City Council - Regular Meeting

Yes, ma'am. That's off. Yes, ma'am. It'll tell you

that's speaking. That's on. Thank you.

[clears throat]

What's that? Same My shoulders are deterior. Good evening everyone.

It is 6:03 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9th, 2025. I'd like to welcome everyone present in our historic city council chambers. I'd also like to welcome everyone in our city council um excuse me as who's watching on cable channel 22 and the Peoria YouTube channel. Madame clerk, council mics are open. Please call the role. [clears throat] Mayor Ali, present. Council member Allen, present. Council member Carmona, here. Council member Seir here.

Council member Gordon Young present. Council member Jackson here. Council member Kelly [clears throat] here. Council member Oiler here. Council member Rianbach here. Council member Velpula present. Council member Vespa here. Madame Mayor we have a quorum present.

Excellent. Uh everyone is here. This is our final meeting of city council meeting of 2025 and we have quite a full agenda tonight. Everyone please join me and stand for a moment of silent prayer or silent reflection followed by the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Madame clerk, we are at proclamations.

We have one proclamation tonight and it is the 125th anniversary of Family Corps. I'd like to ask Family Corps CEO Ann Leading Ferguson, Family Cors Chief Program Officer Ron Tyler, Family Corps's President of the Board of Directors, Todd Hasty, and Family Corps's first vice president of the Family Corps board of directors, first vice president. Thank you all for joining us tonight. Whereas originally known as associated charities and philanthropies, Family Core has been dedicated to its central vision of strengthening families for a stronger stronger community for 125 years. And whereas established as associate charities and philanthropies in the assembly room of Peoria City Hall in 1900, the agency has operated as family core since 2010. It had it has also been known as the family welfare association of Peoria, child and family services, counseling and family service, and counseling and family services. I remember all those names. No matter the name, Family Corps has consistently evolved to meet the needs of families while remaining rooted in its founding values. And whereas Family Corps provides services to 19,164 clients and families every year. The agency works with schools, the court

system, and other social service agencies to connect counseling, intervention, preventative education, and other support services such as assistance with adoption and foster care, single parent services, and youth outreach. Whereas Family Corps plans to continue its mission of instilling hope by creating the right balance of resources and care to foster and equip equip healthy, productive children and families. And whereas as the agency commemorates its 125th anniversary of service, the city of Peoria congratulates Family Corps on its continued efforts to promote safe environments for children and families. Now therefore, I read Rita Ali, mayor of the city of Poria, Illinois, do hereby celebrate the 125th anniversary of family core in Peoria, Illinois.

[applause]

Mayor Ali and council members, we want to thank you on behalf of Family Corps, the board of directors, and all the employees for recognizing this um wonderful anniversary that we have. But it started here in this building which we really appreciate not only the visionary leaders in the 1900s but the visionary leaders that are still here today this evening and all of you seeing the needs in the community. So thank you for the partnership.

You're welcome. Thank you for all that you do for our community. [applause] Madame Clerk, we are at the approval of the minutes. Council member Rigenbach. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I move to approve the minutes of the joint city council and town board meeting held November 18th, 2025 as printed. Seconded by council member Kelly. Any questions, comments? Please cast your ballots.

Motion passes unanimously. And the clerk, we are at the township portion of the agenda. Item number 25-338, a request to approve the November 2025 actual expenditures and to approve the December 2025 anticipated expenditures for the town of the city of Puria. Trustee Gordon Young.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I move to approve item 25-338. Seconded by Trustee Allen. Any questions or comments? Please cast your ballots. Motion passes unanimously. Madame clerk, we are now at the consent agenda items. Item number 25339, a communication with the request to approve the 2026 Poria City Council regular meeting schedule. Item number 25340, a communication with the request to approve the release of the remaining city debt owed by the Expedition Gardens 25341, a communication with the request to approve a 2-year charter extension for the Joint Commission on Racial Justice and Equity 25 342, a communication with the request for the following. A, approve a change order with JC Dylan Incorporated for the 2023 drainage repair contract in the amount of $1 million. And B, approve a one-year extension of the 2023 drainage repair contract with JC Dylan Incorporated. Item number 25-343, a communication with the request to approve a contract with Government Consulting Solutions to serve as the city's lobbyist in the state of Illinois in the amount of 7,500 per month and to authorize the city manager to execute the necessary documents. Item number 25-344, a communication with a request to authorize the city manager to execute

the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the city of Puria and mechanical systems maintenance local 353 from December 1st, 2025 through November 30th, 2029. Item number 25345, a communication with the request to approve program program manager services through December 31st, 2028 for the following. A an agreement with Hansen Professional Services and the amount not to exceed 1,250,000 for transportation program manager engineering services. B, an agreement with Millennia Professional Services of Illinois [snorts] and the amount not to exceed 2,625,000 for construction program manager engineering services. C. An agreement with me and Hunt and amount not to exceed 2,750,000 for sewer and combined sewer program manager engineering services. D an agreement with FA Infrastructure and Environmental LLC an amount not to exceed 1,250,000 for solid waste program manager engineering services and e an agreement with HR Green Incorporated and the amount not to exceed $2 million for the stormwater program manager engineering services. Item number 25-346, a communication with a request for the following. A, adopt an ordinance approving a business district plan for the city of Peoria, Glen Glenn Hollow Business District. B, adopt an ordinance designating the Glen Hollow the Glen

