>> WELCOME TO "AT ISSUE."

I'M H. WAYNE WILSON.

THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS FOR JOINING US ON THE PROGRAM.

WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY OF PEORIA WITH US TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNDER WAY WITH FEDERAL MONEY, STATE MONEY, LOCAL MONEY TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF ALL DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF PEORIA AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

PATRICK URICH IS HERE.

PATRICK, CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "AT ISSUE."

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALSO WITH US, THE CHIEF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ERIC ECHEVARRIA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PEORIA IS RITA ALI.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> AND LET'S START WITH YOU, MAYOR, BECAUSE LAST -- EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE CITY COUNCIL MADE TWO UNANIMOUS VOTES THAT WERE VERY IMPORTANT.

THE RISE PROGRAM AND THERE'S A VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM.

COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY -- FIRST OF ALL, WHY IS IT THAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE SO IMPORTANT?

WHAT'S IT MEAN TO THE FUTURE?

>> SURE, SO THE PUBLIC SHOULD UNDERSTAND, OUR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT THAT PROVIDED FUNDING, FEDERAL FUNDING TO STATES AND CITIES ACROSS AMERICA.

THE CITY GOT $47 MILLION, AND OF THAT FUNDING, WE ALLOCATED $1.3 MILLION FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS FOR VIOLENCE REDUCTION FUNDING.

THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED 700,000 OF THAT TO RELEASE AN R.F.P.

FOR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO APPLY FOR COMMUNITY BASED VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAMMING.

SO THE MINIMUM AMOUNT IS 50,000 AND THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT IS 250,000.

AND THE R.F.P.

WILL ACTUALLY BE RELEASED ON MONDAY, I THINK THAT'S THE 14TH OR 15TH OF AUGUST.

FOR A COMMUNITY GROUPS TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR VIOLENCE REDUCTION IN PEORIA SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS A UNANIMOUS DECISION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PROGRAMMING THAT WILL REALLY BE SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE WORK THAT THE POLICE DO IN TERMS OF VIOLENCE REDUCTION INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS.

THE OTHER IS THE RISE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID TO GET SOME RELIEF.

THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO APPLY, I THINK WE'VE HAD OVER 300 APPLICANTS FOR THE RISE FUNDING.

THERE WERE ABOUT 36 SMALL BUSINESSES, MANY OF THEM MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED FOR THE FUNDING.

BUT IT JUST WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY.

AND SO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER MADE A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, AND ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING, COUNCIL APPROVED UP TO $1.5 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO FUND ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID.

>> THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IS KIMBERLY RICHARDSON.

JUST TO GIVE HER CREDIT.

>> YES.

>> LET ME TURN TO THE CITY MANAGER BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING A LOT OF MONEY AND THIS IS ONE TIME MONEY.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE THIS ISN'T SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S CORRECT.

I THINK THAT WE'RE IN A UNIQUE PERIOD AND REALLY, A UNIQUE TIME TO BE ABLE TO TRY AND TAKE SOME OF THESE DOLLARS, APPLY THEM THE WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT WE CAN DO THAT WITH.

AND THEN LOOK AND SEE WHAT PROGRAMS WORK AND WHAT DON'T.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY?

THIS IS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT CAN WE PROVIDE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COVID?

WHAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS CAN WE MAKE?

WHAT KIND OF VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAMS CAN WE TAKE?

AND THEN SEE WHAT WORKS.

AND THEN TWEAK THIS.

WE HAVE UNTIL THE END OF 2026 TO SPEND ALL THE DOLLARS.

SO THIS WILL GIVE US SOME TIME EACH YEAR TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROGRAMS TO ADJUST IT AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH IT.

>> CHIEF, THE VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO BE HAPPY WITH THAT BEING IMPLEMENTED.

WHAT CAN THAT MEAN TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT?

>> FURTHER COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

WE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING, EVERYBODY THAT IS SITTING AROUND HERE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A MECHANISM FOR THAT.

>> YOU HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES ALREADY THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE FEDERAL MONEY TO COME IN OR STATE MONEY TO COME IN.

