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OFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST PEORIA, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, January 22, 2008 - 7:00 P.M. WEST PEORIA CITY HALL 2506 W. ROHMANN AVENUE, WEST PEORIA, IL A Regular Meeting of the City Council of West Peoria, Illinois was held at the West Peoria City Hall on January 22, 2008. 1. CALL TO ORDER Meeting was
called to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of
Allegiance was led by Mayor Jim Dillon 3. ROLL CALL The following
members were present: Alderman Dohm, Alderman Dwyer, Alderman
Ganson, Alderman Mathewson, Alderman Meismer, Alderman Roberts,
Alderwoman Thomas, and Alderman Venzon. Also present: Mayor James
Dillon, Attorney Bill Connor, City Administrator John Carlson, and
City Clerk Carole Stephens. Absent: City Treasurer Jennifer Main
4. ADDITIONS AND OR DELETIONS FROM AGENDA None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve the Minutes from the January 8, 2008, City Council Meeting was made by Alderwoman Thomas and seconded by Alderman Dohm. Discussion: Changed the minutes to read January 8, 2008, was submitted to City Council, as January 8, 2007 City Council Meeting. ROLL CALL
VOTE – 8 Ayes - Thomas,
Dohm, Dwyer, Ganson, Mathewson, Meismer, Roberts, Venzon 6. COMMUNITY POLICE REPORT Officer Christ
Watkins was absent. 7. MAYOR’S REPORT Mayor Dillon
commented that after the street department spent the night plowing
the streets, so everyone can make it to work, school, etc., it is
frustrating to the street department to have the residents throw the
snow from the sidewalks and driveways back in the street. If we see
this happening we can ticket you by law. The residents can throw the
snow back in their yard, instead of in the street. It is a traffic
hazard and a safety concern. The new City Garage has been started
and the weather hasn’t slowed them up. The mayor reminded everyone
about the Public Meeting with the Peoria County Highway Department
(Swords Avenue Project) on Wednesday. January 23, and Thursday,
January 24, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall. Krystiana has
put together a West Peoria Night with the Peoria Riverman on Sunday
March 9th, at 3:00 p.m. at Carver Arena. Kids 12 and under $1:00.
There will be face painting, balloons, and Fun on the Run
inflatable. You can purchase tickets at City Hall. Adult tickets
are $11.00. An hour before the game from 2:00 to 3:00 there will be
$1.00 each for Hot dogs, chips and soda. For some reason I said yes
to dropping the first puck. Deadline to buy the tickets at city hall
will be February 15th. 8. TREASURER’S REPORT City Administrator Carlson distributed the Treasurer’s Report for the month of December 2007. Jennifer is absent. Motion to receive and file the Treasurer’s Report was made by Alderman Mathewson and seconded by Alderman Meismer. ROLL CALL
VOTE – 8 Ayes -
Mathewson, Meismer, Dohm, Dwyer, Ganson, Roberts, Thomas, Venzon
9. PUBLIC COMMENT Lynn Dempsey introduced herself as a representative for the West Peoria Residents Association, Educational Excellence Committee, which is now headed by Jeff Adkins-Dutro. The reason she is here tonight is: there are some thing’s the committee does not know about what they can do about 150 School District situations here in the City. The Hot Issue is the Manual High School Reconstruction Project. She volunteered to come here tonight to ask three questions with the hope that next week, at the Joint Meeting on January 29, 2008, if we don’t have the answers, we can get the process in motion. 1) Can the City withdraw from District 150 and annex to another district? 2) Is it possible to get a tax voucher for parents to home school or send their kids to a private school? 3) Is it possible to stay in District 150 and choose a High School? Lynn Dempsey
commented that this subject has come up many times over the past
several years, and would like to know that since many of the council
members have served the city for a lot of years, would they have an
answer. Several years ago in 1995 or 1996, the council discussed the
withdrawal from District 150 and annexing to another district, but
it would have to be voted on by both districts. The concern for West
Peoria is that the residents will not stay in West Peoria because of
the school district. Mayor Dillon will have City Attorney check on
some of the questions concerning this topic. 10. MOTION TO APPROVE THE WEST PEORIA PAINT PROGRAM was made by Alderman Mathewson and seconded by Alderman Dohm. Discussion: Alderman Mathewson thanked Wm. Connor, City Attorney, for input and working out some the details. We are trying to encourage the people of West Peoria to buy the paint from some of the businesses in West Peoria by giving them a larger percentage off of the purchase of paint. Alderman Dwyer thanked Mical McFarland and Krystiana Bronny for all their work on this project. ROLL CALL
- 8 Ayes Mathewson, Dohm,
Dwyer, Ganson, Meismer, Roberts, Thomas, Venzon 11. OTHER BUSINESS – DISCUSSION ONLY A. Early
voting will be held at West Peoria City Hall on: 12. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. FINANCE COMMITTEE – ALDERMAN MATHEWSON – CHAIR The Finance Committee has not met since the last City Council Meeting; our next meeting will be February 5th, at 5:30 at City Hall. All Committees will be working on their budget in February. B. LAND USE COMMITTEE – ALDERMAN DOHM – CHAIR The Land Use Committee met on January 16th. The Committee went over our normal housekeeping; Financial Report, Zoning Report, we discussed the Maintenance Code, we are very close to bringing it to Council for a review. After the Council reviews the Code we will take it back to Land Use to make sure there are no changes to be made. We have discussed the Garage Sale Ordinance; it will be on the next council agenda. The Committee has gone as far as they can with the Landlord Registration. The results from this Registration is very good, the committee have a list of Landlords, and of the Landlords that are not complying. We are cross checking our code violations and Landlord lists with our police reports. A lot of our problems in West Peoria are not the rental properties, they are property owner problems. This list has been helpful to the Zoning Officer. We have created a couple of new goals this year. Our next meeting will be February 20th, at 6:30; p.m. at City Hall. C. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE – ALDERMAN THOMAS, CHAIR The Public Safety Committee has not met since the last City Council Meeting; our next meeting is February 5th, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. D. TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE – ALDERMAN VENZON The Transportation met on January 10th. Krystiana and the Transportation Committee reviewed all the surveys. We discussed the possibility of ticketing residents who put snow back in the streets after the Street Department plowed. Chair Venzon asked Public Safety to look into an Ordinance for this. We discussed the Swords Avenue Project. The County is having a public meeting on January 23 and 24th, here at City Hall. The Market Street Drainage Project is pretty much designed; Alicia went over it with us and she still has a few things to do before we put it out for bid. Alicia suggested doing what IDOT refers to as a Phase I Study and reported on the Sterling Avenue Hill for the PPUATS in 2009. Our next meeting is February 14th, at 6:30, at City Hall. Mayor Dillon mentioned the suggestion that Alicia brought up about Sterling Hill, saying we need to stay on top of it to enable us to secure the future grant money. The City found out yesterday that Otley Street drains onto the gulley that hits Market Street, because Illinois American had a water main break at Nebraska Avenue and Otley Street and flooded the area on both sides of the street. Henry had to deal with that. . 13. PUBLIC COMMENT Alderman Dohm commended Henry and the Street Department Crew on the good job they are doing with the snow removal. 14. ADJOURNMENT Motion to
adjourn this meeting was made by Alderman Roberts and seconded by
Alderman Meismer. Motion carried unanimously by voice. Meeting
adjourned at p.m.7:32. Carole Stephens, City Clerk
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