Hollow Business Development District. and C adopt an ordinance imposing a retailer's occupation tax and a service occupation tax in the Glen Hollow Business Development District. Item number 25-347, appointment by Mayor Ali to the sister city commission with a request to concur. Jerel Glass, Angela Wet, Abigail Appleton, Timothy Do is a reappoint. And that incl concludes the consent agenda items. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Are there any items to remove from consent? Council member Allen.

No, it's all good. Uh, thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh, I would like to pull uh agenda item 25-341, please. Can you repeat that again? Um, agenda item 25-341. 341. Okay.

Councilman Seir. Thank you, Madame Mayor. Item number 25-340 and 25-343. Council member Carmona. [clears throat] Thank you, Madam Mayor. Uh, item 25-346, please. 346. Yes. Okay. Councilman Oler. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 25-344.

Thank you. Okay. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve the other items? Moved by Council Member Oiler, seconded by Council Member Jackson. Uh, any questions or comments? Please cast your ballots. Motion passes unanimously. Okay, Madame Clerk, here we go. 25-340, a communication with a request to approve the release of remaining city debt owed by Expedition Gardens Incorporated. Council member Seir,

thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh, Mr. Manager, welcome back. I hope you're doing very, very well. Thank you. You don't look any better, but I'm hopefully you feel better. [laughter]

Sorry. Sorry, sir. It's cold outside. Okay. [snorts] uh for the sake of accountability I just can't I know it doesn't mean anything but I mean this organization this corporation owes the CD poria over $450,000 $225 is the the u what they owe us I believe and $225 is penalty or interest on what they owe us something like that but anyway I know it doesn't mean anything but I just I can't vote for this and just sweep it under the carpet so I'm a no for this I don't know if we need any motion or anything like that Um, I don't know what you can say, Mr. Manager, about this, but [snorts] take this.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Councilman, as uh you know, our um the city had the opportunity to acquire this property through a foreclosure process. As part of that foreclosure process, u the exposition garden authority um met with the city and the bank and asked the bank and the city to uh forgive the additional debt. The bank had a $20,000 that's Morgan Community Bank, a $21,000 deficiency judgment out of the foreclosure. And as the council is aware, we um perfected our storm water utility leans. At the time it was um in the amount of about $457,000, but uh additional storm water leans acrewed after that while the foreclosure was pending. Uh so the total amount of debt is, as you expressed, uh [clears throat] 400,000 uh over $480,000. um the forgiveness of that level of debt. Usually um uh you know we would pursue debts like that. Um but um the bank the uh bank and the city when we met with u with exposition gardens were faced with the the exposition gardens threat that they would appeal the foreclosure. So the bank issued a satisfaction immediately of the outstanding amount of that deficiency judgment. So, they released it and I indicated because of the timing of city council meetings that I would just ask the council to forgive that debt. I did share with council that I think that debt's likely uncollectible. The exposition gardens authority has no operations. They don't have a place because we're now in possession of the property. And so, I shared with the council that perhaps we would be writing this debt off at some point in time in the future. um and that I would ask the council to take the same step the bank bank did and recognize the insolveny of the entity and write off

the balance of the stormwater debt. Thank you, council. And that sharing was in a close session. Yes. Meeting.

So, uh Mr. Thank you for the explanation, but am I I'm not an attorney, but am I [snorts] incorrect in my thinking that we need to protect this city from people that owe us money and maybe want an opportunity to open another business or serve on some other boards that if we forgive the debt, they would have a clean slate and be able to do whatever they want. Am I correct in saying that? Um, I I think that the council has a discretion to forgive debt or not. And I try to stay away from articulating an answer to a should question. It is a difficult decision for the council to make whether to forgive debt or not. I do think that at some point in the future, I'll be faced with the prospect of advising council this debt's uncollectible, but uh and taking care of this now would clean things up. But that's within the discretion of council.

I move not to forgive the debt until you have to take those legal steps.

