Peoria Standard

The Peoria County Ways and Means Committee met Jan. 4 to plan a happy hour fundraiser.

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

Approved 1/24/17

MINUTES

Ways and Means Committee

January 4, 2017

@ 1:00 P.M.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Mayer at 1:00 p.m.

Mr. Evans introduced Mr. Ben Ciravolo, the new Assistant State's Attorney appointed to the Civil

Division.

Approval of Minutes

A motion to approve the minutes of November 15, 2016 and November 22, 2016 was made by

Mr. Watkins and seconded by Ms. Williams. The motion carried.

Informational Items/Reports/Other Minutes/Updates

County Auditor

No report. No questions or comments from committee.

County Clerk

Mr. Sonnemaker advised that expenses of $345,000.00 related to the backscanning project were

paid on the contract, however, only $255,000.00 was appropriated. He requested a resolution be

drawn in order to appropriate the additional amount. He commented that the scanning of plats

was not included in the contract bid, and the County Clerk is utilizing available funding it its 2016

budget to scan the plats.

Peoria County Election Commission

Mr. Bride advised that a February 28 Consolidated Primary will be held in the City of Peoria,

Township of Peoria, Limestone Township and the Village of Bartonville on February 28, 2017.

He stated that early voting and vote by mail begins January 19, 2017. He commented that work has

begun on the Consolidated General Election in April 2017.

Mr. Bride advised that an Electoral Board was held for several objections for City Council, and an

Electoral Board is scheduled next week for objections for the Chillicothe Park District.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Allen Mayer - Chairman; William Watkins, Jr., Sharon Williams

- Committee Members

MEMBERS ABSENT: Brad Harding, Paul Rosenbohm

OTHERS PRESENT: Scott Sorrel - County Administrator; Shauna Musselman - Assistant

County Administrator; Larry Evans, Ben Ciravolo - State's

Attorney's Office; Andrew Rand - County Board Chairman; Eric

Dubrowski - Chief Financial Officer; Randy Brunner, Kim Hudson

- Finance; Gretchen Pearsall - Director of Strategic Communications;

George McKenna - Regional Office of Education; Steve

Sonnemaker - County Clerk; Tom Bride - Election Commission;

Mark Little - Chief Information Officer; Kerry Heiden - Auditor;

Nicole Demetreas - Treasurer; Michael Brooks - Veteran's

Assistance Commission; Carol Van Winkle - Citizen

Regional Office of Education (ROE)

Mr. McKenna provided an update on activities of the Regional Office of Education:

• A Happy Hour fundraiser to benefit the Peoria Regional Learning Center will be held at Two 25

on January 13, 2017.

• A meeting with local Superintendents was held regarding the county school facility sales tax.

The Superintendents have responded by formulating plans for their respective school districts.

• An upcoming Teen Summit for approximately 200 8th grade students will include a keynote

address and breakout sessions on topics such as drugs, social media awareness and alcohol and

suicide prevention. He added that this year's Summit will provide opportunities for parent

involvement.

Supervisor of Assessments/Board of Review

• Tax Cycle

No report.

• Board of Review

No report.

Treasurer

Ms. Demetreas advised that November and December reconciliation is concluding, and the office is

focusing on mobile homes and distribution of those bills by March 1, 2017.

Veteran's Assistance Commission

Mr. Brooks advised that the VAC has brought in over $6.7 million in VA compensation in 2016.

Mr. Brooks advised that he was recently added to the Veteran's Court team, which meets weekly to

hear cases of military veterans.

Mr. Brooks advised that a member of the VA will provide suicide prevention training this week to

VAC staff.

Resolutions

• Monthly Delinquent Taxes

A motion to approve was made by Mr. Watkins and seconded by Ms. Williams. The motion

carried.

• Additional Appropriation for the purchase of Electronic Pollbooks for the Peoria County

Election Commission

A motion to approve was made by Ms. Williams and seconded by Mr. Watkins. Mr. Sorrel advised

that as part of compliance with changes in voter act requirements, the purchase of electronic

pollbooks was approved by the County Board in January 2016. He noted that the purchase, in the

amount of $308,307.00, was not appropriated into the FY 2016 Election Commission budget.

Mr. Mayer noted that the Election Commission was awaiting the release of funds from the City of

Peoria to offset the cost; however, the City will not transfer the funds until the Election

Commission vacates their current facility. The motion carried.

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

Election Commission

A motion to approve was made by Mr. Watkins and seconded by Ms. Williams. Mr. Mayer advised

that the County Board approved a lease for the new location of the Peoria County Election

Commission; however, the cost of the lease was not appropriated in the FY 2016 Election

Commission budget. The motion carried.

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. Watkins and seconded by

Ms. Williams. The motion carried.

A motion to go into executive session to discuss Internal Audit was made by Mr. Watkins and

seconded by Ms. Williams. The motion carried.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Regular session was resumed upon a motion by Ms. Williams and second by Mr. Watkins.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned by Chairman Mayer at 2:00 p.m.

Recording Secretary: Jan Kleffman