Peoria Standard

City of Peoria City Council met Nov. 15.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

A Special Meeting of the City Council of Peoria, Illinois, was held November 15,2022, at 6:00 P.M. at City Hall, Council Chambers (Room 400),419 Fulton Street, with Mayor Ali presiding, and with proper notice having been posted.

ROLL CALL

Roll Call showed the following Council Members were present: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Kelly, Oyler, Riggenbach, Ruckriegel, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 9. Absent: Jackson, Jensen - 2.

INVOCATION & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mayor Ali requested a moment of silent prayer or reflection and then she led the pledge of allegiance.

PETITIONS. REMONSTRANCES & COMMUNICATIONS - CITY OF PEORIA

(22-388) Communication from the Mayor and Corporation Counsel with a Request to APPROVE the DECLARATION OF LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY.

The Declaration of Local State of Emergency was distributed to all Council Members.

Council Member Allen moved to approve the Declaration of Local State of Emergency; seconded by Council Member Vel pula.

Motion to approve the Declaration of Local State of Emergency was approved by roll call vote.

Yeas: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Kelly, Oyler, Riggenbach, Ruckriegel, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 9; Nays: None.

(22-389) Communication from the City Manager and Public Works Director with a Request to APPROVE a RESOLUTION to Raise PARKING RATES at CITY OWNED FACILITIES.

Council Member Grayeb moved to defer this item until the completion of the Downtown Parking Study; seconded by Council Member Ruckriegel.

Council Member Ruckriegel said the Downtown Parking Study results was an important tool to determine parking rate strategies.

Motion to defer this item until the completion of the Downtown Parking Study was approved by roll call vote.

Yeas: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Kelly, Oyler, Riggenbach, Ruckriegel, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 9; Nays: None.

CLERK'S NOTE:

This item will be placed on a subsequent City Council Meeting Agenda upon completion of the Downtown Parking Study.

(22-390) Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending CHAPTER 31 of the CODE of the City of Peoria, Pertaining to STORMWATER UTILITY.

Finance Director Kyle Cratty said the Ordinance would postpone the scheduled 2023 CPI increase, keeping the rates consistent with 2021 rates. He said the scheduled increase would resume in 2024.

Council Member Cyr moved to adopt an Ordinance amending Chapter 31 of the Code of the City of Peoria, pertaining to Stormwater Utility; seconded by Council Member Kelly.

In response to Council Member Allen regarding the 2024 increase, Director Cratty said only the 2024 scheduled increase would be calculated, not the accumulation of the 2022-2024 scheduled increases.

ORDINANCE NO. 18,014was adopted by roll call vote.

Yeas: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Kelly, Oyler, Riggenbach, Ruckriegel, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 9; Nays: None.

(22-391) Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE Abating the Tax Heretofore Levied to Pay Principal of and Interest on General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds, ofthe City of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, 2015 Series B, C, & D, 2016 Series C, 2018 Series A, 2020 Series A & B, and 2021 A, B, and C, and the Partial Abatement of Taxes Levied to Pay Principal and Interest on 2018 Series B General Obligation Bonds in the Amount of $563,013.00; the Partial Abatement of Taxes Levied to Pay Principal and Interest on 2019 General Obligation Bonds in the Amount of $553,250; and the Partial Abatement of Taxes Levied to Pay Principal and Interest on 2022 Series General Obligation Bonds in the Amount of $144,376.00.

Finance Director Kyle Cratty said this item was part of the budget process, stating there was an associated levy for every bond issuance. He said this Ordinance would abate these levies.

Council Member Cyr moved to adopt an Ordinance abating the tax heretofore levied to pay principal of an interest on General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds, of the City of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, 2015 series B, C, & D, 2016 series C, 2018 series A, 2020 series A & B, and 2021 A, B, and C, and the partial abatement of taxes levied to pay principal and interest on 2018 series B General Obligation Bonds in the amount of $563,013.00; the partial abatement of taxes levied to pay principal and interest on 2019 General Obligation Bonds in the amount of $553,250; and the partial abatement of taxes levied to pay principal and interest on 2022 series General Obligation Bonds in the amount of $144,376.00; seconded by Council Member Ruckriegel.

