Peoria County Board Observer Report

The Peoria County Board held its regular monthly meeting October 14th with all members present except Chairman Rand.  Member Daley participated via phone.
Two proclamations recognizing Bartonville Hardware’s 70th anniversary and the Heart of Illinois United Way’s 100th anniversary were read. 
Twelve citizens offered remarks related to the proposed 2022 budget’s staffing and appropriation reductions in the County Auditor’s office.  Among those speaking were Jessica Thomas, County Auditor, and the three employees impacted by those reductions. State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos also spoke later in the meeting responding to some statements made during public comment.
The seventeen consent agenda items were approved on a 16-1 vote without discussion. Among those items were acceptance of five grants, approval of additional funds for the Distillery Labs Smart City/Mobility Living Laboratory, and approval of four infrastructure projects in western Peoria County.
Other regular business included approval of a Long Term Care Ombudsman/Senior Advocate position in conjunction with the Center for Prevention of Abuse, and discussion and approval of ten resolutions related to the 2022 budget. Highlights include:

• Adoption of the Annual Tax Levy—there is no increase in this rate.
• Approval of a budget amendment to permit use of ARPA (America Rescue Plan Act) funds to cover the increases in health care premiums for county employees with one or more dependents.
• Approval of a budget amendment setting aside $87,000 from the General Fund to ensure the three Auditor’s office employees could laterally transfer to other county positions in 2022.
• Adoption of the 2022 Peoria County Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance as amended by the previous two bulleted items on a 15-2 vote.
• With the adoption of the 2022 amended Budget the Auditor’s office staffing was eliminated with only the elected Auditor serving in that office for the upcoming year.

A proclamation was approved on a 13-4 vote extending the Declaration of Emergency due to COVID-19 in Peoria County.
Jim Runyon, Observer