The Journal Star is reporting that some County employees are getting no raises next year, even as union workers get “substantial [pay] increases” and there seems to be plenty of money for non-essential projects and travel. To make matters worse, there’s this:
…while some elected officials won’t get a raise next year, it’s a net loss because the state of Illinois isn’t providing the full $6,500 annual stipend for most elected officials. County officials say that’s not their burden to bear.
“The stipend was never from the county; it’s not part of the county, it’s a state issue,” said committee member Steve Morris. “The county shouldn’t start stepping into the shoes of the state for payment for what the state has created.”
Really? The county shouldn’t step into the shoes of the state for payment for what the state has created? Didn’t the county just give a the Peoria Regional Office of Education a $1 million line of credit to meet payroll? I guess the ROE’s employees are more important than the county’s own employees.
The Issues Update this week included this tidbit of news about the parking lots at Riverfront Village. It looks like they’re going to be taking out the ticket booths and gates that have gone unused for the past four years:
The City owns and operates several parking lots on the Peoria Riverfront. These are the Michel Bridge East and West Surface Lots, Edgewater Lot and Liberty Lot, which are collectively known as the MEL Parking Lots. These lots are controlled by means of three sets of ticket booths and gates, which are accessed from Water Street.
Since 2006, the MEL Lots have been posted 2-hour free parking in an effort to promote short term parking for customer use. (Parking meters and permits are available in these parking lots for long term parkers.) During this time, the ticket booths have been vacant and the gates lifted. Complaints have been received from business owners in the area who feel that the ticket booths sometimes confuse new visitors trying to park in the lots.
These facilities have been left in place in case the City would reinstitute an hourly charge in these lots. If charges were to be reinstituted, staff feels the best way to implement this would be through an unmanned area parking system where patrons pay at kiosks. It seems unlikely that the City would choose to provide manned ticket booths for this area in the future. Since these facilities appear to no longer serve a purpose, they should be removed to create better access to the Lots and to remove any confusion by the motorists.
The Public Works Department, using in-house labor and equipment, plans to remove the ticket booths and gates and to provide clearer signage for these lots. The first priority will be to remove the gates at the foot of Liberty Street to allow two-way access to the Lots during the Water Street construction. The rest of the ticket booths and gates will be removed over the course of the summer, as scheduling allows.
Just before 5:00 today, I received the following press release from Alma Brown, Communications Manager for the City of Peoria, regarding animal control services:
Control of Animal services will officially be in the hands of Peoria County as of May 1, 2010. The City of Peoria will maintain responsibility for animal nuisance calls such as barking dogs, wildlife complaints and the removal of dead animals. If your furry friend is a bit too aggressive towards other people consider giving it the best cbd oil for dogs.
Citizens with inquiries about animal control issues can call PeoriaCARES at (309) 494-2273 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. After hours, please call our Emergency Communications Center at (309) 674-3131.
Attached, please find a matrix detailing specific types of calls and service level responsibilities.
The City Council has entered into an agreement with Peoria County to provide base level services that will total $77,027 in 2011 and $102,703 in 2012 and 2013 for animal control. This move by the City Council will save tax payers $150,000 in next year’s budget. Base level services include the following:
| Type of Animal Protection Service |
Base Level |
| Peoria County is mandated by Statute to provide certain animal control and protection services. The services in bold are mandated and provided at no additional cost. |
| Public Safety |
Require rabies vaccination and registration
Quarantine biting animals
Require animal bites to be reported
Make determination of dangerous animals
- Prohibit animals at large
- Impound animals for attacking or intimidating people or other animals
- Impound animals for damaging property
- Investigate inhumane treatment of animals
- Investigate animal cruelty
|
| Nuisance Abatement |
- Require animals to have a collar and tag
- Prohibit abandonment of owned animals
- Confine female dogs and cats in heat
- Impound animals that cause unsanitary, dangerous, or offensive conditions
- Impound animals that chase vehicles
- Provide multiple pet license program
|
| Animal Welfare |
Reimburse livestock owners if animal (i.e. dog) kills livestock
- Provide spay and neuter education
- Provide public education on appropriate animal care
- Vaccinate animals to prevent disease
- Impound loose, stray, or abandoned animals
- Quarantine sick animals
|
| Animal Shelter |
Offer animal adoption
Microchip animals being adopted or redeemed to owner
Euthanize unredeemed, unadopted, or unplaced animals
- Impound and redeem loose animals to owner
- Terminate and autopsy wild animals that bite
- Spay and neuter animals being adopted
- Euthanize diseased or injured animals
|
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