City Council - Regular Meeting

to get started with our short meeting. Of course. Well, yeah. Yeah. Are you done tonight? Okay. Holy Let's get a cake or something. The doctor's in the house tonight. You got a piece of cake or something. I don't know. What do you want? Do you want a stick or you I mean, I'm not What are you thinking?

I'll how long that meeting goes. Good evening everyone. It is 6 o'clock p.m. on Tuesday, October 21st, 2025. I'd like to call the special meeting of the Peoria City Council to order. I'd also like to welcome everyone who's here in our council chambers as well as our listening audience watching on cable channel 22 and on YouTube.

Madame Clerk, the council mics are open. Please call the role. Mayor Ali, present. Council member Allen, present. Council member Carmona, here. Council member Seir here. Council member Gordon Young present. Council member Jackson. Council member Kelly here. Council member Oiler here. Council member Rianbach. Council member Valpula present. And council member Vespa here. You have a quorum present. Madam Mayor. Thank you madam clerk. I'm expecting that councilwoman Jackson will arrive momentarily.

Okay. Thank you everyone. Please join me and stand for a moment of silent prayer or silent reflection followed by the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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 have one public hearing. 25-293 is a excuse me a communication from the city manager and finance director controller with a request to hold the truth and taxation hearing regarding the 2025 property tax levy. Thank you Mr. Manager. Uh thank you madame mayor. I'd like to turn the floor over to our finance director to explain the truth and taxation hearing u prior to any public comment. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you Mr. Manager. Um, a truth and taxation hearing is required when the aggregate increase of the tax levy is more than 5% of the previous year's extended levy. Um, notice of the public hearing was published in the Journal Star on October the 9th. Uh, for truth and taxation calculation purposes, uh, the tax levies for bonds are removed from the calculation. Uh, the the 2025 property tax levy collectible in 2026 is estimated at $34,418,810 at a rate of 1 3483. Uh the 2024 property tax levy collectible in 25 was 32,299,747 or a rate of 1.3483. Uh the total amount of the increase um to be levied is 6.5% 6.56% higher than the amount levied in 2025. Um that is the because it is over 5% is the trigger for the requirement for the truth and taxation hearing. Um the only other item I would point out is that 6.56% um is the anticipated EAV growth across the city. Um we as the as I said earlier um this levy will keep the tax rate flat.

Thank you. Can I get a motion to open the public hearing? Moved by Council Member Sears, seconded by Council Member Allen. Any questions? Please cast your ballots. Okay, motion passes unanimously. Is there anyone present here today that would like to speak to the truth in taxation hearing regarding the 2025 property tax levy? Is there anyone here today that would like to speak to the truth and taxation hearing regarding the 2025 property tax levy? And lastly, is there anyone here who would like to speak to the truth and taxation hearing regarding the 2025 property tax levy? Can I get a motion to close the hearing? Moved by council member Kelly, seconded by council member Oiler. Any comments or questions? Please cast your ballots. Motion passes unanimously. Madame clerk, we are at the regular portion of the agenda. 25-294 is a communication from the city manager and finance director controller with a request to receive and file the first reading of an ordinance amending chapter 31 of the code of the city of Peoria pertaining to storm water utility.

Mr. Manager. Uh thank you, Madame Mayor. Again, I'll turn the floor over to our finance director to explain this ordinance change.

Uh, thank you, Mr. Manager. Um, based off of the, uh, motions made by the city council at our last meeting, um, the storm water utility fee is to stay flat for 2026 and 2027. Um, this ordinance, because of how the existing ordinance is written, um, needs to be amended because the CPI increase is automatic in the ordinance. Um so the ordinance in front of you tonight for first reading um reads to freeze uh the rates at the current 2021 levels for both 26 and 27. It would default back to those increases being taken in 28. Um but that is something obviously council could take up at that time. Um so really this is a mechanical requirement of the action the council took and I'm available if there's any questions.

Thank you director Kate. Council member Seir. Thank you madam mayor. Move to receive and file. Seconded by Councilwoman Gordon Young. Council member Kelly. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Uh, Director Katty, I I think you answered this question. I just want to make sure. And I think I know the answer, but we'll see. Um, uh, if we ever reimpose, uh, and leave the ordinance untouched so that

God bless you. We're not going to have makeup between the last time. It it will just be for that that s or preceding year. Is that uh the CPI change? That is correct. The only way it would be different is if council amended the ordinance to do something more than the CPI increase for that year. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Mayor. You're welcome.

We have a motion on the floor and a second. Please cast your ballots. Motion passes unanimously. Madame clerk, 25-278 is a communication from the city manager and finance director controller with a request to hold a discussion on the 2026 2027 bianial budget. Mr. Manager.

Uh thank you, Madame Mayor. Um the council communication for this item that was updated in your packet uh includes kind of a summary of all the revisions that were made with the budget motions that were approved by council last week. So uh we wanted to put that table in the packet and I also realized that the overall summary of those budget motions with the detail was not included in the packet last week. So it is included in this packet this week for you uh for your consideration. Um, with all of the changes that were made, uh, there were in 2025 with the the budget motions, there was a,21 uh,,100 of expense and revenue added to the 2025 budget. And then in 26, we added 2,458,358 of revenue and reduced expenses by $69,823. Uh so that uh balances the budget to for 2026 uh putting $6,681 into fund balance. Then in 2027 with the changes that were made, there's $4,835,293 of revenue that's added to the budget and $3,731,277 of expenses added to the budget. Um but ultimately it it does increase the fund balance by $25,595. So both budgets are balanced. Um so tonight uh if if it this meets council's approval, what we'll do is work towards getting all of the budget documentation prepared, the ordinances that will need to be um approved. The you already approved the storm water utility first reading. Everything else is just what we would normally do which would have our debt service property tax abatement

levy. It will have the property tax levy ordinance. It will have the appropriation ordinance. And then I think we have five special service area ordinances that we'll bring forward as well that sets the property tax levies for or abates property taxes for the certain special service areas that we have. and we'll bring that all back for council's approval next week so that we can wrap up the budget by the end of the the month. Sounds great. Thank you. Any questions uh for the manager or director Katty? Councilman Seir. Thank you, Madame Mayor. I don't know if we need a motion or not, but I would move to get documentation ready for next Tuesday's meeting.

Okay. And that you want an action item on that? Okay. Seconded by council member Allen. Any other comments or questions? Please cast your ballots. Motion passes unanimously. That does it, doesn't it? You said it might be a short meeting. All right. Um, madame clerk, we are at citizens opportunity to address the city council. We have not received any cards. We do not have an executive session. So, we would be at adjournment.

Okay. Can I get a motion? We We need a motion now. Okay. Moved by Councilwoman Gordon Young, seconded by Council Member Velpula. Please cast your ballots. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you for your service.