Hello all you lonely people who have nothing better to do than read a live blog about the Peoria City Council meeting. 🙂 Mayor Ardis is not here this evening, so Ryan Spain is filling in as Mayor Pro Tem. As always, I’ll be updating this post throughout the evening, so refresh often. Here’s tonight’s agenda:

ITEM NO. 1 CONSIDERATION OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS BY OMNIBUS VOTE, for the City of Peoria, with Recommendations as Outlined:

A. TAG DAY REQUEST from the LIONS CLUB OF PEORIA to Hold Their ANNUAL CANDY DAY on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010, to Raise Funds to Assist the Blind, Visually Impaired, Deaf and Hearing Impaired. (Date is Open)

B. Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works Requesting Approval of the LOW BID from ILLINOIS OIL MARKETING EQUIPMENT, INC., in the Amount of $107,399.00, for INSTALLATION of a 10,000 GALLON E-85 FUEL TANK. (Refer to Item No. 09-290)

C. Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works Requesting to Award the CONTRACT to the LOWEST BIDDER, CRESCENT ELECTRIC, INC., for PURCHASE of HIGH BAY LIGHTING FIXTURES, in the Amount of $20,568.00, for the LESTER D. BERGSTEN OPERATIONS and MAINTENANCE FACILITY. (Refer to Item No. 09-251)

D. Communication from the City Manager and Corporation Counsel Requesting Authorization for SETTLEMENT with the HEIRS of ANIYA ALEXANDER Arising Out of Her Death in a Traffic Accident, which Occurred on April 17, 2009, Near the Intersection of Lincoln and Western, in the Amount of $275,000.00, Subject to Approval of the Circuit Court in the Case of Estate of Aniya Alexander.

E. Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller Requesting Authorization for the City Manager to Enter into an AGREEMENT with McGLADREY & PULLEN, LLP, to PROVIDE ANNUAL AUDITING SERVICES for FISCAL YEAR 2010 for a Total Amount Not to Exceed $120,450.00; $114,450.00 per McGladrey & Pullen’s Original Audit Services Proposal Plus an Additional Amount Not to Exceed $6,000.00 to Perform Recently Required Additional Audit Procedures for American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 Stimulus Grants.

F. Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works Requesting Approval of CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT for FEDERAL PARTICIPATION with FARNSWORTH GROUP, INC., in an Amount Not to Exceed $12,779.94, for the ILLINOIS RIVER ROAD NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY KIOSK CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. (Refer to Item No. 10-281)

G. Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller Requesting Adoption of an ORDINANCE Amending the CITY OF PEORIA BUDGET for FISCAL YEAR 2010 Relating to the FEMA ASSISTANCE to FIREFIGHTERS GRANT, in the Amount of $315,000.00, and the FEMA PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM, in the Amount of $207,045.00.

H. Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller Requesting Adoption of an ORDINANCE Amending the CITY OF PEORIA BUDGET for FISCAL YEAR 2010 Relating to PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, UTILITY RELOCATION, CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING, and CONSTRUCTION COST of ALTA LANE and RADNOR ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT.

I. Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works Requesting Approval of a PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT with MAURER STUTZ, INC., in an Amount Not to Exceed $113,821.38, for PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING SERVICES for the ALTA LANE and RADNOR ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT.

J. APPOINTMENT by Mayor Jim Ardis to the TRI-COUNTY RIVER VALLEY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, with Request to Concur:

Council Member Timothy Riggenbach – Term Expires 1/21/2013

K. APPOINTMENTS and REAPPOINTMENTS by Mayor Jim Ardis to the WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, with Request to Concur:

APPOINTMENTS:
Dale Bunch (Voting) – Term Expires 10/1/2011
Dr. Grenita Lathan ( Voting) – Term Expires 10/1/2012
Scott Moore (Voting) – Term Expires 10/1/2013

REAPPOINTMENTS:
Martha Diebold (Voting) – Term Expires 10/1//2013
Dr. John F. Gilligan (Voting) – Term Expires 10/1/2013
Lizette Tripur (Voting) – Term Expires 10/1/2013

L. REPORT of the CITY TREASURER PATRICK A. NICHTING for the MONTH of JULY 2010, with Request to Receive and File.

Sandberg removed item F; Irving removed item H; Spain abstained from item F. The rest of the consent agenda passes unanimously.

• Item F: Sandberg objects to paying $12k in engineering services to place a kiosk on the riverfront. Van Auken/Montelongo move to approve. Spears asks for the city’s direct cost for this; Answer from Public Works Director Dave Barber: $0. The city is acting as a pass-through; we will be reimbursed the full amount. Motion passes 7-1 (Sandberg).
• Item H: Irving asks some miscellaneous questions. Balks at the cost of investigating the use of a roundabout for this intersection. Irving says he’s not comfortable with a roundabout review and wants to defer for two weeks. City Clerk points out that H is the wrong item — Irving is talking about item I. This causes a Roberts Rules of Order conundrum. They move to approve item H, but continue discussing item I. Sandberg says he’s the one who asked that staff look at roundabouts, and explains his reasoning. Spears also speaks in favor of roundabouts and reducing traffic lights; says most states around us are using roundabouts because of the energy savings, traffic calming, and increased safety. Motion passes unanimously.

ITEM NO. 2 Communication from the City Manager and Director of Public Works with Request to Award JANITORIAL SERVICES CONTRACTS to VONACHEN CLEANING SERVICES for Building Group #1, in the Amount of $80,250.96; MAD DOG CLEANING for Building Group #2, in the Amount of $59,440.00; THE CLEANING SOURCE for Building Group #3, in the Amount of $440,208.23; and THE CLEANING SOURCE for Building Group #4, in the Amount of $473,379.76, as Outlined, and with Each Covering the Period from OCTOBER 1, 2010, to SEPTEMBER 30, 2013,? and with a Provision to Extend the Contracts for up to TWO ONE-YEAR PERIODS Through September 30, 2015, with Prices for the Extension Included in this Award.

