion, and it really has no place in this forum.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Yes, please come forward, state your name.

Yes.

Uh my name is Lawrence Michard.

I'm one of the co-founders of Peori for Palestine.

I've been an activist in many human rights campaigns here in Peoria and beyond.

And now I want to make sure that people understand what's going on.

You know, and I want to thank the township government for allowing us to have the chance to put a citizen-based referendum, non binding, on the ballot.

That's all this is doing.

And it's really interesting to see the fear that's coming out here for to for the people of Peoria Township to have that opportunity.

The reason we've gone through the township governmental process is there is no state process to have citizen-based referenda placed on the ballot.

Illinois is one of the worst states uh to do this.

There's just no opportunity, but thank goodness the township governmental system allows citizen-based referenda to be placed on the ballot.

Now that's participatory democracy in its direct most direct form.

There's no uh there's nothing in between the people, the registered voters, and the outcome of what we're asking here.

So this is township business.

And if anyone has any awareness of what's going on in the world right now, you better believe this affects Peoria.

You know, has anyone ever heard of Caterpillar?

Has anyone ever heard of the caterpillar's investment in the war machine of Israel and the United States that directly affects the tax base, the profits of that multi-billion dollar corporation?

So don't tell me that this doesn't affect Peoria.

It surely does.

And what we're trying to do is repeal the unjust, unfair, and absolutely unconstitutional law, Illinois law, that makes it that bans the state from doing business with anyone who boycotts Israel, who divests from Israel, who sanctions Israel.

Has anyone ever heard of a law like that that is only on one nation?

No.

This is this law was put in by the Israeli Zionist lobby, who is very powerful.

We all understand that, and we're pushing back on that.

They should not get a free ride.

Israel should not get a free ride, and they should not be able, you know, to say, oh, you can't uh criticize us.

You can't do business with the state of Illinois if you're on record as boycotting Israel.

I mean, my God, look at the war we're involved in right now with Iran.

It's a mess.

Thousands and thousands of people are being killed, and this is all at the direction of Israel.

Okay.

So let's let's make sure that we all understand that we're part of local, state, and international processes that affect every one of us.

People in Peoria have had their families killed.

They're gone in this process.

We have to honor these people whose lives have been lost.

This is right here in town.

A lot of money has been lost, and we're talking about pensions that can't or pensions that can't be invested in for the state of Illinois because they have come out on the side of human rights against Israel.

Now, there's no way that there should be an Illinois law that prohibits uh boycotting of Israel, and it surely would not pass uh a constitutional uh uh uh case.

And I I'm surprised that it hasn't you know come up yet.

It's surely an unconstitutional law, and you don't have to be a legal scholar to figure this out.

It's unfair, it's unjust, and we're just asking for the people of the Peoria Township to be able to decide this on their own.

We trust the people, we trust the people because that's the only way that we're gonna get some human rights uh advancement and some decency put back into our government that has been hijacked by outside interests like the Israeli lobby, and we all know the outcome of that, and it's not good.

So thank you very much, Peoria Township, for allowing us to do this.

This is one of the great participatory democra democratic actions here in Peoria, and we just want to be able to put this on the ballot.

Don't be afraid of that.

Thank you.

Are there any other any other discussion?

Please come forth.

My name is Lydia Wilson, and I am a transgender woman and human rights activist.

I'm also on the board of the ACLU local chapter here.

Um, I don't repres speak on their behalf.

I don't represent them.

I'm only representing myself.

But I wanted to get up here today because we're talking so much about this issue, or talking around the issue, really, except for my colleague, Mr.

Michard before me, uh, who spoke to the actual issue at hand, that is the ongoing genocide and slaughter of millions of innocent civilians, that um laws like this, laws that prevent companies from divesting from Israel, um help facilitate.

It helps facilitate the murder and slaughter of millions of people.

And I, you know, maybe you don't go outside enough if you haven't met a Palestinian in Peoria who has had family slaughtered by the war machine that we are currently helping facilitate.

But I have, I have met these people, and it is heartbreaking.

It is heart shattering.

This is a human rights issue.

We can talk about the civil liberties issue, and we could talk about participatory democracy if that's what it takes to get this discussion happening.

But I want you to understand that lives are being lost in the millions here.

It is a tragedy of unprecedented scale, and it is not anti-Semitic to say that about the state of Israel.

Uh, I'd like to give a shout out to all my anti-Zionist Jewish friends, for instance.

It's not anti-Semitic to say that genocide is something that should be vehemently opposed.

Uh I don't understand something like I work for Starbucks, okay?

And Starbucks has not had a store open in Israel since 2001 because their employees have lobbied on behalf of the Palestinians and their rights to exist and their rights not to have their homes bulldozed and their their families slaughtered.

Um they pulled out, they pulled out all of their companies from Israel.

Is that not a boycott?

Is that not divestment?

For some reason, uh, Starbucks is not being sanctioned by the Illinois state.

It is not being penalized by Illinois.

Uh that's very, very bizarre to me.

I don't understand that.

But uh, I guess I just like to finish off by saying um thank you for allowing me the chance to speak.

Um this is as much a human rights issue as it is a civil liberties issue.

It's not just uh an issue of corporate free speech.

It is an issue of people dying in mass.

And if that doesn't move you, then I don't know where your humanity lies.

Thank you.

Uh yes, and I I just had to look back at my rules for uh which will govern this meeting.

And the spokesperson's for the petitioners on a particular item has up to five minutes.

Um that's the spokesperson for the petitioner.

Everyone else gets three minutes.

So I was I've been a little bit overly generous.

So moving forward, the commentary, other discussion is limited to three minutes, please.

Hello, my name is Noah Palm.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

I won't take five minutes.

Okay.

Um yeah, so I just I'm in support of the motion.

I just want to um clarify two of the arguments from the opposition of the motion.

Uh, first is uh the idea that this doesn't have to do with the township.

Um I would argue that one, there's no time or effort that that the township board or the township itself would take in making this motion happen.

Uh two, uh the the motion or the advisory question would be on a a national election uh or a ballot that has both state and federal um uh nominees on it or candidates on it.

So I I think it's in line with that.

The second one is the idea that national and international politics aren't local.

Um I think we are all feeling the impacts of international and state politics.

Um, and I think uh we have a right and uh a duty to to make our opinion heard on it.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Hello, um, my name is Joseph Strauss.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak, and I would like to oppose this referendum.

Um I'm not going to talk about the war, I'm not going to talk about Israel or Palestine.

I'm going to talk about right here in Peoria.

Um, because this referendum isn't about Israel.

Uh it's an opening for businesses to circumvent anti-discrimination protections on Jewish individuals and businesses without repercussion, as it's impossible to separate the indigenous Jewish people from their geographic origins.

Despite varied point of view on Middle East politics, the Jewish community continues to face discrimination throughout the country and the world, especially uh since October 7th, 2023, with hate crimes against Jewish people, even in the United States, being considered acceptable under the excuse of anti-Israel activism.

Furthermore, specifically choosing to revent to present this referendum for vote to be put on the ballot today on Holocaust Remembrance Day can only be received as racial and religious racial and religious driven message of hate against the Jewish population of the Peoria area, that we are not welcome here.

I had thought that we lived in a community that prided itself on inclusiveness and uplifting minorities.

And it saddens me to discover that I was mistaken.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Felix Scoville.

Um I would just like to say that I think it's getting a little bit muddied what it is that we're meant to be voting on here.

We are not voting whether you support Israel or whether you support uh companies' ability to legally you know boycott divest and sanction Israel.

We're voting on the putting this question on the ballot.

We're voting on people's ability to say whether or not they agree with it.

So you'd think that if you are an opposition of you know, undoing the act that you know has been mentioned, or keeping it around, that you would want this on the ballot so you can make sure that your voice is heard.

Like, you know, it's one thing to come here and say that you agree or disagree.

It's another thing to put your vote where your opinions are, put your vote where it matters.

And that is what we're asking for.

Well, not we, this which seems that they are asking for our ability to say it what it is that we want, whether that is support or opposition.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is AJ.

And in the Hebrew language media based out of Israel, there was a scandal.

Well, was supposed to be a scandal of Israeli soldiers caught on video camera, raping and sexually assaulting Palestinian prisoners.

You would think that there'll be outcry and legal accountability.

They became folk heroes in Israel.

They became heroes overnight, and they were protest in favor of them, defending them, and a right to rape Palestinians.