I move made a motion. You made a motion. Yeah. Move not to forgive until Mr. Hayes have to take some more uh legal maneuvering. So you're moving to deny this motion, correct? This Okay. Not to forgive. Is there a second? Seconded by council member Carmona. Discussion. Council member Oiler.

Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. From a practical and fiduciary standpoint, the debt is uncollectible. And so while I understand the idea that you're protecting the taxpayer by leaving it in place, you're actually costing the taxpayer money because now the legal department will have to continue to pursue this action not just in staff time but in financial legal fees and court cost to then at some point come back again and ask us to write it off. So financially it makes no sense whatsoever to maintain the debt on the books. From a pragmatic standpoint, this was an organization that was created for the benefit of the public. And to me, it's really a slap in the face that we took the land and now we're going to tell a public, a body that was created for the public benefit, that we're going to hold this on top of your head as well. It makes no sense to me whatsoever to um deny taking this debt off. And so, I'll be voting against the motion. Council Member Kelly. [clears throat]

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um,

uh, Mr. Corporation Council, what happens if we [snorts] do not what happens to this entity if if, uh, we do not forgive the debt? Uh the the stated purpose from the representatives was that they wanted to maintain and have the charter for the heart of Illinois fair even though they have no practical plan to hold that fair. Uh but they felt they expressed that there was some concern that that charter would be in jeopardy if they had outstanding debts.

Thank you. Um, so if they came to us with a plan to reinstate the heart of Illinois Fair and they still had this debt hanging over their heads, at that point in time, this council could forgive that debt. Is that correct? Uh, the council would have discretion to forgive the debt in the future. Yes.

Okay. So, I don't know what the rush is. Uh uh the it it seems to me that sometimes we get into things like this and there are ramifications of it that we don't that we're not familiar with. U in the executive session I I spoke against this and I'm I'm still against it. I think it is likely to make zero difference, but there's this outside chance that something weird might happen. And I I don't I don't want to be uh uh I don't want to have the city exposed to that. If they want to come back and they say we've got a plan to redo the heart of Illinois fair, we can act at that point and and that would be fine. Uh, at this [clears throat] point, if we do nothing, nothing changes. So, I will be supporting uh the motion.

Okay. Thank you, Madam Mayor. You're welcome. Council member Allen. Uh, thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh, Corporation Council Hayes, can you speak to the original agreement that was approached to Expo Gardens that ultimately they didn't act on, but wasn't the debt being leveraged in that agreement originally?

Yes. Uh in June we had a letter of intent executed with Exposition Gardens. Uh the basic tenants of that or elements of that agreement was that the Exposition Gardens would sell the property to the city for uh the city satisfying the Morton Community Bank mortgage. Um and the city had negotiated a discounted amount for that. And then the city would forget forgive the outstanding storm water utility debt which is the debt that we are um that the the the request is to forgive that debt. So that deal that was struck in June was never perfected because since June um to my understanding the Exposition Gardens board has not met and never took action on the documents that would have allowed us to proceed with that transaction. So the bank went through with the formal formal foreclosure and we then as you know came back to the council to obtain approval for a mechanism to allow the city manager to bid at the sheriff's sale. Um so that's how we ultimately acquired the property. Um the cost of that was about $75,000 more than what the city had originally agreed with uh through the letter of intent and the bank uh to acquire the property for.

Uh thank you for that explanation. So originally when we made our initial proposal, we were already prepared to void the debt. And so I think now to continue holding this debt over Expo Gardens or whoever still represents Expo Gardens, I think at this point really doesn't make a lot of sense. The old adage, you can't squeeze blood out of a turnup. I mean, unfortunately, Expo Gardens, which as Councilman Oiler said was uh a quality of life opportunity for our community, but the last several years have gone on uh tough financial times. And if they are able to resurrect the fair in some capacity, the chances of them doing it in the city of Peoria are honestly slim to none considering the acreages they would need to execute a fair. So, I I think it's best at this point, and I know there's a lot of feelings about the particular property at Expo Gardens and them losing it and us taking it over and now looking to convert it into single family housing, but I think it's best for us to shut this chapter. Um, there's a lot of uh emotion involved in this. And I understand the the business uh case in this and possibly creating a precedence. Um, and I know that the storm water utility fee is always a a point of contention, especially in the Allen household when we get that bill every four months. But I think though that we need to close the chapter on this book so that way both parties can move on. Thank you, Madame Mayor.