YOU HAVE MOVED SOME DOLLARS AROUND TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU WENT ABOUT THAT AND WHAT IT'S MEANT IN TERMS OF KEEPING OFFICERS OUT ON THE STREETS MORE OFTEN?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE SPOKE IN THE EARLIER SHOW IS THAT HOW OUR OFFICERS WRITE REPORTS AND WHERE THEY WRITE THE REPORTS, WE CREATED AN AREA WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE NOW HAVE 12 COMPUTERS IN A REPORT WRITING AREA WHERE OFFICERS DON'T HAVE TO SIT AROUND, WAIT FOR A COMPUTER AND WAIT TO WRITE A REPORT.

WE REQUIRE OUR OFFICERS TO HAVE THEIR DOCUMENTATION DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY.

SO THEY COME IN, THEY SOMETIMES OFTENTIMES THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR A COMPUTER TO GET SOME DOCUMENTS DONE.

WE CUT THAT TIME DOWN.

NOW, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN AND WON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A COMPUTER.

I WON'T HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME TO WAIT FOR A COMPUTER.

THAT'S MONEY WE'RE ABLE TO USE SOMEWHERE ELSE INSTEAD OF PAYING OVERTIME, IF YOU WILL TO HAVE AN OFFICER WAIT AROUND.

>> I WAS AMAZED TO LEARN IT WASN'T UNTIL JUST RECENTLY OFFICERS WERE USING FLIP PHONES.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

WE DID.

SO NOW, EVERY OFFICER IN THE DEPARTMENT HAS AN iPHONE AND PART OF THAT IS, WE WANT TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO, YOU KNOW, GET OUR JOB DONE.

SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A CAR OUT OR EVIDENCE TECHES THAT TAKE PHOTOS, OUR OFFICERS CAN TAKE PHOTOS RIGHT ON SCENE.

SOME OF THE MORE ELABORATE OR BIGGER CRIME SCENES, WE WILL HAVE OUR EVIDENCE TEAM RESPOND, PROCESS THOSE SCENES.

BUT NOW, FOR THE SMALLER THINGS, THE OFFICERS HAVE TECHNOLOGY RIGHT IN THEIR HAND WHERE THEY CAN TAKE PHOTOS.

COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY NEED TO BECAUSE THEY OFTENTIMES HAVE TO MAKE A PHONE CALL OR LET SOMEBODY MAKE A PHONE CALL.

SO THEY HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY THERE AS WELL.

>> I WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT CRIME LEVELS, ETC., IN JUST A MOMENT.

BUT LET ME TURN TO THE MAYOR.

AND YOU WERE CRITICIZED TO AN EXTENT OVER THE SAFETY NETWORK PROGRAM.

IT WASN'T TRANSPARENT IN SOME PEOPLE'S EYES.

I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THAT.

>> I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING IT WASN'T A PROGRAM AT ALL.

THE SAFETY NETWORK IS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

SERVICE PROVIDERS, LEADERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD AN INTEREST IN REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE IN PEORIA.

SO I CONVENED A GROUP ABOUT A YEAR AGO AT THE PEORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT, ABOUT 50 PEOPLE, 50 LOCAL PEOPLE AND WE MET TWICE A MONTH FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

THE CRITICISM REALLY CAME BECAUSE SOME -- IT WASN'T OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

IT WASN'T A TOWN MEETING.

IT WAS A GROUP OF ABOUT 50 PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE POLICE ON WAYS TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE AND COMING UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS, SOME STRATEGIES.

AND I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE AN OPEN TOWN MEETING BECAUSE YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET THINGS DONE.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

THE GROUP CONTINUES TO MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS AT PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON THE SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 9:00.

THE PUBLIC IS OPEN, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER WANTS TO ATTEND CAN ATTEND AT THIS POINT.

THAT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENTION TO OPEN IT UP.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SHARE INFORMATION.

WE LEVERAGE RESOURCES.

WE IDENTIFY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL, FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO APPLY.

WE REALLY HAVE BUILT A STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER AS WELL AS WITH THE POLICE AND SO IT'S A GREAT FRAMEWORK REALLY FOR COMMUNITY AND POLICE WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF GUN VIOLENCE IN PEORIA SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE SAFETY NETWORK AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.

>> AND YOU PARTICIPATE IN THAT?

>> YES.

>> WHAT HAS IT MEANT TO YOU SO FAR?