They were debating in Parliament when large majorities were felt like that Palestinian men, women, and children were fair legal game to sexually assault.

This is an evil and godless state who is murdering, killing, and starving Palestinian men, women, children, and the elderly, and tax dollars of working people, me, you, just about every single person in the room is going sent over to fund them.

If you support Israel, if you to the point that you're calling that and you're penalizing democratic and civil expressance, whether or not it is okay to boycott an American right, by the way.

And we're doing it for an a country, a nation state.

I'm not talking about Thai Abnick with people, a nascent state with militaries, governments, bureaucracies, a state that thinks it's okay, good and just to rape Palestinian prisoners.

God have mercy on your soul, and God forgive you because I won't.

See you in hell, I guess.

Thank you.

Um I just want to vibe check the room a little bit.

Is there anyone here that didn't come decided about this vote?

Like, is anyone here like on the fence about how they're gonna vote?

Let's vote.

Are there any other comments?

Any other discussion?

Uh yes, uh, trustee elector Carmona.

Thank you, madam moderator.

Um sorry I forgot your name.

Um could you please, John?

My apologies.

Um obviously this is on our uh on this uh agenda for a reason.

It's the opinion of the township that this is a legitimate matter to be on the township um agenda for tonight, obviously.

Yeah, so uh I believe it's 30-205.

I apologize ironically that I can call out the petitioners on the first issue and get the citation wrong, but I believe that is the citation in the township code.

The township unit of government, there is a specific carve out on that section 205 that allows the electors to put an issue of public policy in front of the electors in an annual town meeting to discuss whether or not it should go on the ballot as a non-binding referendum.

And so over the last what would you say, madam clerk, five or six years, we've seen at least one of these, not on this particular issue, but I'm just saying a a top or a petition submitted that relates to public policy.

We have no court cases that really define and it's not defined in the statute what public policy is.

I mean, clearly we have that debate in front of us tonight, what is or is not, you know, that's we have what the code says, and so we have erred on the side of um, you know, uh whether it be a senior citizen related uh issue or otherwise, public policy is our guidepost.

Thank you very much for that clarification.

I tend to agree with councilman, I'm sorry, uh trustee trustee oiler's uh comments that he made.

Um pertaining to you know the actual I understand how it's written and how broad it is, uh, but I also don't see this as a matter of public policy personally.

Um however, um reading this as it is, and hopefully my colleagues know me enough to know that I am a uh consistent, I am consistent in my love for the constitution and the bill of rights, and so to see that Illinois has a law that uh quote um it penalizes uh um the Illinois Pension Code that penalize American businesses that choose to boycott Israel, it just to me is does not land very well with a person who loves the Constitution because in this um country, you're allowed to petition against your own government.

You're allowed to, whether I like it or not, burn the dang flag.

You're allowed to speak freely and stand up against whatever you'd like to, so long as you're not harming anybody else.

So even though that I truly believe this has nothing to do with our city and the township personally, um I tend to um agree with what this petition is asking for, whether it's gonna go get anywhere or not.

Um because I am consistent in my love for the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment, especially.

Thank you, Madam Moderator.

You're welcome.

Uh trustee elector Kelly.

Uh thank you, madam moderator.

Um said tonight.

Um lot of passion, which is great.

Uh, but we have to come down to the actual uh petition itself.

Uh the petition asks or would ask, I suppose.

Uh Illinois congressional members who represent Peoria Township to take action.

Uh it's it was pointed out that Illinois congressional members have nothing to do with our government in Springfield.

Zippo.

Okay.

Our congressional members.

We have two of them here.

Okay.

Darren Lahood and uh Eric Sorensen.

Those are our congressional members.

They don't make state law.

It makes our township look silly.

It makes our electors look silly.

There has to be a big thing after after the uh in on the ballot, big parentheses.

Actually, we didn't mean that.

What what we really meant were uh Illinois uh uh representative representatives and senators in the Illinois General Assembly.

That's what we meant.

But you know what?

You can't do that on a ballot.

You can't say, oh, this is what we really meant.

I'm sure that if this passes, our congressmen are going to be quaking in their boots because they really don't have the ability to do what this says.

Now, if this were worded, I'll I'll be honest with you, if this were worded, I think the way you wanted it, those of you who like this, I I would not be for it.

I might let it go on the ballot.

I'm going to vote against putting this on the ballot because all these wonderful assembled people, all of whom I think made it all the way through high school, maybe college, maybe graduate school.

Can't seem to put together a paragraph that makes any sense.

This makes no sense.

Thank you, trustee.

Thank you, madam.

Uh Madam.

Get to hold you to that three minutes.

Okay.

Any other discussion before we move forward with the vote.

Okay.

Okay.

We'll have her and then come back.

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you all so much for the opportunity to speak tonight.

Um, Madam Moderator, as well as council and township.

I am asking that those present tonight vote yes on the advisory question in support of the Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act.

The reason being that um we are in critical times.

This is not unfounded, it is not unreasonable, it could not exist in this forum if it was not founded.

I think that the undermining your hearing today is truly people clutching their pearls at the idea that this is what democracy looks like.

I have full faith that this will pass tonight.

This did pass in Kickapoo.

This will continue statewide and nationwide because it is not unfounded.

It is based in human rights, it is based in an understanding of our constitution, it is based in the belief of decency and dignity worldwide, locally and abroad.

We can uphold these values here and implement them elsewhere.

We do not have to fund terrorism elsewhere.

We can use those dollars to support our local citizens, our local children.

That is imperative.

That is why this is a local issue.

Thank you.

Trustee elector Regenbach.

Thank you, madam moderator.

Um council Redling Schlafer, if you could clarify how this would appear on the ballot, because I think elector Kelly brought up a good point.

The way it's worded doesn't make any sense.

Or is it allowed to be corrected after the it's been submitted?

And that's a question I was waiting for.

I I appreciate that.

Um the short answer is no.

Um the petition on its face says Congress members, Congress, I don't remember the exact word.

I apologize.

But um, so just like we did with agenda item five, we have to take the language on its face.

Now it was a little bit different because it was calling for a special town meeting.

When a petition comes in for a non-binding advisory referenda, the petitioners asked for that question, period.

Now, my questioning earlier was to make sure I understood exactly where this was coming from uh and to point out the the differences between the the two units of government.

Um, but the short answer again is the question in the petition we have to place on there because that is what I don't remember how many signatures there were, madam clerk, but that's what they asked for regardless, and uh to change it would require a new petition process because we can't ask all those petitioners to change their minds.

Thank you for that clarification.

I've been sitting here trying, um as opposed to what um Jonathan said, that the not everybody came in with their mind made up on this, and I have so much respect for our system and the people that vote in our elections that the process of non binding advisory referendums is something that I think needs to be respected, but this doesn't make sense the way it's presented because the congressional delegation has nothing to do with the state human rights advocacy protection act.

But this doesn't make sense the way it's presented because the congressional delegation has nothing to do with the state human rights advocacy protection act.

As passionate as both sides have argued this, I I I hate to vote no on a technicality, but but that would be very inappropriate and confusing for the electorate.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Any other comments before we move forward with the vote?

Yes, sir.

Yes, Justin.

I did just want to say that I believe that the uh electors who are receiving the question will vote in accordance with the spirit of the question rather than in the minutia of the technicalities uh implied in the language.

Um so the folks bringing this up are not lawyers, um, and we you know design the question to the best of our collective abilities, but we're a small group of local activists, and so I think that it demonstrates a real disdain for your electorate, um, trustee Kelly to imply that it's silly when we're merely attempting to participate in the public process.

I also don't think that the technical dimensions of the question as written will impede the question's ability to ascertain the public will, given the spirit of the referendum.

So even if you retain certain um misgivings about the extent to which the technical wording of the question will confuse people or whether or not the electorate will be able to make sense or whether or not it somehow puts Peoria to shame.

Um I think that all of those mindsets ultimately um grow from from some deep biases about the actual intelligence of the people that you claim to represent and the uh function of referendum questions in the first place.

So I'll at least to trustee Regenbach, I would encourage you to reconsider.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Hi my name is Lois Warrenberg.

And from where I was sitting, I don't know who is speaking over here about burning the flag, and as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, thank you.

And then you said you put boycotting a religion in that same sentence.

And burning the flag doesn't hurt anyone, but boycotting a religion certainly does.

Whether it's Jewish, whether it's Catholic, whether it's any religion, I'm not Jewish and I'm not Muslim, but I'm here to vote tonight.

