Peoria County Board

Peoria County Board met April 13 regular meeting with all members present except for Chairman James Dillon and Member Brian Elsasser.  Vice Chair Sharon Williams led the meeting.

Regular business included approval of revisions to the county’s zoning code related to solar and wind facilities.  A recently enacted state law requires that all counties bring their codes into alignment with the state code. Two zoning cases in Jubilee Township were also approved.  The final three items addressed PCAPS:

• Termination of a labor agreement with the Laborers’ International Union of North America.
• Acceptance of a $25,000 grant from the Humane Society for a spay/neuter unit.
•  Acceptance of a lowest bid for purchase of a mobile veterinary spay/neuter unit.

         
Proclamations were read recognizing the 50th Anniversary of Northwoods Mall, the 100th anniversary of the George Washington Carver Community Center, and the 125th anniversary of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. April was recognized as National County Government Month, and two weeks in May were recognized for Correctional Officers and for Police.  The Peoria County Farm Bureau recognized the county board with its “Allies in Agriculture” award.  The Gift of Hope award recognized the Coroner’s staff for their efforts to secure organ and tissue donations.

There was one citizen’ remark by Joyce Blumenshine on behalf of the Sierra Club recognizing the county’s intent to intervene in a proposed CO2 pipeline, and encouraging the board to consider a county-wide moratorium on C02 pipelines.

Among items unanimously approved on the Consent Agenda:

• A jurisdictional transfer of Glen Avenue between Sheridan Road and Illinois Route 40 (Knoxville Avenue) from the county to the City of Peoria.
• An improvement project on the Hanna City-Glasford Road between Smithville and Lancaster Roads.
• An amendment to the county code permitting trap/neuter/vaccinate/return (TNVR) within the county.
• Grants from Walmart ($250) and Best Friends Animal Society ($50,000) to PCAPS for the spay/neuter mobile vehicle mentioned previously and for related supplies.

 
You can link to the agenda and video here:   Agenda & Video
——— Jim Runyon, Observer