Peoria Standard

Peoria County Board Met June 10.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER

MOMENT OF SILENCE

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL BY THE COUNTY CLERK

Attendance was taken with the Roll Call-Pro voting system, and the following members of the Board were present: Members Blair, Bryant, Daley, Dillon, Duncan, Elsasser, Fennell, Groves Allison, Pastucha, Rand, Reliford, Reneau, Rieker, Rosenbohm, Salzer, Watkins, Williams, and Windish.

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

• Approval of May 13, 2021 County Board Meeting Minutes

Member Fennell moved for approval of the minutes, Member Daley seconded. The minutes were approved by a unanimous roll call vote of 18 ayes.

II. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

• A Proclamation acknowledging and thanking Mayor Jim Ardis for 22 years of service to the City of Peoria.

III. CITIZENS' REMARKS

There were no citizens' remarks.

IV. CONSENT AGENDA (including reports to be filed)

C1. The Treasurer report consisting of the Bank and CD's Portfolio for the month of April 2021 and Revenue & Expenditure Reports for the month of March 2021.

C2. The Auditor's report of expenditures from Accounts Payable system is accessible at www.peoriacounty.org/auditor/transparency.

C3. A resolution (items 1-5 conveyances; item 6 defaulted reconveyance) from the Ways and Means Committee recommending that the County Board Chairman be authorized and directed to execute deeds of said property to the highest bidder, and be authorized to cancel the appropriate Certificates of Purchase. This resolution shall be effective ninety days from June 10, 2021 and any transaction between the parties involved not occurring within this period shall be null and void. (Poll Vote Per Rules of Order, Article V, Section 18C)

C4. A resolution from your Executive Committee recommending approval of an amendment to Section 3 of the 1958 Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Creating Resolution.

C5. A resolution from your Executive Committee recommending approval of an amendment to the Charter of the Joint Commission on Racial Justice with the City of Peoria.

C6. A resolution from your Public Safety and Justice Committee recommending approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement between Peoria County and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to participate in the Title IV-E Legal Representation Reimbursement Program.

C7. A resolution from your Public Safety and Justice Committee recommending approval of an FY 2021 budget appropriation in the amount of $17,300.00 for receipt of additional AOIC Rapid Relief Funding.

C8. A resolution from your County Operations Committee recommending approval and acceptance of a $10,000.00 grant award from Petco Love (formerly Petco Foundation) for the purpose of animal lifesaving efforts and appropriation of those funds into the PCAPS Fund.

C9. A resolution from your County Operations Committee recommending approval of an appropriation of expenses for re-issued Purchase Order P210111 in the amount of $137,346.00 in the IT Services Fund, related to new software applications for the Planning & Zoning Department.

C10. A resolution from your County Health Committee recommending approval of a third amendment to the Landfill Agreement regarding Peoria City/County Landfill #3.

C11. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval of a Local Agency Agreement for Federal Participation with the State of Illinois for rehabilitation of the Truitt Road bridge.

C12. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval of a Project Agreement between Peoria County and the City of Peoria for construction of a sidewalk on Willow Knolls Road.

C13. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval of a Supplemental Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement with Maurer-Stutz, Inc. for culvert replacement on Slane Road at a cost not to exceed $3,479.00.

C14. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval of the bid of Advanced Asphalt, Princeton, IL, in the amount of $270,739.00, for the Limestone Township Motor Fuel Tax overlay project.

C15. Chairman Appointments.

Member Fennell moved to approve the Consent Agenda and Member Williams seconded. The Consent Agenda was approved by a roll call vote of 17 ayes and 1 nay, with Member Windish voting nay.

V. ZONING ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS

1. Case #017-21-U, Petition of Mark and Paula Feucht. A Special Use as required in Section 20- 6.2.1.1.b of the Unified Development Ordinance. This section allows for a special use when a proposed land split does not meet the 40-acre minimum lot size in the "A-1" Agricultural Preservation Zoning District. The petitioners propose to divide approximately 5 acres from an existing 40.5 acre parcel in order to separate the homestead from the agricultural use. The parcel is located in Akron Township. The Zoning Board of Appeals recommends approval. The Land Use Committee concurs.

Member Dillon moved to approve the ordinance and Member Elsasser seconded. The ordinance passed by a unanimous roll call vote of 18 ayes.

2. A resolution from your Land Use Committee recommending approval of an Amendment to Chapter 12, Building & Property Maintenance Code, of the Peoria County Code, to include adoption of the 2018 International Building Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code, effective July 1, 2021.

Member Dillon moved to approve the resolution and Member Blair seconded. Member Dillon asked for an explanation of the code changes. Planning and Zoning Director Kathi Urban informed that the code changes would adopt newer building and electrical codes. She detailed that adopting the standards will align the County with regional communities and explained the changes. She described that the code differences would have minor effects on the final building cost and that, in some cases, they would reduce the cost. She discussed the efforts to gather community input and noted that the updates were well received.

Mr. Sorrel thanked staff for their work over a couple of years and mentioned the good reception the updates received from the community.

Member Dillon remarked that the Planning and Zoning department is top-notch and thanked all for their hard work. The resolution passed by roll call vote of 17 ayes and 1 nay, with Member Windish voting nay.

3. A joint resolution from your Finance, Audit, and Legislative Affairs Committee and your County Health Committee recommending approval of an FY2021 budget appropriation in the amount of $500,000.00 into the Health Department budget to reflect COVID-19 vaccination costs eligible for FEMA Public Assistance.

