Liveblogging: Peoria City Council 7
Citizens to address the council:
Burt Rabbe: Expansion of 4 a.m. liquior licenses. Attended liquor commission commission. Will be discussed in two week. He’s a domestic violence violence counselor. Says late night clubs and activities increases the problem. He is in opposition. This is a public health and a public safety issue. I was surprised the city would even be considering expanding it. He says he’s heard that Peoria is the most segregated city in Illinois [My two cents: That's obviously wrong. I've lived in Chicago (briefly); blacks and whites and Latinos do NOT mix at all and many neighborhoods are strictly de-facto segregated]. He says no one moves to Germantown Hills because they have 4 a.m. bars. It makes for more crime. Devalues property. The benefit only goes to two or three people. Harmful to the general public.
Pastor Harvey Burnett, 2818 W. Sheffield Drive (Bartonville): Peoria Association of Pastors, asking council to concentrate on gun exchange, will exchange guns for non-alcoholic gift certificates. Peoria Police Department says aggravated robbery rates are at the highest level within seven years. Other violent gun crimes are high also. Gun exchange get citizens involved in solving the problem. Helps people give up lives of crime and violence. Similar gun exchange on July 21, more than 7,000 guns exchanges for gift certificates at local stores. If one gun delivered, there is one less gun to be used in a homicide, gas station robbery or assault. Asking for $2,500 to help them buy gift certificates or vouchers. He calls it a minimal investment. My two cents: I’m not hostile to gun buy backs. Hey, more power to them. But they do not work. Most of the guns are old and don’t work. Serious criminals to NOT sell off the tools of their trade for gift certificates.
LaVetta Ricca, president of Old Town South Neighborhood Association, members of other organizations, including Neighborhood Alliance. N.A. fund raiser, created a cookbook. Asked each neighborhood and association to please give one to three of their favorite recipes. Mary Haynes, city clerk, notified other organizations and government’s (people who make things run), for help. She is very disappointed with the response. “We feel this is making history.” Time is running out, today was the dealing. Trying to get it out to seell by Christmas. We want people from the city to get us involved in this. When you go home tonight, write down one of your recipes and send it to Mary and she will send it to us. Jacob promised to have three of the finest Lebanese recipes to you …
Leo Ghantous, attorney in Peoria: He also owns 300 apartment units in Peoria. Unpleasant experience to come before hearing officer on a code violation. He and I had a heated exchange, Ghantous says. Not recorded. His rights were going to be deprived by having been escorted out of chambers. Wants council to require taping, provide for an authority beyond the the hearing officer. Sandberg added at the end of the meeting state statute required these things to be taped. Ghantous will talk to assistant city manager to get his complaint on record and investigate.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Hum, owns 300 units. Unpleasant to come before a hearing officer on a code violation. Perhaps he should have corrected the issue before it got to that point. Of course his rights were violated, not the rights of everyone living at or near his property which is in code violation.
I am glad that Geo asked for explanations on the capital budget process. City staff rate the projects they feel are important. Criteria was shown to be unknown. No citizen input into the capital budget. Saw much division tonight between Nichting and Sandberg regarding the 4th and 5th districts having to pay for sewer upgrades and then the 1-3 districts paying for the expansion in the 5th. Interesting. My note on that, is the money is always available for the 5th district expansions and hasn’t been availble in 20 years of specific taxation for the 1-3 districts.
From reading this, I’m inferring that this is Leo’s initial hearing on a code violation. If so, that is pretty good for someone who owns 300 units. Maybe the process needs to be looked at.
Leo G. is perhaps one of the most softspoken guys I have ever met, for him to have a heated exchange would be almost impossible. Sorry, gotta go with Leo on this one.