And I believe that boycotting any religion is dangerous.

Hi my name's Jessica Jordan.

Thanks for the opportunity to speak.

I had nothing prepared tonight because I wasn't planning on speaking, but I got a wild hair, so why not?

Um I would just like to state that the state of Israel is not a religion.

Jewish does not equal Israel.

Two separate things.

You can it's not boycotting a religion, it's boycotting a state, and that's two separate things.

And also it's a little bit frustrating when people can understand the meaning of something, but then they decide to go against it because they don't like specific like verbiage or specific like sentences or you know what you know what I mean?

Like it's just it's frustrating because we feels a little bit like a cop-out, honestly.

Um for the people who are gonna be voting on this, like my everyday people who have come in the stands and in the overflow rooms, what we what my understanding of this is we are not voting yes or no on if that should be a lot, like if boycotting Israel should be allowed or not.

Um we're voting to see if that can be put onto the ballot so people can show and like show their opinions, you know.

Their voice matters, their voice, their vote is their voice, and that is they're voicing their concerns and what they believe, and also for people who like to argue that this is not a like city public kind of problem.

Um if you're a business in our city, and you go to the like if you're a business owner and you decide to boycott this state, then you'll get penalized for that, and that makes that a local thing.

And I hope that that all this makes sense, but I am sleep deprived and was not planning on talking, so that's all I have.

Thank you.

Hearing no others, we're going to move forward with the vote.

All those in favor of this question going on the ballot, raise your hands or your cards.

If room four oh four and one ten could also take the vote, please.

This is in favor.

In favor, yes.

In favor.

Okay.

All those opposed of this question going on the ballot.

Raise your cards or your hands.

Room four oh four, what's your count?

We have zero nay.

Room one ten, what's your count?

Room one ten has one against.

Thank you.

And we had twenty-seven nays.

So, Madam Clerk, the township board shall then certify this question that it's next board meeting.

Yes.

That is correct.

It will be on the next town board meeting in May.

And then it will be submitted to the proper election officials.

That is correct.

It will be then be submitted to the Peoria County Election Commission.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Madam Clerk, let us move forward with agenda item seven.

Okay, item number seven is the approval of the minutes of the annual town board meeting held on April eighth, twenty twenty-five.

Uh and this is to the electors.

Are there any meeting continues?

Are there any corrections to the minutes?

I need a motion to approve the minutes.

Moved by uh Trustee Sear, seconded by a trustee Allen.

All those in favor, and this is everyone.

All those in favor say aye.

Oh, I'm sorry.

All those opposed.

Yes.

I believe okay, so there are corrections to the minutes.

The minutes.

Madam Clark, can you check what is verify what is concerned with?

Is it on the minutes themselves?

They're fine.

Okay.

So we got a motion and a second.

All those that approve say aye.

Those opposed say nay.

Okay.

The minutes are approved.

Shall we get uh 404 and 110 as well?

Is there uh a voice vote in 404?

Is there anyone left in 404?

Is there anyone left in room 110?

Uh there's no one else here available.

Thank you.

Room 110.

Is there anyone left in room 110?

Uh yes, we had three yes.

Okay.

And zero nays for approval of the minutes.

Okay, great.

Thank you very much.

So it passes okay.

Madam Clerk.

Okay, item number eight, a citizens opportunity to address the electors, and I have not received any cards.

Okay, I apologize.

I have received one card from Kathy McNeil.

Okay.

You have one card.

Yes, from Kathy McNeil.

Okay.

Do you want it?

Thank you.

A city issue?

Yes.

Oh, well, that's not for this.

No.

Ms.

McNeil, your comment would be for the city council meeting, not the township meeting.

It's on it, it's on a different issue.

It's on a city.

True.

True, but okay, so because it's because we'll hold on to it.

I mean, it's in this, it's in the township of Fiori, by the way.

I'm not talking about the other one.

If you want to talk about it under the township, go ahead.

Oh, thank you.

Um, I'm Kathy McNeil.

I'm a lifelong citizen in Peoria, and I'm in District 1, 61604.

I'm here to talk about what I believe is a land grab attempt by O'Brien Steele, in which they would like to close a city street known as Caroline Street.

And I would just like to mention the way I feel about it, somewhere along the lines.

This was not presented to the public when it should have been.

Somebody, somebody had to know about this, and and did not bring it to the attention of the um neighborhood commit committee on the north end, who are definitely wanting to say that we do not want Caroline Street to be taken away.

And um that's the main thing.

So the trust or the will of Tom Thomas Depweiler was to keep this land for the public.

And I'm just mentioning, like I say, that somewhere along the lines, more of us should have been aware of O'Brien Steele's effort to buy a part of the land which would disrupt the wildlife and the river setting.

Anyone moved in a second, second it.

All in favor, signify by saying aye.

Good evening, everyone.

It is 815 p.m.

on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026.

I'd like to call the meeting of the Peoria City Council to order.

And uh welcome everyone in our historic city council chambers as well as those watching on cable twenty-two, cable channel twenty-two in the city of Peoria YouTube channel.

Madam Clerk, the council mics are open.

Please call the roll.

Mayor Ali present.

Councilmember Allen.

Present.

Councilmember Carmona.

Councilmember Sear.

Here.

Councilmember Gordon Young.

Present.

Councilmember Jackson.

Here.

Councilmember Kelly.

Here.

Councilmember Oiler.

Councilmember Riggenbach.

Here.

Councilmember Vespa.

Here.

We have a quorum present, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

A notice was received by Councilmember Valpula of the City Council in accordance with rules established in ordinance number sixteen one forty two.

Councilmember Valpula would be deemed authorized to attend the meeting electronically unless a motion objecting to Councilmember Valpula's electronic attendance is made, seconded, and approved by two-thirds of the members of the City Council physically present at the meeting.

If no such motion is made and seconded, then the request by Councilmember Valpula to attend electronically shall be deemed approved by the City Council, and the presiding officer shall declare Council Member Valpula present.

Hearing no objection, uh Madam Clerk.

Councilmember Valpula.

Yes.

Great.

Thank you.

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

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

Madam Clerk.

We are at proclamations.

Trees in our city increases property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community.

Trees, wherever they are, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal.

Now, therefore, Rita Ali, Mayor of the City of Peoria does hereby recognize Friday, April 24th, 2026, as Arbor Day in Peoria, Illinois, dated this 14th day of April, 2026.

Thank you.

Hello, everyone, I'm Sean Johnson, Supervisor of Public Works Department.

I oversee the Force of Division, amongst other responsibilities.

So I'd say thank you for the proclamation for Arbor Day.

We plant a tree down behind the gateway building with the park district in Southwest Kawanas.

We also were award a tree grant.

So we're in our second year of that $50,000 tree grant from More Narborino.

We just completed 36 trees planted along Hamilton, Perry, Monroe, someone globe in that area.

So our goal is to do 100 trees this year.

So so far we're at 36, so we're off to a good start.

And uh just like say thank you all.

Thank you, Mr.

Johnson.

Well, good evening, everyone.

Um just want to say that um Peoria is big on trees.

Um part of this proclamation, which is Arbor Day goes to our Tree City USA declaration that we will be receiving.

Hopefully, the mayor, you do have to sign the that letter every year, which we appreciate that.

That's one of the criteria that we have to follow to become a tree city USA.

So between uh Arbor Day and all the plantings that we do throughout the year.

Um, and we also have a mulch giveaway.

So the mulch giveaway is going to be the Saturday after it'll be the 25th, the Saturday after Arbor Day.

And then we're gonna do a follow-up the following week.

Uh the mulch giveaways have been so well attended that we're gonna go with at least two days, possibly three if we need to.

So the second one will be on May 2nd, and they're out at Drees Lane.

Um, the uh public is welcome, of course.

So we're looking forward to uh uh we and and these are recycled trees, these are trees that we cut down or fall down, and we recycle.

So it's not it's um not just something that we ran randomly do.

We have a supply of trees that we have uh mulched every year, and um this is what this is where it gets us.

So it really helps out the public.

And um, we appreciate your support.

We appreciate you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Next, we want to recognize Fair Housing Month.

We have uh Cheryl Boswell, the vice chair of the housing commission, and Bri Mobore, who's a member of the housing commission.

Ladies, uh, we will have Council Member Ouler sharing the proclamation.

Whereas April 8th, 2026 marks the 58th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, which enshrined the goal of eliminating racial segregation and ending housing discrimination into federal law in the United States.