Turner moves to defer for two weeks; seconded by Van Auken. Motion passes unanimously.

ITEM NO. 3 Communication from the City Manager and Corporation Counsel Requesting Approval of an AGREEMENT Regarding ASSETS of FIREFLY ENERGY, INC. and the SETTLEMENT and RELEASE AGREEMENT, and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Necessary Documents.

There is a replacement agreement I haven’t seen. Turner/BVA move to approve. Sandberg argues about the reduced amount of royalty payments from Electrotherm under this agreement. He thinks it’s not in the best interests of the taxpayers. Motion passes 8-1 (Sandberg).

ITEM NO. 4 Communication from the City Manager Requesting Approval to Enter into an AGREEMENT with TESKA ASSOCIATES, INC., to Conduct a REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA ELIGIBILITY STUDY and a HOUSING IMPACT STUDY for the Proposed EAST VILLAGE GROWTH CELL, for an Amount Not to Exceed $36,170.00 and $18,830.00 in Reimbursable Costs for a Total of $55,000.00, and Requesting Authorization for the City Manager to Execute the Necessary Documents.

Riggenbach/Gulley move to approve. Riggenbach says, “This is the first step in an exciting process.” He says Teska will give us “an unbiased view” of whether this area qualifies as a redevelopment project. [I’ll bet you $1 million they say it’s eligible.] Motion passes 8-1 (Sandberg).

ITEM NO. 5 Communication from the City Manager Requesting Approval of a RESOLUTION Providing for the CREATION of the EAST VILLAGE GROWTH CELL TAX INCREMENT FINANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE and ADOPTING the CHARTER.

Riggenbach/BVA move to approve. No discussion. Motion passes 8-1 (Sandberg).

ITEM NO. 6 Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller Requesting Adoption of an ORDINANCE Amending the CITY OF PEORIA BUDGET for FISCAL YEAR 2010 Relating to ENGINEERING and LAND ACQUISITION COSTS of ORANGE PRAIRIE ROAD, from AMERICAN PRAIRIE ROAD to ALTA ROAD.

Irving/BVA move to approve. Sandberg says he’s not supporting it. Motion passes 8-1 (Sandberg).

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

(10-363) Communication from the City Manager and Assistant Director of Planning and Growth Management with Request to Concur with the Recommendation from the Zoning Commission to Adopt ORDINANCE “A” OR to Concur with the Recommendation from Staff to Adopt ORDINANCE “B” Amending Ordinance No. 16,318, as Amended, for a SPECIAL USE in a Class C2 (Large Scale Commercial) District for a SHOPPING CENTER to RELOCATE an EXISTING OFF-PREMISE SIGN for Property Located at 8215 and 8305 N. ALLEN ROAD, with Conditions, with REPORT BACK.

Irving/Turner move to defer for two weeks; passes unanimously.

(10-390) Replacement Communication from the City Manager and Director of Planning and Growth Management with Recommendation from the Zoning Commission and Staff to Adopt an ORDINANCE Rezoning Property Identified as PARCEL ID #14-21-381-033 Located on KNOXVILLE AVENUE from the Present Class R1 (Single Family Residential) District to a Class R-3 (Single Family Residential) District, with REPORT BACK. (Replacement Communication Only)

Riggenbach/BVA move to defer until 10/12/2010. Motion passes unanimously.

(10-416) Communication from the City Manager and Assistant Director of Planning and Growth Management Recommending Adoption of the Following:? (Refer to Item No. 10-299) (Replacement Communication)

A. ORDINANCE Amending APPENDIX B of the Code of the City of Peoria Relating to SCHOOLS for the ARTS (New Ordinance);

B. ORDINANCE Amending APPENDIX C of the Code of the City of Peoria Relating to SCHOOLS for the ARTS (New Ordinance).

Additional information was distributed to the council. Spears has questions for Ross Black in the Planning and Growth Dept. First, will this ordinance require piano teachers to get a special use permit from the city? Answer: no, because that falls under the home occupation ordinance. If it were to exceed the limits of the home occupation ordinance, then you’d have to get a special use permit or move into a district where that business is a permitted use, like a commercial district. Sandberg has additional questions about enforcement and unintended consequences.

Spears/Riggenbach move to approve ordinance A. Spears/BVA move to approve ordinance B. Both motions pass unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

• Turner talks about the Regional Neighborhood Network Conference — only four seats left on the bus.
• BVA says this Thursday the charter school (McClure & University) will be having an open house from 4:30-6:00 p.m.
• Sandberg says police uniform procurement is starting again, and he wants a full report of process/procedures being used to ensure competitive bidding.

PETITIONS, REMONSTRANCES & COMMUNICATIONS – TOWN OF THE CITY OF PEORIA

ITEM NO. 1 Communication from the Town Attorney Requesting Approval of a RESOLUTION Authorizing the Town Supervisor to Enter into a LEASE or PURCHASE AGREEMENT for the TOWNSHIP RELIEF OFFICE.

Negotiations are ongoing and not complete yet. Irving moves to set a Town Meeting for Oct. 5 (I think?) at 6:05 p.m. and possibly hold a closed session. Seconded by Montelongo; passes unanimously.

CITIZEN REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL

No citizens request to address the council tonight.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

ADJOURNMENT

There is an executive session, but for the public, the meeting is over. It’s 7:22 p.m. Goodnight!