You're welcome, Council Member Carmona.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. [clears throat] For me, this is just a measure of accountability. If any of us had debt like this, nobody would let us um write it off. Um, I do disagree with what Councilman Oiler said. Um, I understand uh his reasoning behind it, but we didn't take this land from anybody. We were forced to acquire it because of what could happen if we let it fall into the fate of, you know, the free market. So, we've done a lot already and I agree um with this whole issue [snorts] that the city is being treated as a mechanism for bailout and because I don't want this to continue, I think that we do need a measure of accountability, which is why I'm supporting the motion. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

You're welcome. Council member Vespa. [clears throat] Uh thank you, Madame Mayor. Um, uh, Council Hayes, um, did we ever represent to Exposition Gardens that we would be forgiving this debt, um, in exchange for them not appealing, um, our purchase?

I was very cautious in that moment and told Exposition Gardens's lawyer that I would merely present the opportunity to council to write it off. We did not make a binding agreement because I didn't have authority to bind the council to that outcome. So what I told attorney Dans was I would present the motion which is what I've done and I've avoided trying to persuade towards an outcome other than to recognize that I did represent that we would present that opportunity to council. Thank you.

Okay. I appreciate that explanation. Um, so I mean our hands aren't tied here. We originally had an agreement to um to, you know, wave the debt. Uh, they did not hold up their end of the agreement. Um, unfortunately, we had to spend more money to acquire the land than originally thought. Um, so, you know, I there are a lot of hard feelings around this uh this horseshoe. I think for good reason. Um, but on the other hand, this is a nonprofit that has a lot of goodwill throughout the community and has built up a lot of goodwill throughout the community throughout the decades. Um, and I do not believe that they um they have the money to pay this debt. I believe they are a turnip. Um, holding on to this debt. You know, it's it's uncollectible. But I mean, I understand what Councilman Oiler was saying. you know, we shouldn't spend any any time trying to collect it. Not even a postcard, I think. Um, but I mean, we don't have to. I mean, we can just keep it on the books. Uh, we don't have to take them to court um and try to try to squeeze blood out of a turnup here. Um, so I mean, I'm I'm not sure that they've been good faith actors, but on the other hand, I don't want to squeeze or impede this organization from doing good. may be setting up a fair somewhere else, even if it wouldn't be in the city of Poria. Um, ultimately, I I don't I don't see the impetus for us to to wave the debt. I don't see how it's in our best interest. So, I I think I will support Councilman Sears motion. Thank you.

Welcome, Council Member Oiler. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I would just like to clarify Councilman Carmona's comment that we were forced to take. We were not forced to take. We exercised a right and voted to acquire. Thank you. You're welcome.

The motion is to um deny release of the remaining city debt owed by Exposition Gardens. Please cast your ballots. [snorts]

Did I count wrong? Motion fails six to five. Voting no. Jackson Reaganbach Oiler Gordon Young, Vespa. No, I'm sorry, not Vespa. Allen and Ali. Madame Mayor.

Thank you, your honor. Council Hayes. Part of problem with having a motion in the negative. Pardon me. Part of the problem with a motion in the negative is we just didn't do anything just there. So now I would ask the council whether they want to take action on the request to approve the release because we need a positive outcome for that. So I apologize for that little uh parliamentary move, but we need either action or no action on the actual request. Thank you, your honor.

Yes, you're welcome. Um, is there a motion to approve? Moved by Council Member Oiler, seconded by Council Member Rigbach. Please cast your ballots. Motion passes. U with five no votes. Valpula, Kelly, Seir, Carmona, and Vesa. Thank you, Madame Clerk. Item number 25-341, a communication with a request to approve a 2-year charter extension for the Joint Commission on Racial Justice and Equity.

Council Member Allen. Uh, thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh I pulled this particular item uh due to my employment with Poria County government uh as the chief diversity equity inclusion officer. Uh I serve as council liaison to the commission and I have for for several years but because of the uh intergovernmental agreement between the two bodies I will be recusing myself from this vote. Thank you madam mayor. Understood. Uh council member Kelly.

Thank you madam mayor. Um, I I view this as a an extension of something that we don't have much information on. I'm willing to go ahead and vote for the extension, but I would, [clears throat] you know, we've gotten a couple shiny reports, but nothing really has happened. Um, this is what, five years old at this point. Am I right? And we've [clears throat] had two reports. Both of them said that we had a racist government here, which I took issue with. Um, I'll do this, but I would like to see what this giant commission has accomplished.

There's an annual report every year, Councilman. Well, I I am in uh possession of those. I don't see much that's happened except a lot of nice Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I uh it it they haven't been very satisfactory to me. Um so I will move to approve. Is there a second? Seconded by council member Valpula. Continued discussion. Council member Seir.

Thank you madame mayor. I feel a little similar to Mr. Kelly. But more importantly for me I want question for uh Mr. Manager. Uh do we have any uh financial commitment to this that's tied to this u extension? We've had we've had the financial commitment of helping to prepare the report um supporting the efforts of of some of the training of the the commissioners um working with the county on that. We've tended to kind of share those expenses over the years. Um it hasn't been a significant dollar amount that we've had. It's been probably under $10,000 each year. So, we don't have a line item for this commitment. It's part of a general fund.