And whereas the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin.

And whereas the state of Illinois additionally prohibits discrimination because of ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, disability, order protection status, age, military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, arrest record, source of income and immigration status.

And whereas more than 50 years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act, discrimination persists, and many communities remain segregated.

And whereas all members of the National Association of Realtors and the Peoria Area Association of Realtors abide by a stringent code of ethics, which includes a commitment to uphold and promote the goals of fair housing.

And whereas the city of Peoria is committed to the mission and intent of Congress to provide fair and equal housing opportunities for all, and all members of the City of Peore Housing Commission work to promote equitable housing opportunities for everyone in the community.

Now, therefore, Rita Ali, mayor of the City of Peoria, Illinois, do hereby recognize the month of April as Fair Housing Month in Peoria, Illinois, dated this 14th day of April 2026, please.

I'm going to give Commissioner Brie the honors.

Oh, thank you.

Mayor El Lee, uh, Council members and city staff.

On behalf of our housing commission, thank you for recognizing the importance of Fair Housing Month with this proclamation.

My name is Bree Muhlbauer, and I'm a commissioner on the Housing Commission.

Um, with me is our Vice Chair Cheryl Boswell, and also Commissioners Lamont Carroll and Jane Gensal are here tonight, representing us.

Um, Illinois is a fortunate state to have so many walks of life protected by its human rights ordinance.

And this month we have even more reason to pay attention.

Governor Pritzker's build initiative signals that the urgency of housing access is being felt at every level of government.

Illinois is short, an estimated 142,000 housing units.

And the work of closing that gap begins right here in communities like ours.

Since January of 2024, the city's flexible rent program has housed 69 families, with 10 more welcomed homes just this past January.

Our rehousing program successfully closed eight cases in 2025 alone.

Returning families to safe and stable housing.

These outcomes reflect what is possible when a community commits to treating housing not as a privilege but as a basic human right.

And with access to fair and equitable housing, health and economic outcomes improve, families put down roots and communities flourish.

April is a one-month reflection on that right, but as you know, the need does not pause when the calendar turns.

The purpose of the housing commission is to help eliminate housing discrimination to promote fair and equitable housing for everyone.

The commission consists of 11 members who bring diverse housing expertise and perspectives across our city.

And we remain committed to learning, growing, and staying current on the ideas and projects shaping Peoria's housing future.

We invite you to join us in raising awareness of the housing needs within this community and to continue addressing them with the urgency and equity they deserve.

Again, thank you for this commission and for this proclamation today.

You're very welcome.

Thank you.

Our next proclamation recognizes Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we have Amy Paul, who is the Pediatric Resource Center Community Board President.

Thank you for joining us again, Ms.

Paul.

Reading that proclamation will be Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Whereas every child deserves to grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment, free from harm and full of opportunity, and whereas child abuse and neglect continue to have devastating effects on children, families, and communities, impacting physical and emotional well-being, academic success, and long-term health outcomes.

And whereas awareness, prevention, and community involvement are key to protecting children, and it is essential that we all work together to stop abuse before it starts.

And whereas the Pediatric Resource Center, a nationally recognized program of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, has been a beacon of hope for children impacted by abuse and neglect, providing expert medical evaluations, advocacy, and support to child victims and their families for over 30 years.

And whereas Child Abuse Prevention Month is an opportunity for all community members to educate themselves, take action, and stand alongside organizations like the Pediatric Resource Center to build a future where all children can grow up safe and supported.

Now, therefore, Rita Ali, mayor of the city of Peoria, Illinois, do hereby recognize the month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Peoria, Illinois, dated this 14th day of April 2026 AD.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Council members.

I'm Amy Paul.

I am the president of the Pediatric Resource Center Community Board.

The Pediatric Resource Center helps about 60 counties.

They have referrals from that many.

So basically, from Iowa to Indiana, just south of Chicago, almost all the way to Carbondale.

The referrals are increasing.

We've had 21% more this year than last year, and last year was record-breaking.

I know you all watch the news and you hear about all of those abuse cases, and those are the ones that filter through most of them through the PRC.

And we raise money.

We don't have any tax dollars that help to fund the family and friendly child services that these families and children need.

So I really appreciate you.

And on behalf of the PRC and the wonderful staff and physicians that take care of those kiddos, thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Our final proclamation recognizes the 90th anniversary of the Junior League of Peoria, and we have our own clerk, Courtney Cole, who is the public relations chair of the Junior League of Peoria, who will represent.

Reading that proclamation will be Councilwoman Gordon Young.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Whereas the Junior League of Peoria became an official member of the Association of Junior Leagues International, one of the oldest, largest, and most effective women's volunteer organizations in the world on March 5th, 1936.

And whereas for 90 years, the Junior League of Peoria, JLP, has provided opportunities for women who are committed to personal growth, community service, and collaborative leadership.

And whereas the JLP has led and supported transformative initiatives in our community, including the development of the Peoria Playhouse Children's Museum, the installation and restoration of the iconic sonar tide sculpture, the Julips Closet Fundraiser Sale, and the Kids in the Kitchen Nutrition Education Program, among others.

And whereas on March 5th, 2026, the City of Peoria commemorated the JLP's 90th anniversary with the unveiling of an honorary junior league way street signed on Lake Avenue.

And whereas this milestone honors the dedication, vision, and spirit of the women of the Junior League of Peoria, past and present, whose commitment to growing as leaders has strengthened and enriched our community.

Now, therefore, Rita Ali, mayor of the City of Peoria, Illinois, do hereby recognize and celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Junior League of Peoria in Peoria, Illinois, dated this 14th day of April 2026 A.D.

So I am here on behalf of the Junior League of Peoria tonight.

My name is Courtney Coe.

Unfortunately, I couldn't, I'm the one representing because they had their own meeting tonight, but they wanted me to express to everyone how important this proclamation was in the recognition for the 90 years in Peoria that women have been working on the side, professional women now.

And you know, when it first started, it was mostly women whose husbands were at work all day and they could spend their days volunteering for the junior league, and now it's mostly young professionals that are taking their time in the evenings and weekends to uh promote these uh different initiatives that we have.

Currently, it's the youth mental health uh initiative that we're uh spearheading with some of the different schools we're collaborating, uh and we also run some programs and training for uh the adults to help their children with those mental health issues.

Um again, 90 years we've done everything from uh not just mental health but physical health for women and children, things like that.

As you heard, Julep's closet, trying to make sure everyone has you know access to good good clothes or good food.

Um that was their initiative during the pandemic.

Um so they've worked in lots of different areas to try and build Peoria and not just the city of Peoria, but the whole area, uh, and to make that impact.

So we have lots of strong women.

We're really celebrating this year, 90th anniversary.

Um, we're trying to recruit more women, especially the young professional women to come in and help us out.

So we really appreciate the recognition today.

Okay, thank you, Madam Clerk.

We're at the approval of the minutes.

Um, did you mean to have your light on, Councilman Allen?

Did you intend to have your light on?

No.

Okay.

Okay.

Councilmember Rigambach.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I moved to approve the minutes of the joint city council and town board meeting held March 24th, 2026 as printed.

Okay, seconded by councilmember Jackson.

Any questions, comments?

Please cast your ballots.

Are the lights uh councilman Valpula?

Yes.

Um, I don't have a light for Councilman Vespa or Jackson.

Okay.

Did you turn your light?

It's black.

Uh hope it's not happening all night.

Uh uh, can you speak your vote?

Yes.

Uh Councilmember Vespa.

Noun slip.

Yes, and Councilmember Valpula.

I mean, sorry, Carmona.

Yes.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

We have one town item.

26-79 is a request from the town officials to approve the March 2026 actual expenditures and to approve the April 2026 and anticipated expenditures for the town of the city of Peoria.

Let's hold on just a sec.

Okay.

Trustee Gordon Young.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I move to approve item 26-79.

Seconded by Trustee Allen.

Any questions or comments?

Please cash your ballots.

Trustee Valpula.

Yes.

Motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

We are at the consent agenda.

26-80 is a communication with request to approve a one-year contract with three additional one-year renewal options with advanced selections LLC for the administration of the fire department captain promotional examination in an amount not to exceed $94,500.

26-81 is a communication with a request to approve a resolution regarding compensation of city employees.

26-82 is an appointment by Mayor Ali to the advisory committee on police community relations with request to concur of Ken Johnson.

26-83 is an appointment by Mayor Ali to the Housing Commission with request to concur of Matthew Phelan.