DO YOU SEE BENEFITS COMING OUT OF THIS EVENTUALLY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE KEY STAKE HOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO VOICE THEIR OPINION AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO A GROUP THAT WANTS TO BE INVESTED.

WE SHARED THE CRIME DATA WITH THIS GROUP.

THEY BRAIN STORM THE WHOLE GROUP BRAIN STORMS IDEAS OF HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD?

I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY IS HAVING THAT BUY-IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.

WHEN WE GO OUT AND THE POLICE WANT TO DO SOMETHING, WE'RE ABLE TO TALK TO THIS GROUP AND SAY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS.

WE'RE MOVING ON THIS.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

WE GET THEIR INPUT AS WELL.

BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WORD WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AND WE HAVE BUY-IN FROM EVERYBODY THERE.

TEAM EFFORT.

>> I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CRIME, CRIME LEVELS LAST YEAR.

2021, RECORD NUMBER OF MURDERS IN THE CITY OF PEORIA.

34, I BELIEVE WAS THE NUMBER.

>> 33.

>> 33.

THANK YOU FOR THE CORRECTION.

>> NO PROBLEM.

>> IF IT WAS 35, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE CORRECTED ME.

BUT SO HOW ARE WE DOING THIS YEAR SO FAR?

>> WELL, YEAR TO DATE, UP THROUGH AUGUST 8TH, WE ARE DOWN 37% IN SHOOTING INCIDENTS.

31% IN SHOOTING VICTIMS.

39% IN SHOOTING MURDERS AND 30% IN ALL MURDERS.

>> CAN YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO ANY PARTICULAR CHANGE IN OPERATION OR IS IT CYCLICAL?

SOME YEARS ARE HIGH.

SOME YEARS ARE LOW.

>> I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF EVERYTHING.

COVID WAS NOT GOOD TO US IN A LOT OF WAYS, RIGHT?

I THINK NUMBERS WENT UP DURING COVID AND OFF THAT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, YES, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SOME THINGS IN THE DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE CHANGED SOME WAYS WE'RE GOING TO DO THINGS.

I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD IN MY YEAR HERE IS TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST THING.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE MORE INFORMATION.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MORE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS SHOWING HERE WHAT OUR TIP 411 APP WHERE PEOPLE ARE SHARING MORE INFORMATION WITH US, OUR CLOSURE RATES ARE HIGHER ON OUR HOMICIDE CASES.

BUT THAT'S BEEN PART OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY BEING TRANSPARENT, BEING OPEN TO HEAR.

AND LISTEN AND IMPLEMENT WHERE AVAILABLE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE YOU HIRED KEITH McDANIEL.

HE'S A FORMER POLICE OFFICER, HE WENT TO WORK FOR PCAV FOR A WHILE, YOU'VE HIRED HIM AS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR?

>> YES.

>> WHAT -- THAT HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH TRANSPARENCY WITH REACHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

HOW WILL HE BENEFIT YOUR OPERATION?

>> SO KEITH'S FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS AS WE SPOKE IS WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE SERVING AREAS OF THE CITY WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE ZIP CODES THAT ARE THE HIGHEST AREAS OF NEED.

BUT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE AREA.

SO WE WANT TO FINE TUNE AND LASER FOCUS IN, WHAT ARE THE BLOCKS THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED IN IN THESE AREAS?

AND THEN FIND THE CHAMPIONS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, FIND THE KEY CLERGY MEMBERS, THE BUSINESS OWNERS, THE NONPROFITS, AND BRING THEM ALL TOGETHER TO THE TABLE.

AND NOW, FIGURE OUT HOW WE MOVE TO EMPOWER THESE NEIGHBORHOODS INDIVIDUALLY.

LIGHT SURVEYS, BRINGING OUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WORKING WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.

AND TALKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM.

IS THERE A POTHOLE THAT WE CAN FIX IMMEDIATELY?

IS THERE SOME LIGHTS THAT WE CAN START REPLACING IMMEDIATELY?

CAN WE GIVE LIGHT BULBS AND GET LIGHT BULBS ON THE FRONT PORCHES AND BACK PORCHES OF THESE HOMES?