ORDINANCE NO. 18,015 abating the tax heretofore levied to pay principal of an interest on General Obligation Corporate Purpose Bonds, of the City of Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, 2015 series B, C, & D, 2016 series C, 2018 series A, 2020 series A & B, and 2021 A, B, and C, and the partial abatement of taxes levied to pay principal and interest on 2018 series B General Obligation Bonds in the amount of $563,013.00; the partial abatement of taxes levied to pay principal and interest on 2019 General Obligation Bonds in the amount of $553,250; and the partial abatement of taxes levied to pay principal and interest on 2022 series General Obligation Bonds in the amount of $144,376.00 was adopted by roll call vote.

Yeas: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Kelly, Oyler, Riggenbach, Ruckriegel, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 9; Nays: None.

(22-392) Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller with a Request to ADOPT an ORDINANCE LEVYING the TAXES for FISCAL YEAR 2023 for MUNICIPAL PURPOSES for the City of Peoria, Illinois.

Finance Director Kyle Cratty said the adoption of the Ordinance would approve the property tax levy for the next fiscal year, which provided an increase to the overall levy while the rate remained the same as previous years.

In response to Council Member Kelly regarding the rate listed on the Council Communication, Director Cratty said the rate on the table included the associated debt levies, which were automatically levied, while the proposed property tax levy remained the same as 2022.

Discussions were held regarding debt levies and property tax levies over the years, the effect of the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) on the tax rate, and the estimated EAV growth of 4.3% aligned with the Peoria County Supervisor of Assessments forecast.

Council Member Kelly said he would not support this item, citing the increased debt levies combined with the property tax rate resulting in an overall increase for taxpayers.

Discussions were held regarding the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) loan repayment, property tax levy allocations, and the library tax levy the City levied on their behalf.

Council Member Cyr moved to adopt an Ordinance levying the taxes for fiscal year 2023 for municipal purposes for the City of Peoria, Illinois; seconded by Council Member Riggenbach.

ORDINANCE NO. 18,016 was adopted by roll call vote.

Yeas: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Riggenbach, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 6;

Nays: Kelly, Oyler, Ruckriegel- 3.

(22-393) Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller with a Request to APPROVE a RESOLUTION Adopting the 2023 REVISED BUDGET for the City of Peoria.

City Manager Urich said the proposed 2023 Revised Budget included the Council-directed amendments from the November 8,2022, City Council Meeting.

Council Member Ruckriegel said he would abstain from voting on this item due to a conflict of interest.

Council Member Kelly said he would vote against this item because of the decision to spend the surplus funds instead of reserving funds, the growing pension fund obligations, and because of the lack of interest to enact policies that would return funds to taxpayers and encourage economic growth.

Council Member Riggenbach said he supported the approval of the 2023 Revised Budget, noting that even though it was not perfect, it had a lot of input from the Council and there was a healthy General Fund balance with a plan to address growing pension fund obligations. He said he believed the Council was spending funds judiciously and with due diligence.

Council Member Allen said he supported the approval of the 2023 Revised Budget, citing a good pension fund obligation strategy, leveraging grant funding for City projects, and investing funds in the community. He said it was important for the Council to focus on investments that benefitted all citizens.

Mayor Ali thanked the Council for discussions and due diligence regarding the Budget. She commended Staff for their efforts on the Report Backs and responding to direction from the Council. She said the City had a healthy Budget to address concerns that were previously unfunded, and she said this Budget allowed the Council to be responsible stewards of citizens' funds.

Council Member Riggenbach moved to approve a Resolution adopting the 2023 Revised Budget for the City of Peoria; seconded by Council Member Velpula.

Motion to approve a Resolution adopting the 2023 Revised Budget for the City of Peoria did not pass pursuant to Council Rules.

Yeas: Allen, Grayeb, Riggenbach, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 5;

Nays: Cyr, Kelly, Oyler - 3;

Abstention: Ruckriegel- 1.

CLERK'S NOTE: According to Council Rules, 'The passage of all Ordinances for whatever purpose, and of any Resolution or motion (1) to create any liability against the City or (2) for the expenditures or appropriation of its money shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council Members holding office. (Council Member includes the Mayor.)" and because the required six votes were not attained, the motion did not pass.

CITIZENS' OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCILITOWN BOARD

It was determined there were no citizens that wished to address the City Councilor Town Board at that time.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

It was determined there was no need to enter into Executive Session at that time.

ADJOURNMENT

Council Member Allen moved to adjourn the Special City Council Meeting; seconded by Council Member Kelly.

Approved by roll call vote.

Yeas: Allen, Cyr, Grayeb, Kelly, Oyler, Riggenbach, Ruckriegel, Velpula, Mayor Ali - 9; Nays: None.

The Special City Council Meeting was adjourned at 6:27 P.M.

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