And that concludes our consent agenda.

Okay, very short.

Are there any items to remove from consent?

Can I get a motion to approve?

Move by Councilmember Sears, seconded by Council Member Allen.

Any questions or comments?

Please cast your ballots.

Yes.

Motion carries unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

We are at regular business.

26-84 is a communication for Mayor Ali and the city manager with a request to approve a resolution in support of municipal housing authority.

Excuse me.

Yes.

I uh the manager and I both uh reach out to Corporation Council to have the template, the IML template of a resolution encouraged by all cities across Illinois.

Um excuse me, Council Hayes customized that for the city of Peoria.

But what I'd like to do is briefly read the background, and if you have any additional comments, Council Hayes.

Um the governor's building up Illinois developments is called build.

The plan proposes statewide zoning standards, and these include minimum lot sizes, it mandates increased residential density allowances, it legalizes accessory dwelling units or ADUs, uh, it limits minimum parking requirements, it authorizes third-party plan reviewers and building inspectors, and it creates a statewide formula related to impact fees.

We don't have impact fees.

So IML has suggested that cities adopt a resolution advocating for our to maintain our local authority, and it promotes the role of local government in the land use and zoning arena, and it encourages the Illinois General Assembly and Governor to preserve that role.

And with that, I'll just ask Council Hayes if you want to add any additional comments.

Mayor, I'll just uh add a few technical uh realities.

There were um six different bills introduced in the Senate the day after the governor's address where he announced this plan and a seventh bill that included most of the ideas in those uh in those uh matters in the House.

So there's six bills uh uh in the Senate and one in the House.

The House is an omnibus bill.

Um the overwhelming issue throughout these bills is preemption of local authority.

There is a significant amount of frustration or the lack of uh progress on these issues within the city of Chicago and in some of the neighboring suburbs, and that's where a lot of the groundswell of support and ideas came from.

Um of the main set of advocates in the legislature is the uh statewide realtors association, and as you know, I've spoken a number of times on this floor about the ReLaders Association as a statewide group is looking to limit municipal authority in many ways, including with regard to our nuisance authority and things like that.

And so here is another set of issues that they've that they are championing as well.

So we have significant support for this set of initiatives from the governor, and um there are a number of um sponsors throughout our legislative delegation that are participating as sponsors of this legislation, so it is a significant and serious issue for us to help the conversation of whether these very important decisions are going to be made here locally in the city of Peoria, or whether we're gonna allow the legislative body at the General Assembly to determine how our neighborhoods look and and what they feel like.

One of the main and most offensive elements of this is that in a residential subdivision with large lots, they could put an eight-plex apartment uh complex on a single lot.

This would dramatically alter the character of many of our traditional neighborhoods.

Um, and I just want to speak to the issue behind this, which is mid-level housing and affordable housing.

Um we just had a wonderful housing where uh uh church view estates was opened.

Church view gardens.

Uh Churchview Gardens.

Um Habitat for Humanity is uh putting single family residents at this former McKinley School site.

Um this council took a real leap of faith joining uh your staff in getting a two million dollar grant from the state of Illinois to purchase exposition gardens and develop affordable mid-level housing there.

We are working on real solutions here in Peoria to these problems, and so the solutions are going to be local ultimately, and this statewide set of issues may fit in other communities.

It doesn't fit in our community, and I normally don't speak this directly to issues, but I feel very strongly about this uh episode.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you.

I appreciate that additional commentary.

And and I want to speak to that eight-unit apartment complex, which we do need those, uh, but in the right location with the right uh type of zoning.

That eight-unit apartment would have a limitation of only 0.5 parking for each unit, half a parking spot for each unit, and what that does is it pushes those vehicles to the streets.

So currently, I think uh our requirement is 1.5 per unit, uh, but this change to go down to 0.5 again creates havoc within our neighborhoods by not requiring adequate parking for that type of development and then pushing parking to the streets.

The accessory development uh, the ADU doesn't specify that the ADU would have to be a backyard in a backyard location, which is a best practice if you're going to have them, put them in the backyards, and they call them granny flats or these are additional properties that in-laws can live in or additional people that live in your home.

But with the current uh proposals, that ADU could be sitting in the front of your house or on the side of your house.

And that look is not a good look.

I thank staff for putting together some visual, some visuals that we have shared with our legislators.

We've also sent them to the governor's office.

We'll make sure that they get to all the council members so you can see some visuals of what some of these situations would actually look like in our neighborhoods.

And without a statewide mandate that creates a one-size-fits-all for everybody, regardless of the city.

So that's really what this resolution is addressing.

It's saying we want to maintain our local authority to make zoning decisions.

Councilman Rigenbach.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I was just going to thank you and um community development and corporation council for really taking the lead on this because this is one of those things that on the headline sounds great, but the devil is in the detail, as they say.

And I think you did a fabulous job, both of you in explaining some of those details that we need to be wary of.

So definitely supporting this, and I'm sorry to see our housing commissioners.

I can't believe they left already.

But they're not here.

But that this is the type of talk that goes on at the housing commission oftentimes.

So I'm I'm happy you're looking for an approval a motion on this, right?

Yes.

I'll move to approve.

Seconded by Councilwoman Jackson.

Additional discussion, Councilmember Allen.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

I echo what Councilman Riggenbach said.

I appreciate your leadership with the Illinois Municipal League advocating for this, and thank you, staff uh for moving forward.

Uh Corporation Council Hayes, what is the timeline?

Do we do we foresee the General Assembly taking action on this proposal?

Well, these actual bills didn't make it out of committee before the deadline, which is not uncommon in one of these large bills, so that's not shouldn't consider that the matters are resolved.

I think that what is hopeful is as the mayor mentioned, um sponsors of this legislation, a number of them, as well as the governor's office has indicated that they there needs to be some discussion, they recognize that.

So I do think that the uh, you know, when the government governor makes this sort of ambition known in his um in his budget address, um, there'll be a lot of impetus to get some legislation moved.

So I would anticipate there'll be a significant movement on this bill this session, and likely a bill will get done in before the before they uh finish their work, which is scheduled to end at the end of May.

Yeah, thank you for the the clarification.

It's it's interesting because at the federal level there's the 21st uh Century Road to Housing Act right now that's got some bipartisan support.

And one of the emphases of that is to reduce red tape and to give more support to local municipalities to make those decisions to streamline more housing.

So we kind of demonstrate sometimes the bottleneck that we have when we have multiple uh phases of government.

So uh hopefully uh our advocacy could pay some dividends, we're able to at least get some uh amendments uh so that way we do have that freedom because as you said in your remarks, sir, we've got uh proof is in the put and we've already got two great housing developments underway right now, and I'm very excited about the future of the former Expo Gardens site.

So but thank you for your leadership and look forward to supporting any way if we have to sign any witness slips or anything like that as we move forward.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman.

And and we are working to cut red tape and and shorten our processes, and you know, some of what is being recommended is designed to do that.

It's just some of it is just not acceptable.

Uh Councilmember Kelly.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you, Madam Mayor and uh Mr.

Manager for uh for opposing this.

Um and for meeting with our uh state legislators on this.

Um if we consider for a moment how busy our own zoning board is and the issues they have to decipher.

And sometimes uh and they don't always know if they're completely right, but but they they have issue after issue after issue after issue coming to them.

And rather than relying on that with local people, this says, no, no, no, we're gonna have iron rules coming from some committee in Springfield, and they're they're just gonna be much smarter about all this stuff than we are.

I I appreciate uh your lobbying.

I'm gonna do some lobbying myself.

Uh uh this is something subsidiarity means you you move decisions down to the most local uh to where the to where the uh you move you move them down as much as you can.

Top-down government doesn't work very well except for giant issues.

So thank you very much.

You're welcome.

And the intentions are good.

I mean, this is called unintended consequences, and uh Councilman Ringelbach said it, well, the devil's in the details.

That's where you know that's where we have to get it fixed.

Councilwoman Jackson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um well, I I echo the sentiment of my colleagues uh in terms of uh supporting this.

Uh I do have a question.

How how would this affect us as being a home rule uh municipality?

Um great question, Council uh Council Hayes.

So um the bills mostly have preemption in the bills in the language.

So home rule authority protects us except when the legislature passes a law with the preemption authority within it.

All of these bills preempt local authority.

So we would not be able to preserve our own zoning ordinance if the state law passed as currently presented because of those preemptions.