AND START GETTING AT THESE SMALLER LEVEL ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING BECAUSE IF THEY FEEL THAT WE CARE FOR THEM AND THAT WE WANT TO GET THESE SMALL THINGS, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO START WORKING ON THE LARGER ISSUES THAT ARE THERE AS WELL.

>> WHAT ABOUT LIGHTING, PATRICK?

CAN YOU IMPROVE LIGHTING IN SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS IS REDOING SOME LIGHTING, FOR EXAMPLE, ON NEBRASKA LOOKING AT SOME AREAS ON GLENN OAK TO DO SOME LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS AND WE ALSO HAVE SET ASIDE $500,000 FOR SMART STREETLIGHTING PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN POTENTIALLY PUT CAMERAS ON SOME OF THE LIGHTS AS WELL.

AND THEN REPRESENTATIVE BOOTH WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING $2 1/2 MILLION FOR THE CITY FOR STREETLIGHTING.

THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD AS WELL.

AND THEN, ONE OF THE AREAS OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING THAT WE'RE DOING IS SETTING ASIDE $500,000 OF THE ANTI-VIOLENCE FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE PROGRAM THAT THE CHIEF WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT KIND OF PLACE BASED INTERVENTIONS IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW HAVE HOT SPOT CRIME ACTIVITY CAN WE FOCUS ON TO ADDRESS THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL?

>> THE CHIEF MENTIONED THAT HE HIRED KEITH McDANIEL.

YOU MADE A HIRE, TOO.

AND I WANT YOU TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF CONTINUITY.

SOLBERGER IS NOT THE NEW CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT HE WENT FROM INTERIM TO PERMANENT.

AND WE HAD AN ISSUE PREVIOUSLY WITH, I BELIEVE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE HAVE FOUR CHIEFS IN EIGHT YEARS.

>> FOUR CHIEFS IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS.

>> IT WAS A LOT OF TURNOVER.

CHIEF BACHMAN WAS HERE FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS IN THAT ROLE AND BEFORE THAT, WE HAD CHIEF ARTIST, IT WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR.

AND WE HAD SOME TURNOVER AND I THINK THAT WHAT CHIEF SOLBERGER CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE IS CONTINUITY AND I THINK THAT WITH HIS ASSISTANT CHIEF, CHIEF RICKY MORGAN, THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF CONTINUITY TO THE ORGANIZATION.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE THERE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

I THINK THAT THEIR FOCUS ON IS GOING TO BE ON THAT STABILITY, FOCUSING ON ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS FELT SOME ISSUES OF MORALE DUE TO THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS DUE TO STAFFING.

THEY WERE REALLY THE LAST DEPARTMENT THAT FELT THE BRUNT OF THE STAFFING REDUCTIONS IN THE CITY SO IT'S VERY PRESENT IN THEIR MINDS AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT IN MOVING FORWARD.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT STAFFING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE YOU'RE USING SOME OVERTIME DOLLARS IN ORDER TO BRING BACK A TRUCK.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> WHICH IN A TRUCK REQUIRES 11 FIREFIGHTERS TO FULLY OPERATE.

YOU'RE HOPEFUL TO MAKE THAT A PERMANENT SITUATION?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

WE'VE APPLIED FOR A FEDERAL GRANT CALLED -- IT'S A SAFER GRANT THROUGH FEMA AND IT'S A STAFFING GRANT THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR THOSE 11 FIREFIGHTERS FOR THREE YEARS.

WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO KEEP THOSE 11 FIREFIGHTERS.

WE COULDN'T LOWER OUR STAFFING COMPLEMENT FOR THAT FOUR-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.

SO HOPEFULLY, WE'RE ABLE TO HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THEY'RE STARTING TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT OUR FINGERS ARE CROSSED THAT WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT AS WELL.

>> I WANT TO TURN TO ANOTHER ACTION THE CITY COUNCIL HAS YET TO TAKE BUT DISCUSSED THIS PAST TUESDAY'S MEETING COUNCILMAN OF THE SECOND DISTRICT SUGGESTED MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT RED LIGHT CAMERAS AND I THINK RED LIGHT CAMERAS UP IN CHICAGO GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A BAD NAME WHEN THEY WERE FIRST BROUGHT OUT.

I'D LIKE THE CHIEF TO FOLLOW UP.

