February 2014 Board Meeting

BOARD MEETING

The theme of the February 2014 County Board Meeting could be described as investing in the future.  We not only welcomed a local Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy to our meeting, but then took our first vote of the night to fill the vacancy (in District 1) on our Board.  I am excited to work with Joe Wolfe, and also welcome him to our Board.

Additionally, the Board considered and approved:

1)  a one-time request for supplemental funding for the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission.  We have several board members who serve as Commissioners for this body, and our Board's vote allows Tazewell to join Peoria and Woodford County in expressing support for the body to renew its focus on obtaining state and federal funding for transportation, planning, and water resources; and

2)  approved a formal policy that the County will follow when extending economic incentives to businesses seeking to establish or increase their presence in our area.

EARLY VOTING

We have also just received word of dates and locations for early voting for the March 18 Primary Election throughout the County.  While the full list of sites is available on the County's website, I am including those sites located in District 3 for your convenience:

Mackinaw

Wednesday (March 5) at the Village Hall (100 Fast Avenue) from 7-10 am and 4-7 pm.

East Peoria

Thursday (March 6) and Friday (March 7) at the Park District Building (201 Veterans Road) from 7-10 am and 4-7 pm.

Saturday (March 8) at the Park District Building from 9 am-12 pm.

Washington

Thursday (March 13) and Friday (March 14) at the Township Hall (58 Valley Forge) from 7-10 am and 4-7 pm.

Saturday (March 15) at the Township Hall from 9 am-12 pm.

January 2014 Board Meeting

The January 29 meeting of the Tazewell County Board started with mixed emotions.  We first celebrated the service anniversaries for county officials and employees at the beginning of the meeting (including a special thank you to retiring County Engineer John Anderson), followed by Chairman Zimmerman asking those in attendance for a moment of silence to remember our colleague and friend, Board Member Terry Von Boeckman, who passed away late last year.  I did not personally get a chance to work much with Terry, but when he would work with "the new guy," he always had encouraging words for me when I would ask questions or was trying to learn about a county issue.  He will be missed.

Among other things on the agenda tonight, the Board:

1) approved numerous intergovernmental agreements for animal control services with municipalities throughout the county;

2)  approved a resolution opposing the passage of Illinois House Bill 924, a bill pending in the General Assembly which would greatly hamper the ability of smaller, local businesses to bid on government projects;

3)  approved a resolution to waive permit fees for reconstruction of property damaged in the November 2013 tornado; and

4)  discussed the efforts undertaken by the Subcommittee on the Pekin Landfill formed from members of the County Health Services Committee.  This Subcommittee has worked very hard to ascertain what options are available for containing the landfill, which was left vacant by a private corporation many years ago. After some general discussion, the Board reached a consensus to have the Subcommittee come back with specific cost information and options so a final decision on whether or not to take further action would be in the County's best interest.

Tornado Update from Tazewell County

A special thanks to our County staff for putting this update together...

Tazewell County Tornado Update - December 10, 2013

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) has opened at the FOLEPI Building, 2200 E. Washington, East Peoria.  The DRC will be available 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Everyone impacted by the tornado should register with FEMA. Call 1-800-621-FEMA or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) or visit http://www.disasterassistance.gov to apply for disaster assistance. Monies received from FEMA are grants and are not something you need to pay back. FEMA will not put any sort of lien on your property and will not own your property.  You may be eligible for temporary rental assistance if you were displaced.

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I would also add the Illinois Department of Human Services has been authorized to offer special Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to residents in Tazewell County.  Applicants must bring proof of identity, proof of residence in a disaster area prior to the disaster, and any unreimbursed disaster expenses paid during the dates of 11/17/13 - 12/16/13.  For more information, residents can call their local IDHS office or visit the IDHS website at www.dhs.state.il.us. Applications will be taken at the Tazewell Family Community Resource Center at 200 S. 2nd Street, Suite 20, Pekin.    

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     Debris removal With assistance of their insurance companies, homeowners should make efforts to clear as much debris as possible. Please place dumpsters on your property (not on the street or public right-of-way) at least 10 feet away from the back of the curb and at least 10 feet away from fire hydrants. Keep debris out of the road as it can impact emergency response vehicles’ response time.

o   Large appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines. These must be sealed shut.

o   Electronics, including TVs and computers. These must be set on the curbside.

o   Hazardous materials. These must be set in a safe location, away from the road and not near a drain.

o   Vegetative debris must be clean. Tree limbs must be cut to six feet in length or less.

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        Volunteers are still needed. Residents in need of free clean-up assistance should contact 309-698-5001. If you are 18 years of age or older, call 309-698-5002 to volunteer. Groups may call 309-698-5003.  

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     Scams and Complaints should be reported to local law enforcement agency or the Illinois Attorney General’s Office at 847-417-4893 to report suspicious activity. Contractor complaint information is also available at http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/homerepair_construction.html. To file an insurance complaint, contact the Illinois Insurance Department’s Consumer Assistance Team at 866-445-5364 or https://insurance.illinois.gov/applications/ComplaintForms.

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     Voting Information. The Tazewell County Clerk's Office will be working with those residents which have been displaced by the recent tornado disaster to see their voting privileges will not be disenfranchised.

o   Voters will remain at the home address for voting, not a temporary address.

o   The Election Division will schedule times to meet with anyone interested to discuss voting locations after January 1^st (if you need a replacement card please call 309-477-2267).

o   Visit the http://www.tazewell.com/CountyClerk/CountyClerk&Recorder.html and link into the State Board of Elections for personal voting information.

o   Early voting will be conducted in Tazewell County with locations, dates and times to be determined.

o   If there is a current need to register, please come to our Office at 11 S. 4th St., Suite 203, Pekin, IL, any library, township building or Village/City Hall.