Member Fennell moved to approve the resolution and Member Duncan seconded. Chairman Rand announced that he will be abstaining due to a business relationship. The resolution passed by a roll call vote of 16 ayes, 1 nay, and 1 abstention. Member Windish voted nay and Chairman Rand abstained.

4. A resolution from your Rules Committee recommending the adoption of Amendment #1 to the 2021-2022 Peoria County Board Rules of Order. (Pending Committee Approval)

Member Dillon moved to approve the resolution and Member Groves Allison seconded. Member Dillon expressed that the rules change allows for the redistricting process to occur in December. Member Elsasser inquired about the final count availability, and Member Dillon noted that it could be August but that the date could change. The resolution passed by a roll call vote of 17 ayes and 1 nay, with Member Windish voting nay.

5. Review of Executive Session Minutes.

Assistant State's Attorney Jennie Cordis Boswell stated that the State's Attorney recommends all previously held minutes continue to be held 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. Member Elsasser moved to approve the State's Attorney's Office's recommendation and Member Rosenbohm seconded. The motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote of 18 ayes.

6. SUSPENSION OF RULES

Ms. Cordis Boswell detailed that to consider the next item, which did not come through a committee, the Board must suspend the rules. Member Pastucha moved to suspend the rules and Member Blair seconded. The motion passed by a roll call vote of 15 ayes and 3 nays, with Members Elsasser, Rosenbohm, and Windish voting nay.

7. A Proclamation extending the Declaration of Emergency due to COVID-19 in Peoria County, Illinois.

Member Salzer moved to approve the resolution and Member Reneau seconded. Mr. Sorrel highlighted that the declarations by the Federal and State governments are in place and that for the County have access to the funds, it must pass a declaration. He informed that the pandemic is not over, detailed the next steps, and emphasized the need to vaccinate more.

Member Reliford inquired about a benchmark to no longer extend the declaration, and Mr. Sorrel explained that once the Federal government closes FEMA reimbursement, the State will follow suit, and the declaration will be allowed to lapse. Member Reliford asked about how not renewing the declaration would affect previous expenditures, and Mr. Sorrel summarized that future allocations would be affected by a renewal.

Chairman Rand asserted that the Governor's phase program is linked to the positivity rate in relation to the vaccination rate, and it is separate from the dollars plowed into services like the Health Department. Member Reliford emphasized that it is important for constituents to understand the difference. The resolution passed by a roll call vote of 14 ayes and 4 nays, with Members Elsasser, Reliford, Rosenbohm, and Windish voting nay.

VI. MISCELLANEOUS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chairman Rand announced that Sheriff Brian Asbell has been invited to give an update on the public safety operations for the County.

Sheriff Asbell indicated that staffing issues have reached a critical point, detailing the pressures on sheriff departments in the state, and asked for assistance from the Board for a short-term solution. He noted that the staffing levels at the jail are very low and highlighted that employees are taking mandatory overtime for coverage. He mentioned that burnout is occurring, and employees are leaving for better pay and hours. He discussed that in the last pool of applicants, fourteen people applied, one showed to test, and that person did not pass the physical.

Chairman Rand identified work for the Public Safety Committee with Member Rosenbohm, called for updates from Mr. Sorrel, and asked for coordination with Member Reneau and the Operation's Committee regarding the issue.

Member Elsasser asserted that the most important duty for the County is to protect the people and proposed using the Federal funds to help. Chairman Rand specified that some of the funds are accessible only when the emergency declaration is renewed. Mr. Sorrel reported that previous declarations allowed for some of the Sherrif's costs to be reimbursed.

Sheriff Asbell brought up that intake at the jail can take up to 4 hours due to staffing and affects other government agencies.

Member Blair expressed that spending money on retainment is better than spending on recruitment. She contended that the staff has put their lives at risk and done more in the past year.

Member Pastucha brought up that she works for a company that implemented hiring, retention, and referral bonuses. She inquired whether labor contacts needed to have bonus structure language in them to be provided, and Ms. Cordis Boswell stated that it would depend on the solution.

Member Williams asked about rehiring retirees; Sheriff Asbell detailed, and Mr. Sorrel confirmed, that due to the structures of the retirement packages, using retirees is not possible.

Member Daley described money available from the CARES Act related to public safety payrolls and inquired about the County’s previous applications. Mr. Sorrel conveyed that the County has applied for the maximum, including an extra $1 Million, and mentioned that it might need to remind or resubmit to access any new funds. Chairman Rand and Mr. Sorrel confirmed that an emergency declaration must be in place to access the funds.

Member Salzer inquired about staff working from home, and Mr. Sorrel explained that all staff that worked from home was brought back last fall. He detailed a pilot program from before the pandemic that allowed some departments' teams to work from home. He specified that the program showed benefits and described future work to make it a permanent option.

Member Rieker recognized Sheriff Asbell for completing a Master's degree.

Member Reneau acknowledged a grant to PCAPS from the consent agenda and thanked Director Becky Spencer for finding extra funds for the department.

Member Pastucha invited all to Springdale Cemetery on July 3rd at 5:00 pm for a Prairie Folklore Theatre event about historical figures buried in the cemetery.

VII. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business before the Board, the Chairman announced the meeting was adjourned.

https://www.peoriacounty.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06102021-994