Peoria City Council follow-up
Note: For those who are new to this, the liveblogging posts are not regular posts. Basically, I’m taking notes about what’s happening at the Peoria City Council meetings, adding link and some commentary. Sometimes, incomplete sentences are used, and quite often I am paraphrasing what is being said. I don’t have time to put everything in a final written form as if it would appear in a newspaper. I received an email overnight questioning this. Regular readers will, no doubt, reply that they can’t tell the difference. Cue rimshot.
- Judging from the comments, the biggest news was Leo Ghantos’ complaint about being treated rudely and almost being dragged out of a housing court hearing after getting into a disagreement with an unnamed administrative hearing officer. My commenters are generally sympathetic. I generally don’t side with landlords here, but he just might have a legitimate issue.Judging from the rest of the media the big story seems to be 3rd District council member Bob Manning’s request that representatives from Illinois American Water Company be invited to a meeting to explain why they want a 20 percent increase in water rates. That’s a lot more than they said customers could expect back in 2005 when they were trying to convince the council to not exercise it’s option and buy out the company. It was the lead story on 1470WMBD and in the Journal Star.
As far as the bloggers in attendance are concerned, the big thing is that we got to meet David Barber, the new director of public works. He’ll be taking over for Steve Van Winkle, who retired in October.
I like the guy. He’s very personable. He’s worked at a lot of places, where he says he made a point of making sure development happened in a way that complimented existing neighborhoods. He doesn’t call this approach “New Urbanism,” but he made noises like a New Urbanist.
I mentioned to him that one of the things that keeps popping up in Peoria is trying to make changes to streets which run afoul of Illinois Department of Transportation of rules and regulations. One of the issues that affect redevelopment in the Warehouse District is that fact that developers will probably want to narrow Southwest Washington, in order to repair and widen sidewalks to make them more pedestrian and business-friendly. Current Public Works Director Steve Van Winkle — himself a former IDOT engineer — has given little hope that IDOT can be convinced to approve anthing that doesn’t rigidly meet specs.
Mr. Barber says that cities have to communicate with IDOT about what they want and need and not be afraid to lobby and try to exert pressure to get what they need. In Willmett, IDOT wanted to come in and widen a road, removing dozens of older trees in the process. The village objected and eventually IDOT relented.
Did you read that, people? IDOT RELENTED. There are actually IDOT officials who can be reasoned with. I have been let to believe that this is impossible. New blood sure brings new perspective, doesn’t it?
Barber reminded us that IDOT is divided into districts. While the rules and specifications are the same, how they are interpreted are not. Peoria might be in one of those districts that says “no” a lot.
Those who were involved in the hiring process tell me Barber was the best out of three very good candidates. Others had more familiarity with New Urbanism, at least on paper. Barber seemed to practice it, even through he didn’t call it by that name.
I’m feeling pretty good about this selection. Call be a wide-eyed optimist, but I have a feeling I won’t be sitting at a council meting listening to the public works director try to rationalize why, yet again, his office has submitted a project for approved that violates almost every element of New Urbanism.
- Also, Chief Engineer Gene Hewitt is hospitalized with a heart attack. I wish the guy a speedy recovery. Hewitt was rumored to be considering retirement within the next six months or so. He’s going to miss months of work recovering.
- Did anyone else notice that Debbie Ritschel, general manager of the Peoria Civic Center, got snippy with Council Member Gary Sandberg? She didn’t seem to take very kindly to the fact that someone who actually represents the taxpayers wanted a more explanation of how the Peoria Civic Center Authority is spending money than that silly, weak four-page synopsis that rest of the council accepted without complaint.And I share Sandberg’s bewilderment that the PCCA thinks it can get away with treating its detailed line item budget like it is a private document, available for inspection only at the invitation of the PCCA. That budget is the only document that details exactly how the PCCA spends the Hotel, Restaurant and Amusement tax revenue generated whenever anyone in the city buys a burger or sees a movie. I believe the phrase she sued was “word product.” Well, MAYBE it is, when SMG Employee A gives a copy of a draft to SMG Employee B. And that’s a big “maybe.” But when SMG hands it over to to the PCCA, it’s a public document. Period.
No doubt some enterprising bloggers will be filing Freedom of Information Act requests.
- I was genuinely surprised to see Councilman Billy Spears (4th District) at the meeting. His mother died recently, and it’s hit the family hard. My sympathies to the family.
- I mentioned to Manning that a commenter thinks he ought to run for Aaron Schock’s seat in the Illinois House of representatives. He just laughed. Manning is a Republican, by the way.
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 
Overall I enjoy reading those “notes” or live blogging on the council nights.
Manning would be a good choice. As much as I would hate to vote Republican, I might have to do it if he ran.