Yeah. Uh it's unfortunately for me there's a motion on the floor already, but I would I'd love to defer this item until they give us I I would want to see a presentation of what they want to accomplish the next two years if possible. Um just I'm sorry. You know, we've had them here not long ago. I understand, but it'd be nice to, like you said, there's an annual report and we should see them at least once a year. I'd love to I'd love to see them before we we we do this. That's all I'm saying. But again, there's a motion on the floor. So, but that's just my opinion. Okay.

Council member Gordon Yan.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just a question. Um I'm not sure who can answer the question but um because I've had the pleasure of attending uh these meetings in the past and just learning some of the processes and the relevance of it and also I do recall uh the meetings and and the presentation. I think it's going to be important that council is very very specific on what you're asking for because there has been a presentation and I found to be very relevant. So even if you go back to do something different, how do we know that it's going to be what you expect? And also the second part of that is have any of you attended any of these meetings to see what they are about? Because I think firsthand that'll really give you a great idea of the relevance of it. Something to consider if you haven't. So I don't know that. So there was a question in there um you know are they open?

I know they are, but I'm just being you know making that

they are okay. So I'm getting some nods. So perhaps you guys can try to attend so that way you get an idea of what is happening behind the scenes beyond the really nice uh paper presentation which is great but then also they have come and presented as well. Just a reminder this is happening. We got to be specific otherwise you're going to constantly you know I mean do it over and over and over and I thought you did a great job to begin with. We got to make sure we know what we're doing. Where are you headed at? Thank you madam mayor. Thank you. We have a motion on the floor to um approve the two-year extension of the city county joint commission on racial justice and equity. Please cast your ballots. Motion passes with one extension Allen and one nay Carmona. Madam Clerk, item number 25343, a communication with a request to approve a contract with Government Consulting Solutions to serve as the city's lobbyists in the state of Illinois in the amount of 7500 per month and to authorize the city manager city manager to execute the necessary documents.

Thank you, Councilman Seir.

Thank you again, Madame Mayor. Uh Mr. manager. I'm not against it. I'm just trying to understand a bit more. Uh under overview, the communication we get there, 343 talks about u they will endorse different issues for us and they will um okay, we'll work, it says right here, we'll work closely with the mayor and the member of the city council. Well, firstly, I've never I've been here eight years this seat. Nobody ever called me or I've ne never had any conversation with any of our lobbyists. So can and I'm not against that but I'm just trying to understand we have four state representative in our area and to me [snorts] their job is to represent us. So explain to me why do we need to invest another um what is that $80,000 for lobbyists when we have four representative in this area? Well, I think if you if you were to talk to our legislative delegation, they'd tell you that it's very important that we have representation in Springfield with the thousands of bills that are brought forward every session. U it's not often that that it's not always the case that our legislators are able to stay on top of everything that's coming that could affect us both positively and negatively. uh and that having um uh representation in Springfield is very important uh for us not only in advocating for specific Poria positions on legislation uh or appropriations but also for uh being defensive and making sure that we're uh addressing any bills that may be negative towards the city of Puria. So uh those are the reasons why we do that. Uh we can certainly this is a new firm that has uh more representation than we've had in the past. we really had had um two firms that were representing us in the in the last couple of years. Um this so this will provide us more opportunity for them to engage I think with the council uh and talk about that uh as we go

forward with this with this uh new set of of lobbyists. Uh and I do think that this is money well spent uh as we look at uh what we're trying to do to not only protect the city's interest uh but to advocate for any kind of funding we can get from the state on our behalf as well.

So how many lobbyists have we uh had working for us the last eight years? Oh, over the last eight years, we had one lobbyist that was working for us uh up until uh Maril Lee was sworn in and then we had uh two lobbyists that were working for us uh in this last session. This firm GCS has four lobbyists. Um the mayor and I were on a call with them today and the four of their lobbyists were on the call with us. Um so as we kind of walk through the legislative program, which we'll talk about here in a little bit. So, um, you know, I think that that, um, you know, Puria County's had had a number they've had three lobbyists over the years that they've they that have represented Poria County. Um, it it is not uncommon for municipalities of our size uh, to have representation in Springfield.

And [snorts] again, this money comes from general fund. That's correct. Move to approve, Madame Mayor. Is there a second? Seconded by Council Member Oiler. Um, I would also want to thank uh Councilman Rigbach for participating in that interview process. And it wasn't just he and I and the city manager. We had input from our our representatives to Councilman Seir. They weighed in and this firm really comes highly recommended and I'm very impressed with what my expectation is what we're going to get out of our new lobbyists. Um, Council Member Riggenbach, did you want to comment at all?

Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor. I I would say the mayor the city manager did a really nice job of summarizing the importance of this. And as you look at our um state representative delegation right now, um, Leader Booth is the only one that is solely in the city of Poria. Senator Kaylor's district stretches all the way to Bloomington now. So while he's a born and bred Poria boy, well not born perhaps, but he's definitely a Puria boy at heart, he does have multiple constituencies that are pulling him in different directions. So I think this really helps us stay alert and have people looking out for our interests regardless of what's going on. And um as the mayor you stated, they came in um full force and were very impressive. So I'll be looking forward to meeting having everybody meet them at our January workshop. So I'm definitely supporting this as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Oiler. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I definitely see the need for a lobbyist, but I want to echo Councilman Sears's points that if this were the same company on the agenda, I would definitely be voting no. I think we got a big zero for them during their time of service and I would question if they even knew where the city of Peoria was because our lobbyist prior to them was here on a regular basis and interacted with the council and I didn't see one single communication from the last firm during the last term. So, I want to make sure that that expectation gets set up front. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, no more comments. Please cast your ballots.

Motion passes unanimously. Madame clerk. Item number 25-344, a communication with a request to authorize the city manager to execute the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the city of Poria and mechanical systems maintenance local 353 from December 1st, 2025 through November 30th, 2029. Council member Oiler. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Uh Mr. manager, can you outline the changes in residency from the last contract of this one?

Let me see if I can get our HR director, our our assistant city manager, and possibly outline those changes. I know the numbers, not the residency. So, I'll be [laughter] because I didn't think we made any major changes. So,

I think it's just 25, isn't it? So, um I wasn't in this negotiation, but I'm I'm familiar with it. In general, the uh residency requirement went from 20 miles to 25 miles on this partic. I think that the employees who collect a paycheck from us should also be living contributing members of our community and paying into our financial system that pays their paychecks. And so I do not believe in allowing residency to go outside the city. Thank you.

You're welcome. Is there a motion to approve this item? Moved by Council Member Jackson, seconded by Council Member Rigenbach. Any other discussion? Council member Carmona.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor. I think that Councilman Oiler brings up a very good point. Uh it's it's really frustrating when we do pay uh employees that uh don't live in our area. Um but they take advantage of certain services that we have and stuff like that here if anything happens to them here. And I just do think it is I I think it's important for somebody to live here if they're going to be uh receiving a paycheck from the city. So, um I will uh not be supporting this motion. Okay. Thank you. Please cast your ballots. Motion passes with two nays. Oiler and Carmona.

Madam clerk, item number 25-346, a communication [snorts] with a request for the following. A. Adopt an ordinance approving a business district plan for the city of Puria Glenn Hollow Business District. B adopt an ordinance designating the Glen Hollow business development district. And C, adopt an ordinance imposing a retailer's occupation tax and a service occupation tax in the Glenn Hollow Business Development District. Thank you, Council Member Carmona.

Thank you, Madame Mayor. Um, this will not be a civic speech on that pesky constitution that I love so much. Um, I do have a serious question about um the eligibility study and the verification that staff uh you know how it sifts through that. So my main concern is um the eligibility study claims that every plot is blighted. Now, if anybody in the crowd or listening at home wants to Google a blighted house, blighted shopping center, you will see something completely different from what Glenn Hollow is. I think objectively because I drove there through the whole parking lot, walked around all the sidewalks, saw some um deterioration in some of the um curbs, but by and large this eligibility study, in my opinion, is a distortion of the truth. I think it's really important that um we take studies like this seriously, otherwise why have them at all? Um, so assistant city manager, sorry. Did do we actually go out and drive around and look at the claims from these studies?

So, first of all, I would say that we, you know, we bring in a person, a consultant that has familiarity with our state law, understanding what the parameters are for us to do our evaluation. Um, I will tell you what you see as blight to you may not be deterioration to your eyes, but as it relates to the threshold for what is considered a a deterable um property would be the threshold for which it's the beginning of deterioration. So even though you look at a parking lot and because they're not big giant potholes that your car is being damaged, the fact that the the if you go to that particular area, the only parcel that has had any modifications or anything done into the parking lot has been target property only. Once you get beyond that, everything else has not had any type of maintenance done to it in quite some time. If you go to the Best Buy location, you do see some deterioration in that. So, no, it's not to the point of where we are too dispreared to have to um I would say uh a tear down of a building, but it is at a threshold that would qualify so that we can, you know, be able to mitigate some of those issues earlier so that we can have that area continue to thrive. So the money that is being utilized for this would go back into not just the infrastructure of the building but the infrastructure of the area. So lighting um any type of road that the city might even own would be able to utilize these funds to be able to ensure that the area is maintained appropriately so that we don't get to a point of deterioration of where we have to look at demolition of property.