And this is one of the reasons why the Illinois Municipal League had such a strong reaction to the method of achieving these outcomes.

Again, there's a lot of good thought within these bills, uh, but the preemption where it can't be adjusted for local reality is where um the opposition comes from.

So there are a lot of common purposes here, but the preemption of local authority is particularly difficult to accept um uh because it would it would eliminate our ability to have our community look the way that we feel best from this room rather than uh a committee room in Springfield or um in the in uh in Chicago where um where a lot of these problems need to be addressed in similar fashion and that's being suggested.

Um so it's it's a difficult set of conversations because they can point to realities where these bills will cure real problems.

Right.

Um but they're not problems that we have here.

Right.

So it would basically wipe away our home rule autonomy.

In the zoning arena, it would frustrate much of our authority, um, not all of it, but significant elements of our local authority would be gone.

Wow, that's not good.

It's interesting how um the state legislature will create laws or policies to benefit Chicago.

But you know, in this situation, they're taking away, you know, they're doing something that would have a negative impact on the rest of the entire state.

Um that wouldn't be good at all.

And it would probably benefit Chicago.

But hurt us.

I I think that there's at least one big city that may want some of this.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

Councilmember Carmona.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um Council Hayes, or Madam Mayor, either one, do we know is that parking requirement only for residential?

Is it also applied to commercial?

Do we know details like that?

This oh council Hayes, why don't you answer that?

So the parking adjustments within these bills focus on residential housing, not on commercial real estate.

I see.

Um the reason I asked that, um, I guess it isn't if it doesn't pertain to commercial, I won't go down this path.

Um so I did some research and the first um zoning wasn't really implemented in Peoria until 1931.

If you look at pictures of Peoria in 1931, it was a booming thriving economy, uh, a lot of businesses, manufacturing, entertainment, housing, transportation.

Somehow they figured out a way in a really free market to separate their houses from the business districts from the entertainment districts and whatnot.

Um, so I guess part of what I want to say today is um to advocate a little bit for some change in our own municipality.

Uh accessory dwelling units uh from one of one of the things on this list.

If you have ever been to Nashville to Austin, Denver, Seattle, Portland, uh, all thriving economies, they all allow accessory dwelling units.

Now, the ones we've seen are all in the backyard, detached garages, stuff like that.

So I do understand um why we would want to obviously maintain control of things like that.

Um, one of the interesting things on here was the third-party uh plan reviews and building inspectors.

Now there's a concept called market-driven safety, and it's a system of private contractual inspections where insurers and developers bear all the risk of failure.

It's not the system we live in now.

The government bears the risk of failure if we do something wrong.

So I do think that there's examples from this list that we should actually take a hard look at and ask ourselves if we can implement a form of them in Peoria.

Um this might be a strong statement, but the only thing I like less than zoning is uh power through legislative fiat.

And uh if our governor and our state assembly wants to try to tell us what to do, I have a really big problem with that as well, madam mayor.

So, although I I see a lot of bet potential benefit to help Peoria grow with a lot of what's on this list, I don't think it should come from the top down.

I do believe in local rule, the way our founders believed it as well.

So I will be supporting this, and I do appreciate all of the work and advocate advocacy that you have done uh to this point.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

And I'm gonna ask um our director of community development uh director, Joel Dylan Doolin, if you want to add any additional insight to what you've heard.

Um yes, Mayor, thank you, council.

Uh just uh uh couple things about the parking that you asked about.

Uh, one of the things uh, yes, it primarily deals with residential, but it starts to really blend uh it doesn't create much distinction between commercial apartment complexes and residential apartment comp uh residential areas going forward.

So there's a lot of gray in there here which parking would require anywhere.

Uh one of them, there's a few also things in there that say there are no parking requirements.

So specifically, if you build an affordable housing project in the city of Peoria, uh you can't have uh we can't require any parking spots for that.

So they could uh build an apartment complex uh with tax credits and have zero parking required uh for it.

We you know, I think Churchview Gardens and the upcoming item with MacArthur Flats are really good examples of uh we have a set of rules in our zoning code, uh, but we also have design processes to add some relief to those in Churchview Gardens.

When you guys approved it, it did not meet uh the existing density requirements of the neighborhood.

Uh but through public hearings, uh the plan and zoning commission and ultimately council approval, uh they did grant some density waivers to allow for more dense um uh development to occur in a very appropriate setting where we had vacant land.

Uh it fit into the character of the neighborhood.

And anyone that was down at the ribbon cutting last week, I think saw how it's designed to work with public input uh and to make sure it's vetted.

Um the same thing kind of with with MacArthur.

I think there's things in place.

Uh there are parking requirements that uh when we did get this special use uh about a year ago, uh we it's a senior housing, so we didn't make them meet the exact requirement that we were waiving and waive some of those, uh, but still for a 45-unit building, we made sure that there will be adequate parking for uh enough resident staff visitors.

Uh zero for uh 45 unit a building would create quite the congestion.

So um just wanted to add those points on the parking that that um kind of are are separate even from the other things.

So uh thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

So we have a motion on the floor and a second uh to approve the resolution.

Please cash your ballots.

Councilmember Valpula.

I approve motion passes unanimously.

Madam Clerk.

26-85 is a communication from the city manager and director of community development with a request for the following.

A adopted ordinance amending the 2026-2027 biannual budget relating to the general fund and capital fund for the previously allocated 2026 CDBG public service grants in the amount of 250,000 dollars.

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

And item B, approve the allocation of community development block grant, C D BG funds for the rehabilitation of the Martin Luther King Junior Park in the amount of 477,000 dollars.

And we need separate votes on each, please.

Mr.

Manager.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'd like to turn the floor over to our community development director to talk about this issue.

Thank you, manager.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Council.

Uh so I'll start with item A, uh, because both of these are just grouped together because they're both CDBG related, but pretty separate.

So one of the struggles that we have with our grant administration is we are on a calendar year budget, uh, and often uh the federal government is delayed with uh approving their budget.

Uh and so when we talk about getting our 2026 money, uh it's often seven, eight, nine months delayed.

Um one of the things we've recently uh were told through our uh HUD representatives based on uh some audits they did of other communities is that uh the way we have our C D BG public service grants set up of spending um the allocation, even though we knew we were awarded it, but we haven't quite received it, uh, would technically be against and we'd get a finding if they came and audited us.

Um it also created some some issues with our public service commission if uh the public uh nonprofits if we told them to wait until not to spend the money until we got it, because then it's really hard for them to program.

So essentially we had two decisions uh that we could make one was to uh sit out a year of funding uh for the nonprofit organization organizations so we could get a year behind.

Uh so then we were paying with um prior the prior year's money in the future year to make sure we wouldn't hit that, uh, or we needed to identify another funding yours for funding source for that bridge year.

Uh luckily uh director craddy and the city manager um identified uh a grant we got that will help fund that was intended for the um fire center training center, um, and we had already budgeted general fund money for that.

So uh it's an additional 250,000 that we can swap out and allow our social service agencies to be funded and ensure when we go forward uh we won't have any kind of findings from HUD, even though they're kind of the reason we get would have it because of the delays in approving their budget.

So happy to answer any questions.

Okay.

Uh councilwoman Jackson.

Yes, um well, madam mayor, um I this well, um I just want to make a comment.

Uh this would come in handy uh given the um infrastructure work that's going on on MacArthur.

Uh and um, you know, I it's been a while since the park has received any type of upgrade.

So um I'm grateful uh that we were able to do that.

And um, you know, otherwise I'm not sure where we would have been able to make those improvements given the amount of work enhancement that's going on in MacArthur's.

So um with that said, um, I would like to uh make a motion uh that item A be approved.

Item A, uh seconded by Councilmember Kelly.

Any discussion?

Councilmember Carmona, thank you, madam mayor.

Um I guess I just had a quick question on the uh I'm in support of this project.

Um but the the block grants can also be used for like our roofing program we had, right?

And so I guess I'm to me the park district being its own taxing body, um, responsible for maintaining and building its own infrastructure.

Um we have many, many needs in our city, and so I'm trying to I guess my question is why wouldn't we allocate this to go to back to the people directly who need it most rather than putting it towards a park that's already supposed to be maintained by another taxing body?

Uh yes, sir.

Um I had did not have a chance to speak to item B yet, so I'm happy to do that real quick, and I think I can answer some of those questions.

Uh my first talk was more about item A, um, but I'm happy to talk about the park now.

So um so item B is specifically funding for some uh park improvements at MLK Park.

