May Board Packet and Latest News

May Board Packet and Accounts Payable

While warmer weather has returned to the area, the Tazewell County Board is preparing for its May meeting on the 27th.  We just received our board packets, and we also were provided with our May Accounts Payable report.  Both are available for your review by clicking on the "Board Packets" tab.

Update on 18th Congressional District Election*

The Illinois State Board of Elections has posted the dates for the upcoming Special Primary and General Elections for the vacancy in the 18th Congressional District.  Here are some important dates for you to remember (and thanks to the Tazewell County Clerk's office for providing this information):

July 7, 2015, Special Primary Election

Last Day to Register     June 9, 2015

Grace Period Registration and Voting**

First Day     June 10, 2015

Last Day     July 7, 2015

Early Voting Period

First Day     May 28, 2015

Last Day     July 6, 2015

September 10, 2015, Special General Election

Last Day to Register     August 13, 2015

Grace Period Registration and Voting**

First Day     August 14, 2015

Last Day     September 10, 2015

Early Voting Period

First Day     August 1, 2015

Last Day     September 9, 2015

* The Clerk's Office is in need of election judges for both of these elections, so if you are available, please consider serving.  There will also be information as the elections approach as to what polling places will be used for these elections.

** While there are grace periods for voter registration, please be advised that "same day registration" will be the law of Illinois starting on June 1, 2015.  To learn more about that process or anything else discussed, please contact me or the Tazewell County Clerk's Office at (309) 477-2267.

April Board Meeting

On April 29, 2015, the Tazewell County Board held its monthly meeting.  

Immediately preceding the hearing, a public hearing was held on the question of County acceptance of credit card payments for certain "authorized obligations" under 50 ILCS 345, the Local Governmental Acceptance of Credit Cards Act.

In short, this Act allows for the public to use credit cards to pay for "any fine, fee, charge, tax, or cost imposed by, owing to, or collected by or on behalf" of the county.  

During its meeting, the Board approved the acceptance of such credit card payments, but also, among other things:

1) Approved a grant application for a Public Transportation Capital Assistance Grant for the We Care rural transportation agency;

2) Approved a retroactive wage increase for County Corrections Officers; and

3) Approved an agreement with the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council (EDC) for 2015.

I have received numerous questions about the EDC, and I encouraged them (and you) to learn more by going to www.greaterpeoriaedc.org and signing up for its monthly newsletter.  You will also find a story on work done by local teenagers to better understand the manufacturing industry by helping rebuild Hillcrest Golf's miniature course in Washington.

March and April Updates

I wanted to take this post as an opportunity to update you on numerous developments from the Tazewell County Board.

1) March Board Meeting

The Board met for its regular monthly meeting on March 25.  I apologize for just now getting a chance to provide you with a brief summary.

Among other things, the Board:

 * Received a report on recent, initial discussions which have begun between our Transportation Committee and the Heritage Lake Homeowners Association about a potential agreement to authorize the issuance of bonds for the upgrade of Heritage Lake's roadways and related infrastructure.  No final decisions were made, but our Board asked many great questions about how the County would need to be involved in such a funding plan, and what potential exposure/liability would be present.

* Tabled a motion to approve a salary increase for the County's Board of Review for further study.

2) Ad-Hoc Rules and Recodification Committee

The week after our board meeting, our new committee charged with reviewing our Board rules and County ordinances met in the County Board Conference Room.  

We spent this time together discussing past efforts to review our rules and ordinances and how it allowed the Board at those times to make needed updates and remove inconsistencies.  We determined our first task as a committee will be to review our County Board Rules, with a special focus on making sure our Rules appropriately provide for the participation of the public at our meetings.  If you want to see a copy of our current rules, click here.

3) Eastern Bypass Regional Coalition

Chairman Zimmerman recently appointed me to be the Tazewell County representative to this Coalition which is tasked with, among other things, efforts related to the construction of a bypass around Peoria.  

While I have personally spoken with constituents who do and do not support such a project, I felt it was important to accept the appointment to the Coalition so I can continue to monitor all efforts and report back to the Board and you.  

If you are not aware of the project, be sure to visit www.easternbypass.com.  

At our meeting on April 22, representatives from the Illinois Department of Transportation updated us on an anticipated schedule for the ongoing Environmental Impact Study ("EIS") for such a project. In terms of the "big picture," we are told that any construction (if approved) would begin between 2026 and 2028, as a final EIS, corridor phase selection, alignment phase selection, and design/right-of-way acquisition would have to be completed.

4)  April Board Meeting Financials and Packet

I have just posted the County Financials and Board Packet in anticipation of our April meeting on the 29th.  

Please let me know if you have any questions.