Thank you for that clarification. Um, a big part of this too is the, you know, the study claims that, um, this money is obviously going to be used to try to fill some of those parcels in. Um my concern is like a contradiction because when Best Buy and Party City and you know that shopping center was full, why then didn't the developer maintain and take care of the property as he's supposed to? I mean, I think that's a very valid question uh to ask because the citizens, the city, you know, taxpayers don't own this property, but they are being asked to uh well, probably mostly unknowingly. They're going to go in there and get an extra 1% on the bill that they pay in order for uh this developer to do things that they're already supposed to be doing. So, I have a big issue with that, which you all already know. Now,

this was on the consent agenda for a reason. I think it has plenty of support uh around the horseshoe. Um I know that I'm one of the ones that it's very against this. Um if this is the will of the council, I believe that we can do better by the citizens of our city. Um, I think that we need some sort of policy, uh, some due diligence to identify properties that are actually in need, uh, by looking at vacancies, what I would just say actual blight, uh, new investments, uh, something that requires accountability and safeguards our citizens from bailouts and routine expenses that are supposed to be now paid by them. Um, also a policy that treats local entrepreneurs and national chains fairly, so we're not just benefiting big box stores. Um, I think we've already set a bad precedent with this conversation in this potential business development district because already uh later on we're going to be voting on um a developer who uh has another shopping center that I would say is one of the healthiest in town asking to increase their uh 75% to a full 1% and extend the life of the special service area.

I think that's um kind of a sign that people will be knocking on the doors of city hall, every single developer to make sure that they also get their 1%. From citizens, which turns into a city that is built on bunch of crazy taxes, which nobody likes. I because I'm very concerned about um transparency and making sure that we pick the right um properties to actually have the authority to tax people more with our permission. I'd like to make a motion to defer this item until we can come up with a policy, an objective policy to establish clear standards and criteria for BDD and SSA approvals.

We've got uh Thank you, Councilman Carmona. [clears throat] Council member Allen. My comments were to the original motion. So, I'll let us vote on this and we'll come back. Did you just move? Okay. Second. You want a second? Okay. Continued discussion. Uh, Council Member Kelly. [cough and clears throat]

Madame Mayor, I had comments on the original motion. Uh, not on the deferral. I I'll I'll be voting for the deferral, but uh I'll save my comments until this comes up again. Okay. I'm sorry. I did not hear the deferral. Who Who made the deferral? You made the deferral. Okay. You seconded the deferral. Yes. Okay, I understand. Okay. We're going to vote on the deferral.

Okay. Related to the deferral. Thank you, Council Member Orley. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Uh keeping my comments to the deferral, I would just say that we can delaying again. We continue to facilitate the ability to develop this plaza as there are people looking at this and other plazas in the area for um new investment purposes and I hear on a daily basis the lack of retail in our community and continuing to push this out and not do the things to allow us to compete with other communities doesn't put us in a seat that allows us to continue to grow our economy. So I will be opposing a deferral.

Councilman Brienbach, did you have a comment? Okay. Council, you're welcome. Council member Allen, did you have a comment on the deferral that only that I will be defer I'll be I will be opposing the deferral. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Okay. And um just a clar point of clarity. If we do not pass this today, we will have to start over again. So this would have to go through a whole another a new process as we would have timed out this current ability to pass this um business development district.

Okay. The vote is on the deferral. The motion was made by council member Carmona. It was seconded by council member Seir. Please cast your ballots. The motion fails. Um with no votes by Valpula, Jackson, Rianbach, Oiler, Gordon, Young, Vespa, Allen, and Ali. Can I get a motion to approve? Moved by Council Member Allen, seconded by Council Member Gordon Young. Any continued discussion? Excuse me, Madame Mayor. We'll need three separate votes for each item.

Okay, we're on we're on item A. Moved by Council Member Allen, seconded by Council Member Gordon Young. Please cast your ballots. Mayor, can we have discussion on the motions, please? I did ask for the discussion. I didn't see a light. Did you Did you have your light on? Council member Kelly.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor. [clears throat] Um I have good friends in the ownership of uh this shopping center. Uh nevertheless, we seem to be on a trend that says to me, this is going to keep going and going and going. Um, if we approve this, it's another signal to shopping center owners to let their properties deteriorate. That way they can get the taxpayers to take care of their properties. um this incentive, you know, we all operate on incentives and this incentive will be met by other shopping center operators. Um I wonder today how many shopping centers qualify for this or whether we could get a consultant to say that they qualify. I'll bet there are all kinds of them in the city. I don't believe that our taxpayers should be responsible for the maintenance of shopping centers. I'm sorry. I'm as pro business as anybody, but that doesn't mean emptying the or or dinging the c taxpayer because I like this outfit. If we like this outfit that much, let's let's vote to take the money out of our general fund and fix their potholes and whatever. I don't think we'd go for that,