Over the last two or three years, we've been um doing this with our C D BG public allocation.

Uh we've previously funded upgrades to Tree Wind Park, Logan Park, uh in the first district, Columbia Park in the second district, and Morton Square Park in the third district.

Um a lot of times, uh, because Peoria is an entitlement community, we get a federally allocated amount of money from HUD.

Uh other communities, this is an eligible expense, and other communities often use this for park upgrades that benefits neighborhoods uh because their park district is a part of their city.

Uh, because we have a separate thing, uh, the park district does not get entitlement funds from HUD.

Uh, one of the uh distinctions we made when we started bringing these items forth with council is these were not items that are in uh really any uh future or planned upgrades to parks in our city.

We they're specifically in the targeted C D BG eligible areas and neighborhoods that have very nice parks, but whenever we've asked for these amenities, we say we want you to add additional items to the park to increase the experience in the neighborhood.

Uh so if you go to uh Columbia Park, uh you see where they redid the pavilion.

That wasn't something they had planned to do.

So we make it clear to them that that you know we appreciate all that they do in our community, uh, but it's their job to maintain the the parks and and do what they would normally do.

If they're gonna use our funds that are specifically designed to improve the neighborhoods, we want to add additional amenities to what the neighborhood could bring.

And we feel MLK Park was a really good um next park to do, specifically with the work on MacArthur with the infrastructure investment we're making, uh Churchview Gardens and Habitat within that vicinity and MacArthur Flats.

Uh so kind of to answer your question, I think that that the yes it is uh providing additional funding to a different taxing body to do work, uh, but it's specifically things that kind of aren't your normal day-to-day maintenance and really provided an additional amenity to the neighborhood it serves.

Uh I appreciate the explanation, and I'm sorry for jumping to this.

No, it's okay for the second uh I uh item B.

Um yeah, I was just you know, just reading through this.

I I mean we could probably get I know it it's not a lot, but probably 20 to 30 roofs on homes with this, and I just see such a great need um that we could provide to our citizens.

So I just figured I'd ask a question.

Thank you.

And and I think one of the the the other points I would make is uh over the last two years, uh we've actually probably received about 1.4 million dollars through the state of Illinois Ida grants, specifically for roofs.

Um so we've been able to uh do more roofs in the last two or three years than we probably did the previous seven to eight years.

Uh if that funding goes away or we're not successful with the grant, uh you would likely not see recommendations like this of additional things.

We would go back.

The roof program is one of our uh most valuable programs in my opinion, because it just really preserves housing stock.

Uh and it's also such a large expense for income eligible residents that they just don't have that in emergency fund to do.

And if we ever saw kind of a shift at the state level away from some of those roofing programs that we've been lucky to competitively apply for, uh we would then ensure that those programs remained.

Uh much appreciated, Director Doolin, and uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

We're taking action on item A.

Please cash your ballots.

Councilman Valpula.

Yes, motion passes unanimously.

Councilmember Jackson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I'd like to make a motion that item B would be approved.

Councilmember Kelly.

Okay.

Uh I need a second.

Seconded by Councilmember Gordon Young.

Any questions or comments?

Councilmember Kelly.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I'd like to perhaps echo uh some of what uh Councilman Carmona had to say.

I don't know of any government anywhere that's got enough money.

Including the city of Peoria.

And we have a mission.

And our missions, our missions are very, very clear.

The park district has missions as well.

I don't know what's going on at the park district.

But we've helped them out with True Wind Park, Morton Square Park, Logan Park, Columbia Park, and now uh MLK Park.

Or that is what is being proposed.

It's their job.

It's their job.

I think if we needed more money for streets, which we always need.

Would we ask the park district to give us some money for streets?

Would we ask the airport authority to help?

You know.

We've done a lot of collaborations with the park district.

We should and we should continue, Madam Mayor.

Okay.

But they have a tax levy, and we have a tax levy.

Their tax levy takes care of parks.

A great and wonderful community asset.

And we have a fabulous park district.

And our mission is to take care of our things.

And we've got plenty.

We've got plenty on our plate.

As Councilman Carmona suggested.

One of the best things we've been able to spend some money on the way of grants have has been our roof program.

We're not even close to running out of roofs that need help.

I'm sorry, but we have done more than our share, it seems to me, for the park district.

And I uh I don't know where it ends, Madam Mayor.

I know you disagree, but where does this end?

Um they need to take care of their assets.

We need to take care of ours.

And I I love the park district.

I use the park district.

But that's over here, we're over there.

Okay.

And so I will not be voting for item B.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome.

And I just want to say that we cannot move Peoria forward working in silos.

Yes, right.

We have to work collaboratively.

We have to sometimes leverage resources, and that's that's what this is about in terms of improving our neighborhoods.

Uh Councilmember Regenbach.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I had some of those same um concerns cross my mind when I saw the agenda item.

But I called Director Doolan and talked through this with him, and he walked me off the edge, I guess you could say.

But the these particular park is it's gonna have some new equipment.

Some it's it's it's it's it's new for the neighborhood.

This isn't talking about maintenance of their existing structure, but it's enhancing the neighborhood experience.

If you look at the the communication here, it talks about the strategic plan that we put together a couple years ago and the quality of life.

And I think Director Dulan, you hit that nail on the head when you were talking about why we reach out, we reach out to the park district offering money if they will do this for our neighborhoods.

So that that's different than them coming and asking us to help maintain something.

Right.

You know, we've got a park along the riverfront we might be talking to them about in the future.

So um who who knows how how these um partnerships evolve, but I think you said it very well, Mayor.

You know, working in silos, we all get frustrated, but when we're able to work collaboratively, we can see some good things happen in our neighborhood.

So I will be supporting this.

Thank you.

Uh item B has a motion and a second.

Please cash your ballots.

Councilman Falpula.

I am Madam Mayor.

Motion passes with two nays, Carmona and Kelly.

Thank you.

Madam Clerk.

26-75 is a communication from the city manager and director of community development with a request to concur with recommendation from the planning and zoning commission and staff for the following.

A to adopt an ordinance amending appendix A, the unified development code of the City of Peoria relating to signs.

B adopt an ordinance amending appendix A, the unified development code of the City of Peoria relating to non-conforming signs.

And C, adopt an ordinance.

Excuse me, amending appendix A, the Unified Development Code of the City of Peoria relating to wall signs and form districts.

And I need separate motions on each, please.

We have our assistant director, uh Leah Allison here with us to talk about this item.

Thank you, Mr.

Manager.

Madam Mayor and Council.

Bringing this back from the first treating for your final review, making a note to your attention, adding an additional ordinance as directed to increase specifically letter size for wall signs and form districts.

So that's why you have three ordinances before you instead of the original two following the motion made last time to bring that back.

I can answer any questions if you like, but hopefully it uh meets meets your criteria for approval.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Director Allison.

Anybody want to take this on?

Uh can I get a motion?

Uh Councilmember Allen.

We're looking at item A.

I move to approve item A, ma'am.

Seconded by Councilmember Carmona.

Discussion.

Please cast your ballots.

Councilmember Valpula.

Yes, Madam Mayor.

Okay.

Motion passes unanimously.

Councilmember Allen.

I move to approve item B, please.

Seconded by Councilmember Gordon Young.

Any questions, comments, please cash your ballots.

Councilmember Valpula.

Yes, Madam Madam.

Motion passes unanimously.

Councilmember Allen.

I'd like to make a substitute motion to keep assistant director Allison on with the city of Peoria indefinitely.

Is there a second in the dais?

That's very kind of you.

Oh, you're so good.

Oh, all of all of I move to approve item C, please.

Okay, seconded by Councilmember Gordon Young.

Any questions, comments, please cash your ballots.

Councilmember Valpula.

Motion passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

We are at unfinished business.

We have none.

Okay.

Then we're on to new business.

New business.

Does anyone have any new business?

Uh Councilmember Gordon Young.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I would like to take uh this moment to recognize the artery of our community, the uh telecommunicators.

It is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Those are the men and women in our community and across the nation that answer those emergency and non emergency calls, dispatch the professional uh public safety personnel, and uh provide life-saving measures via the telephone or through communication, a telecommunication.

So again, congratulations to them and all that they do, and just want to give them a shout out to continue to do what they do.

It's definitely a thankless position.

Beautiful.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilmember Carmona, new business.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I have a announcement here.

