Peoria County Executive Committee provides economic development update

By Lhalie Castillo

Feb 19, 2017

The Peoria County Executive Committee met Jan. 4 to provide an economic development update.

Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the committee:

Approved 1/24/17

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE January 4, 2017

COUNTY BOARD

Andrew Rand - Chairman; Stephen Morris - Vice-Chairman; Robert MEMBERS PRESENT:

Baietto, James Fennell, Allen Mayer, Thomas O'Neill, Michael Phelan, Phillip Salzer, Sharon Williams MEMBERS ABSENT: James Dillon, Paul Rosenbohm STAFF PRESENT: Scott Sorrel - County Administrator; Mark Rothert, Shauna Musselman -

Assistant County Administrators; Larry Evans, Ben Ciravolo - State's Attorney's Office; Eric Dubrowski - Chief Financial Officer; Gretchen Pearsall - Communications; Angela Loftus - Asst. Director of Human Resources; Daniel O'Connell - Facilities Director VISITORS

Call to Order Chairman Rand called the meeting to order at 3:40 p.m.

Approval of Minutes A motion to approve the minutes of November 15, 2016 and November 22, 2016 was made by Mr. Baietto and seconded by Mr. O'Neill. The motion carried.

Informational

• Springdale Cemetery No report. No questions or comments from committee.

• Metro Peoria Committee Update Mr. Rand advised that a meeting of the committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2017.

• CDAP/GAP/Macro/Other Loan Report Mr. Rothert advised that all loans are current.

• Economic Development Mr. Rothert provided an update regarding operations of the Economic Development Department. The following are a list of topics discussed:

• The Peoria Park District has agreed to a property tax abatement for the Peoria Urban Enterprise Zone

• Verification of the approval of the Rural Enterprise Zone has been received by the Department of Revenue.

• The Peoria Heights Neighborhood Revitalization Program currently has one individual working through the process with the village to identify suitable contractors, as well as working with the bank and design professionals. The Village of Peoria Heights is currently producing marketing materials, including a one-page informational summary.

Heddington Oaks Financials No report. No questions or comments from committee.

Resolution

• Amendment #3 to the Peoria Urban Enterprise Zone Designating Ordinance A motion to approve was made by Mr. Mayer and seconded by Mr. Fennell. Mr. Rothert advised that the amendment concerns a request by the City of Peoria to add several parcels to the Urban Enterprise Zone. The request also includes parcels within the Village of Peoria Heights.

Ms. Williams indicated she will not support the resolution due to the threshold for the prevailing wage.

The motion carried, with Ms. Williams voting nay.

Committee Action

• Review of Executive Session Minutes Mr. Evans recommended that all previously held executive session minutes continue to be held closed as the need for confidentiality still exists, and to destroy executive session audio recordings more than two years old, except those that relate to pending litigation. A motion to accept the recommendation of the State's Attorney's Office was made by Mr. Salzer and seconded by Baietto. The motion carried.j

Discussion

The following Standing Committee meetings were summarized by their respective Chairperson as follows:

County Operations and Physical Plant The following resolutions were recommended to the County Board for approval.

Renew IDOT-HERE Agreement

Voluntary Retirement Incentive (VRI)

(Mr. Morris enters meeting.)

Mr. Phelan commented that a successful VRI would result in a reduced number of layoffs and would also reduce the county's unemployment liability. Mr. Sorrel advised that the County Operations Committee approved a plan that would include those employees who are currently eligible to retire from IMRF (although the plan is not an IMRF based incentive program). He stated that there are 73 eligible employees within the General Fund, and approximately 130-140 eligible employees countywide. He advised that the plan offers $10,000.00 cash and $10,000.00 in a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). He noted that the cash payments would originate from the same "bucket" that has been identified through the budget process for unemployment liability. The HRA would be paid from the Employee Health Fund, and staff recommends that the Employee Health Fund be reimbursed from CDAP monies for that expense. He also emphasized that efforts to minimize employee backfill have been addressed.

Health, Public Safety and Justice No resolutions were recommended to the County Board for approval.

Land Use and Infrastructure The following resolutions were recommended to the County Board for approval.

Intergovernmental Agreement with Elmwood Road District

Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement with Maurer-Stutz Inc. for West

Schaffer Road Culvert Replacement

Lower Speed Limit on Swords Avenue

Ways and Means

Monthly Delinquent Taxes

Additional Appropriation for the purchase of Electronic Pollbooks for the Peoria

County Election Commission

Additional Appropriation for the lease of 4412 N. Brandywine Drive for the Peoria

County Election Commission