Tag Archives: Kent Tomblin

City of Peoria

Tomblin residency update

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On Monday, the Supervisor of Assessments office was made aware that Tomblin has two properties in Peoria County — one in the City of Peoria and one in Dunlap — listed as owner-occupied. On Tuesday, adjustments were made to those properties. The Dunlap property (PIN 0815300023) is now listed as “Residential Non-Owner Occupied” for tax year 2011, and states under “Public Notes,” “Kent and Laura Tomblin live at 18-05-304-013 [1120 N. Maplewood] and is [sic] getting the owner occupied exemption on that parcel. Exemption removed from this parcel for 2011.” Similarly, on the Maplewood property (PIN 1805304013), it states under “Public Notes,” “08-15-300-012 is also owned by Kent Tomblin. That parcel was changed to Residential Non Owner Occupied for 2011. He lives at this parcel address and will receive the owner occupied exemption on this parcel for 2011.” Supervisor of Assessments Dave Ryan says that usually owner-occupancy is determined by whether the mailing address for the tax bill matches the property address. In this case, the property tax bill for each site is mailed to each respective address, leading to the confusion. He added that when mistakes like this are uncovered, the exemptions are corrected for future tax years, but no retroactive action is taken for the years it was incorrect — unless it was in the County’s favor, in which case they would reimburse the taxpayer for overcharges going back the last three years.

As far as the residency issue goes, Tomblin has legal cover, which is apparently sufficient for the City’s residency requirement. Tomblin doesn’t actually live at the Maplewood address, as the neighbors there will testify, but he has sufficient documentation to satisfy his superiors at City Hall. The County recognizes the house as owner occupied. The County, in addition to looking at whether the site and mailing addresses match, can also look at where the property owner is registered to vote. Tomblin is registered to vote at the Maplewood address. An inquiry made to Peoria City Manager Patrick Urich has so far gone unanswered, but according to other sources, the City’s stance is that they believe Tomblin lives at the Maplewood address.

So it appears that any management employee who wishes to skirt the City’s residency requirement can do so rather easily. It’s possible that they wouldn’t even have to go through the trouble of buying a house. One could simply rent a cheap apartment like those in apartments in columbia sc and claim it as one’s legal residence for tax and voting purposes, then actually live elsewhere in the tri-county area. It’s difficult at this point to understand why we have a residency requirement at all. If it’s not really important that a City management employee live in the City, then why not just get rid of that policy? Seriously, why put Tomblin in the position of having to fake his residency in the City if the City really doesn’t care in the first place? What’s the point?

On the other hand, if it is important that a City management employee live in the City, why don’t they enforce it? If they can’t because the wording is too weak or ambiguous, why not strengthen it?

City of Peoria, Peoria Fire Department

Fire Chief receiving owner occupied exemption on two homes

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Peoria Fire Chief Kent Tomblin
I visited the Recorder of Deeds office at the Peoria County Courthouse today to check on the ownership of two homes that appeared to be owned by Fire Chief Kent Tomblin. The County’s website withholds the names of property owners, but those names can be obtained from the Recorder of Deeds’ office since it is public information.

Kent M. Tomblin is listed as the sole owner of 1120 N. Maplewood Ave. in Peoria (PIN #1805304013) and the joint owner with Laura L. Tomblin of 13104 N. Duggins Rd. in Dunlap (PIN #0815300023). Both homes are listed as “owner occupied,” giving the Chief a property tax exemption on both houses. Both the Recorder of Deeds office and the County Assessor office verified that, legally, a homeowner can only receive an owner-occupied exemption on one residence — that is, a homeowner in Peoria County can only have one primary residence. The County took the information on these two properties and said they would look into the matter to determine which residence is the primary one.

If the Dunlap residence is found to be primary, it would cause further problems for Mr. Tomblin since the Fire Chief is required to live in the City of Peoria according to City policy. When asked about whether the Chief is breaking the City’s residency requirement, City attorney Randy Ray said he would have to research it.

Peoria Fire Department

Fire Chief breaking City residency requirement

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Since November 19, 2002, the City Council has required by policy that “a person promoted to a management position must be or become a resident of the City of Peoria.” In August 2006, when then-Assistant Fire Chief Kent Tomblin was applying for retiring Chief Roy Modglin’s job, the Journal Star reported, “Tomblin, 50, a 27-year member of the department, lives in Dunlap but owns a house on Maplewood Avenue near Bradley University and plans to move there within the year, he said Wednesday.”

Tomblin got the job on February 19, 2007. He still owns a home at 1120 N. Maplewood. But he also still owns his home in Dunlap — at 13104 N. Duggins Rd. This is not one of those Dunlap addresses that is actually in City of Peoria boundaries. It’s outside Peoria completely. If you look up the tax records for both houses, they both say, “owner occupied.” So, where does the Fire Chief live?

One way to establish legal residency is by the address on your utility bills. The telephone is a utility, and in the phone book under “Kent Tomblin,” guess what is listed as his address? You got it: 13104 N. Duggins Rd., Dunlap — and a Dunlap phone number, too. I’ve heard from a reliable source that it’s the address that is on his personal checks as well.

It’s hard to escape the conclusion that the fire chief still lives in Dunlap over four years since he was promoted. Not only that, but one has to wonder how he can legally claim both residences as “owner occupied.” You can only occupy one house or the other.

Whether the City should have a residency requirement or not is a topic for another blog post. The fact is that the City does require it for the fire chief, and he should follow the rules. He should be setting an example for the men and women under his command.

What really gets me is the brazenness of it all. He’s listed in the phone book as a Dunlap resident. I mean, he isn’t even trying to hide it at this point, apparently because there are no consequences for breaking the rules at City Hall.

City of Peoria

Fire Chief to be acting City Manager

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Official press release from the City of Peoria:

The Peoria City Council has accepted the resignation of City Manager Scott Moore, effective today.

Peoria Fire Chief Kent Tomblin will serve as Acting City Manager until December 8. The Council will then name an Interim City Manager to serve until a permanent City Manager can be hired.

Mayor Jim Ardis said, “after numerous discussions, the Council and Mr. Moore reached the decision that it would be in the best interest of the City, and our staff, if Mr. Moore were to step down. He will be submitting his resignation to me today.”

Mr. Moore will receive a 6-month severance package of $82,500. We wish Scott well in his future endeavors.