11/20/2018: ​Steve Kerr chaired the meeting –
Manager Mark Matusak reported:
· Treasurer Jim Stuttle presented financials for review and discussion. The Boards was pleased with expenditures as on target for the year. The Budget Actual showed repair of equipment as higher than usual but was compensated by overage in other budget line adjustments.
· The 2019 Budget was further reviewed, discussed and approved by the Board and will be posted for public comment. The final budget will be voted on 12/18/18.
· Mark Matusak gave the Manager’s Report. Burials are still down. The Board discussed possible reasons but it is a trend for inner city cemeteries. Most burials at this date are happening in rural cemeteries. Two family estates are in the discussion process, and overall and the purchase of lots is at a good level.
· Four tours have been were given this Fall: E/P High School, Washington Gifted School, Master Gardeners and Mark Bill’s School.

12/11/2018: The Peoria County Board of Election Commissioners met on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, with commissioners Bartolo and Burke absent.
​  Under approval of bills, two large items stood out. The Verizon bill included election day, and rent will include January 2019.
   The Commission approved the purchase of pollbook software from VR Systems of Tallahassee, Florida. It was one of two low vendors. Peoria County IT looked at it, along with Director Tom Bride and assistant Elizabeth Gannon, who felt it best served the County's needs.
  The election office has started planning for the city primary in February. They will be sending out letters to polling places. Early voting will be held in the election office, hopefully with three days of voting in a downtown location. Director Bride prefers the main library, but it is closed on Sundays. The Commission will approve the schedule in January.
  The subcommittee looking into efficiencies after the November election should have its report ready next month. The State's Attorney reported on the challenges to candidate petitions, both of which have now been deemed invalid.
  Early voting and vote by mail will begin on January 17, 2019.
​Irene Pritzker, Observer

6/5/2018: The Election Commission held their monthly meeting on June 5, with all commissioners present. They started by approving the payment of bills, even though monthly bills for Ameren, American Water, and the copier had not yet arrived. This was due to the early meeting date (the first Tuesday of the month rather than the second).
  Executive Director Tom Bride gave an update on the Brandywine location. He stops by several times a week to check on progress. Currently, they seem to be on schedule for a September 1 move in date. Metal studs and door framing are up, and electrical and fire alarm work is being completed. Bride's attendance has been helpful because an error was discovered in the placement of a wall. It would have run into a window, so it was moved slightly.
  Bride will also be putting out a Request For Proposal (RFP) for software and/or hardware for the ePollbooks. The current software will not be supported after the fall election. He is hoping that new software will work on the current pollbooks. He is looking for a three year contract.
Irene Pritzker, Observer

​The Nov 27, 2018 meeting continued the budget discussion. Of particular note, Councilman Montelongo had asked to look at specific parts of both expenses and revenue. Specifically, they looked at eight expenses that support other agencies: Springdale, Animal Control, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Civic Center, Debt Service, Downtown Development Comm, Peoria Area Economic Development Council, and Minority Employment Action Team. Representatives of most of those agencies answered questions from Council and presented their work. None were cut, but it was interesting to look at other areas besides cutting Public Safety.
Revenue items:

7/24/2018: The big item was Manager Urich announced they were looking for $600,000 in cuts to expenses.
Councilwoman Moore requested a deferral of regular business item 18-231 which was to amend the Biennial Budget to use the Storm Water Utility Fund to purchase the Simantel property at the foot of Spring Street for $159,000. This was interesting because exactly what is the City Council allowed to spend the Storm Water Utility money on??
​Cheryl Budzinski, Observer
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​7/26/2018: The 3pm meeting time is new and they didn't have a quorum at 3pm. Vice Chair Carl Cannon started the meeting with discussion items not needing a vote. Another commissioner arrived about 3:20 creating a quorum. (The Board has one opening since a commissioner resigned at the last meeting.) Carl Cannon, Anne Fox, Alma Brown, and Tekia Childs were in attendance.  The Executive Director was not at the meeting.
One item of concern was the painting contractor giving notice that they would not be able to paint approximately 40 units by a specific deadline in August.  But, the contracted company was the only company submitting a bid. A decision on whether to put the painting out for bid again will be made by Tuesday. The Commissioners asked sincere questions to support staff's efforts.