but we go for dinging the taxpayer for this. And if we approve this, we're going to approve the next one and the next one and the next one. We have coming up a really welltaken care of shopping area that's using this system and they want to renew it. I mean, [clears throat] forever. I I think we're going down a trail here that we should not be going down. We are not representing our taxpayers. Our business and corporate interests do not vote for us. Our citizens vote for us. Many of whom are business owners, etc. Uh we're getting ourselves into a place that we're going to find difficult to get out of. So I even though as I say I have friends at this shopping uh shopping center I can't I can't agree to this. We need we we need to develop different incentives than taxpayers paying for this stuff. Thank thank you Madame Mayor. Council member Rianbach.

Thank you, Madame Mayor. I was very apprehensive on BDAS and SSAs for retail development when this came up a number of years ago. And I made many of the same arguments that I'm hearing tonight that while it's opening the floodgates, everybody's going to be doing it. Well, you know what? I think this is the third one in the 15 years that I've been around this horseshoe that that has actually come forward. This isn't something that we are instructing them to do because their property faces X Y and Z. This is something that the business owner, the property owner, the people who are taking care of the business on a day-to-day basis know what the business needs. The reason I I I I could argue the reason West Lake is one of the finest shopping centers in Poria is because they've availed themselves of this very tool and and that helps them stay a step ahead of the competition. And we all know I had somebody in the break room of my office today ask me about retail Emporia. We all know how struggling the retail environment is across the country and we are just a microcosm of that. So for us to tell the business owner that us 11 people around this horseshoe know what their business needs better than they do, I think that's kind of insulting. And I I really think that if if if they have a product that they are comfortable raising their sales tax on themselves, um we we should say go for it and and make us all proud. And I I think we've seen that already in the areas that have

incorporated this. And I certainly am not a retail guru. I I I don't even like to shop half the time. Um but I I I'm not going to be the one who tell to tell them this isn't isn't the way to help your business. And the state has a very prescribed process as the assistant city manager pointed out on how these are put into place. the the needs and the definitions, you know, to use a word like blight means something. I could name a shopping center in my district that um I would like to see improved, but you're not going to have any sales tax revenue from these vacant storefronts. So, you have to be proactive. And I I applaud um the manager, the property owner here for for having the foresight and a vision for what they want that center to become. So I will be supporting this. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman. Uh Councilman Allen.

Uh thank you, Madame Mayor. Um again, I appreciate the the conversation. Me and Councilman Carman had a conversation earlier today, and we agree to disagree on this matter. Um, assistant city manager uh Richardson, can you talk a little bit about when your economic development team is is on the recruitment trail trying to field uh offers and and interest from retailers? You know, what are the conversations that they are telling you when it comes to selecting a site within the city of Peoria? Let's say if we were trying to fill the old Best Buy or trying to fill the old Dunham Sports for example.

Sure. Well, one, I think that there was a request from this council for economic development to be a little bit more active in bringing business into Poria from a retail standpoint. Um, that was a conversation we had last budget cycle. And so I took that either to our staff and I said to them, we need to look at all our traditional financial tools and where do we need to really be focused on? And that's why you're seeing a number of these instruments coming in front of you at the end of this year. I would say that the best buy conversation of the relocation kind of started off this conversation of what do we do when we have a business that the property that is currently at is not meeting its needs. And the costs for that property to adjust to meet those needs are significant enough where the business the property owner cannot meet the needs because there's still that private entity that we are not involved in. That's the relationship between the business and the and the the uh property owner and what the disadvantage that I kept hearing from is that we don't have any tools to our avail to avail us to help support us in reducing those costs. So if I take Best Buy that if you go into that building there, unless you have a big box need of a store that size, you're going to have to reszone that property so you can have multiple uh uses for it. That is a very significant cost, more than what that property currently is valued at. So then you have a building that's left empty until you have a property, a business entity that's willing to take on that cost. Um, and so you start looking at locations throughout the city. The reason why this was a prime location and why we're very particular, I do not sit in front of you today, council, without having done my due diligence and saying, "What is it that this particular area need?" And with Best Buy leaving, we

have a very large parcel that is vacant. the property owners coming to us trying to think of ideas and solutions to how they can bring different uh types of business into that space. We worked and connected with them with other uh businesses that are interested in locating in Peoria. And the problem comes down to cost. Now,