Uh from staff, a public meeting of the city of Peoria regarding the proposed main street tax increment financing district is to be held at 6 p.m.

on Thursday, May 28th, 2026 at Bradley University, Mitchell Student Center Ballroom A.

That's the second floor.

Uh 915 North Elmwood Avenue, Peoria, Illinois.

The purpose of this public meeting is to enable the city to advise the public, taxing districts having real property in the redevelopment project area, taxpayers who own property in the redevelopment project area, and residents in the area as to the city's possible intent to prepare a main street TIFF district redevelopment plan project and redevelopment project area and to receive public comment.

Also, additionally to that, um deferred agenda item that I think is coming up next time on King Zone is getting uh pretty interesting.

So if you if you drive down uh Knoxville, you'll see that they've done really incredible work to that building, and it is no longer an ISOR, and it's actually a spotlight of that corridor.

So um more to come for that.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Okay, you're welcome.

Uh Councilmember Euler.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.

Peoria Historical Society is hosting a new tour for 2026 Hidden Peoria.

It's a citywide event offering exclusive behind the scenes tours of more than a dozen downtown Peoria buildings and significant architectural, cultural, and historic value sites.

You can uh go online now anytime at 309 ticks.com or call 309-674-1921 to get tickets.

Something you'll want to check out.

Great.

Thank you.

Councilmember Rigambach, new business.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You hear me talk about the East Village Gross Altiff frequently and the success it's had in so many ways.

And we have an advisory committee made up of citizens in that area that meets a couple times a year.

We had an incredible report from staff, and I think it would be something that the whole council would appreciate seeing.

So, Director Doolin, if you could prepare that um update on the EVGC for the full council to review it.

We'll give you a month or so to put it all together, but that would be helpful, and I think refresh our memory on the benefit of some of these economic development tools that we have.

Great.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Fantastic.

Uh Councilwoman Jackson, new business.

Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um, just kind of following up on your comments about uh collaboration and not working in silos.

We all remember when Kroger's announced it was closing the Sterling store about a year ago.

Well, at any rate, I appreciate you and the city manager uh participating in a Zoom meeting with uh Mr.

Halverson and myself.

Well, Kerg was announced recently that it's going to uh adopt Market 309 and support them with 10,000 worth of inventory.

Uh and we hope this will be a long-term collaboration.

Uh that in addition to um their efforts to uh create a uh a healthy foods grocery store there at the Tree Wen uh Park Pavilion, and that's gonna be aided by a grant from the state.

Uh I think a little bit in excess of 200,000, thanks to Senator Kalar.

So I appreciate everything you've taught us of me about collaboration and building relationships, even when sometimes you don't think they're gonna work in your favor.

Uh things have a way of turning around.

Um, um, I was pleased to read that um Pure Sport Innovations, LLC has purchased the old UFS outlet, and they're they're a global fitness equipment supplier moving from West Peoria with the hopes of expanding their operations at that facility.

Uh so that is certainly good news.

Um, and um kudos to Art Inc., which uh I believe is looking to purchase the old Ashley Furniture Store right across the street.

So, you know, uh redevelopment doesn't always look the way we think it's gonna look, or it may not look like it previously looked, but it's still redevelopment.

So that's good news.

Great news.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Uh last announcement on well, there's another one.

Uh Councilmember Gordon Young.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I forgot to mention this event that's coming up that I definitely want to um let the citizens know is happening.

It is this Saturday, uh April 18th, and it's the Peoria Autism Acceptance and Appreciation Event.

This is the Peoria Police Department, the co-responder social services unit in collaboration with True Yum Place.

And um, it is from 11 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

at the Peoria Civic Center.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Yes, great.

Uh the last announcement I'll make on the new business is the City of Peoria is hosting an event.

You probably saw the beautiful flyer there.

Uh moving housing forward, residential development opportunities in Peoria.

This event will take place next Wednesday.

Doors open at 5.

It starts at 5 30, lasts until 7 30 p.m.

We will be sharing information on the Peoria's housing strategy.

Learn about housing properties that are available potentially for free to individuals, corporations, developers who are willing to develop those properties.

Maybe they're contiguous.

Maybe they're fill-in properties, but that information will be provided.

We will have the governor's director of housing solutions here, Olivia Oltega.

We will have members of the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

I think a team of six that are coming to share programs and information and potential funding opportunities.

So we want to encourage those that are interested in housing and developing housing for the city of Peoria, of course, all our council and partners and just individuals and groups or organizations that are interested in housing and helping us to grow our housing in Peoria to come to this event again Wednesday, uh next Wednesday, April 22nd at the Gateway Building.

That's what I forgot to say.

The gateway building, uh 530.

We have another one.

Councilmember Allen.

My apologies, Madam Mayor.

That's all right.

I wanted to be last.

Yeah, no, my bad.

I didn't mean to go after you, but uh I do want to do a friendly reminder that Fire Station 16 is hosting an open house uh next Friday, uh April 24th from 9 30 to 12.

There'll be a program that will begin at 10 30 with various speakers, including you, Madam Mayor.

I saw you on the list.

Uh Fire Station 16 for the audience is the brand new fire station on Northmore Road.

Uh we are very excited about that.

I do want to shout out Chief Salberger and Chief Cummins in the back.

I know that uh our leadership and Jason Meeks have worked a long time to get this project across the finish line.

So it's beautiful if you haven't been there yet.

It's a great asset for that community.

So again, that is next Friday, April 24th from 9:30 to 12.

Come check out the new fire station.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Any other new business?

Madam Clerk.

We are at Citizens Opportunity to address the City Council.

And I have two cards.

Uh, the first is Jessamine Jess Heel.

Jess.

Good evening, Mayor Dr.

Ali and City Council people.

Tonight I'm here to announce the 2026, 2027 edition of the Central Illinois Homeschoolers Resource Guide is now available.

Our slogan, connect with the community, our mission statement to provide quality, responsible homeschooling tips and ideas, and connect children with the community.

Our vision, give homeschooled children and their families representation, a sense of belonging, equal opportunities, and a presence in the greater Peoria area.

Highlights of this year's edition, food for thought, creative ways to incorporate old school media for academic enrichment, such as videotapes, DVDs, and classic Windows 95 games like the Oregon Trail and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, just to name a few.

Essential safety education, such as stranger awareness, fire safety, pedestrian and traffic safety, and internet street smarts, civic engagement on the local and state level, job shadowing, and volunteer opportunities for youth and families, some local history spotlights on notable central Illinois and a beloved local children's TV show.

An interview with the Central Illinois who was homeschooled and is the co-proprietor of a local comic shop.

So parents, teachers, and members of local homeschooling groups who are watching this meeting live, need to get a pencil and paper ready for a free copy of the CIHRG, Central Illinois Homeschoolers Resource Guide in digital or print format.

Contact me, Jessiman Hill at J Hill85713 at Gmail.com.

That's J H I L L 85713 at gmail.com.

Put homeschooling green book in the subject line.

Businesses, community partners, and relocation specialists are welcome to request the digital format for distribution too.

Looking ahead, stay in the know for the 2027, 2028 edition of the CIHRG.

It will be in its fifth year with a special edition that will include a local history milestone.

Greater Peoria will be celebrating a 75th and a 100th anniversary.

I'll give you a hint.

April 30th is day of the homeschooled child, bringing awareness of child abuse and neglect in homeschooling settings.

So if and when you suspect abuse and neglect in a homeschooling setting, or even in the public or private school students, take action.

Your guide looks great.

Congratulations.

It's about our people.

We are one people.

We breathe the same air.

We drink the same water.

Our children go to the same schools.

They go to the same parks.

We are one.

Whether it be tax dollars for the city or the parks, if we have allocated funds, we should bring those to all of our assets and to all of our people and work together.

Because as we know, the further we are from the power source or the federal government funding, the state government funding, the further our influence is.

This is from Peoria, Illinois revised.

I found it at Goodwill.

Um Alfresco Park, which is no longer here, was a draw from around the globe.

People trained into Peoria from all over just to witness the beauty of Peoria.

And I would like us to focus our attention more on the beauty of Peoria rather than the money-making aspects that all communities can be.

So thank you for the time.

Bless you.

Welcome.

Madam Clerk.

We do not have an executive session, so we would be at adjournment.

Can I get a motion for to adjourn moved by Councilman Allen, seconded by councilman Carmona?

Please cast your ballots.

Councilman Valpola.

He signed out.

He signed out.

Yes.

Okay.

We are German.

Thank you.

Everybody then push their button.