7/17/2018: ​Chairman Steve Kerr, Jim Stuttle, Bob Manning, Becky Doubleday, and Pat Powers were in attendance.
Chairman Kerr has been working on the Scattering Garden project and showed the plan (in progress.)
Manager Mark Matusak was not at the meeting.

Mike Rucker, volunteer coordinator with Peoria Wilds reported on the Savanna and the "Woodlands." (The Savannah is native plants. The Woodlands is not native plants, but deer resistant and needing little maintenance.) Mike had 20 volunteers working on The Woodlands recently - there was a lot of tree-killing vines.

August 7 black-topping will begin in certain areas.
The number of burials and sales was discussed and were good.
Heritage company -established in 1820 in Peoria- has been doing "wonderful" restoration work at the cemetery for the Springdale Foundation.
Steve with "Find a Grave" has 6 people helping with Springdale (as volunteers) including photographing graves. 59,000 have been identified with 70% photographed. Monica and Jim are very impressed with his work. Jim said that geneology is the 2nd biggest hobby in the United States.
Observer Cheryl Budzinski thanked the Board for allowing the LWV to hold its Summer Social at Springdale near the stones of "The Shaft."  (Cheryl is filling in for Rick Fox.)

​The Peoria County Board of Election Commissioners met on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, with commissioner LaColis Reed absent.
  While going over the month's bills, Director Tom Bride asked for permission to spend up to $70,000 to pay for election judges. He might not need that much, but he wanted to be sure to have enough to cover all the judges, including early voting, election day, troubleshooting, and check-in judges, and their mileage. That was approved.
  A budget amendment was also approved to align it with the County's budget. The Election Commission budget was reduced by $20,000, but because of the uncertainty of costs involved with the move and the November election when the Commission budget was first approved, the lower figure was easily met.
  The Brandywine building will have the moveable wall installed on November 15, except for the panel including the door. Everything should be unpacked and stored in the very near future.
  The canvas of the November 6 election will be held on November 21. Fourteen ballots from out of state and out of country were received the day of the meeting, and some challenged ballots were still to be determined. A few minor glitches occurred during voting due to split precincts. Some people in a few precincts were to vote on the Park District referendum, and some were not. It was explained in great detail how these glitches were handled, and that no votes were missed or counted when they should not have been. Procedures have been put in place to assure that these problems will not arise in the future.
  The Commission's attorney said that the owner of the Brandywine building has threatened to sue over real estate taxes for the building. This should not be a problem because there is nothing is the lease saying that Peoria County must pay a share of the taxes.
  A new subcommittee has been formed to study the November 6 election, to determine what worked, what did not work, and find ways to implement efficiencies for the next election.
​Irene Pritzker, Observer

Board of Commissioners Meeting held 11/01/2018 at 100 S. Richard Pryor Place, Peoria, IL. Meeting started at 3:10 PM and was led by Mr. James Fassino, Chair. Anne Fox, Renee Andrews were present; Helen King was introduced as new Board member. Absent: Carl Cannon, Alma Brown and Tekia Childs. Two members of public in attendance; no reporters present. Agenda and board reports available on line. Minutes of Special Board Meeting of Commissioners held on 10/12/2018 were approved. No public input items.
   Ms. Newman, Executive Director was not present.
  Finance report was reviewed. Auditor report for 2017 fiscal year completed. Accounts receivable position filled. Discussed Financial Policy updates regarding software security, petty cash, credit card limit and use, recollection process, and purchase approval.
   Beginning Jan 2019, rent collections will change to Central Office instead of individual locations.
   Continue to focus on faster turnover of units when vacated. 874 total units; goal to be 95% occupied.
   Contracted painter to assist in turnover of housing units.
Meeting adjourned at 4:05 PM. Next meeting scheduled 11/29/2018 at 3:00 PM due to Thanksgiving holiday.
​Connie Romanus, Observer