BUT FIRST, YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF DO YOU BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE RED LIGHT CAMERAS IN THE CITY OF PEORIA?

IF SO, WHAT BENEFIT WOULD THAT PROVIDE?

>> I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CERTAINLY EXPLORE.

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT.

AND GET THE CHIEF'S PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.

I KNOW CHICAGO IS ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE STATE THAT IS USING THAT OR APPROVED TO USE IT.

BUT FROM WHAT OUR LEGAL COUNSEL SHARED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING IS THAT ADDITIONAL CITIES MAY BE ABLE TO BE ADDED TO BE ABLE TO USE THESE RED LIGHT CAMERAS.

IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE SO WE HAVE TO GET OUR LEGISLATURE -- EXCUSE ME, LEGISLATORS ON BOARD WITH THAT REQUEST.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ENTERTAINING THAT, OR PURSUING THAT.

BUT I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS MORE INFORMATION, THE COUNCIL NEEDS MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION.

>> AND THE STAFF WILL BRING A PROPOSAL FORWARD SO AT LEAST THERE'S A FRAMEWORK FOR A DISCUSSION AT A FUTURE MEETING.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> WELL, THE MAYOR ASKED FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE, CHIEF.

OFFER YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON RED LIGHT CAMERAS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TASKED MY STAFF TO DO IS GO DO THE RESEARCH ON WHAT THESE STOPLIGHT CAMERAS OR SPEED CAMERAS WOULD LOOK LIKE.

WHAT NEW TECHNOLOGY IS OUT THERE?

WHAT ARE THE ANALYTICS BEHIND IT?

WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE START USING TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S EASY TO SAY LET'S PUT UP CAMERAS SOMEWHERE WITHOUT DOING THE RESEARCH.

YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THESE PANNED OUT IN THE COURT SYSTEM?

WHAT ARE THE ERROR RATES OF THESE CAMERAS?

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO BEHIND IT.

SO I THINK AT THIS POINT, MY PERSPECTIVE IS LET'S DO THE RESEARCH ON IT.

LET'S FIGURE OUT IS THIS A VIABLE OPTION FOR US OR NOT?

WHAT'S THE TECHNOLOGY LOOK LIKE?

SO ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, WE MAY TAKE A VISIT TO A COUPLE OF CITIES THAT HAVE THEM AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS THERE.

HOW HAS IT IMPROVED?

AND AGAIN, IS IT GOING TO BE VIABLE FOR US.

>> AND THESE CAMERAS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER CAMERAS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE.

>> CORRECT.

YEAH.

>> I WANT TO TURN TO THE MAYOR AGAIN AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE I.C.C.

IS RECEIVING A GRANT $14.7 MILLION, I BELIEVE.

>> YES, CALLED THE GOOD JOBS CHALLENGE.

>> AND WHAT STRUCK ME AS BEING IMPORTANT IS IT'S NOT MONEY FOR ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLLEGE.

YES, THEY GOT THE GRANT.

BUT IT'S TO TRY TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR FUTURE EMPLOYEES OF COMPANIES BUT THOSE COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S A GREAT COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE OVER 500 APPLICANTS FOR THAT GOOD JOBS CHALLENGE AND IT'S ALSO MONEY THAT COMES THROUGH THE E.D.A.

AND I.C.C.

WAS ONE OF, I THINK, 36 APPEARLY LY -- APPLICANTS RECEIVED FUNDING, NATIONAL COMPETITION, I'M EXCITED IT WILL SERVE OUR REGION AND UPSCALE PEOPLE IN OUR REGION TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PERFORM -- TO GET TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY JOBS AND HAVE THOSE SKILLS AND CREDENTIALS THAT ARE REQUIRED.

THESE ARE GOOD PAYING JOBS.

FAMILY SUSTAINING JOBS THAT WILL LEAD TO CAREERS AND GREAT FUTURES.

>> SO THE ROLE OF THE EMPLOYER, THE COMPANIES, THEY'LL BE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH I.C.C.

IN TRAINING?

>> YES, THERE'S APPRENTICESHIPS INVOLVED WHICH MEANS MENTORSHIPS, WHICH MEANS LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN SKILLS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M EXCITED.

I CONGRATULATE DR. SHEILA BAILEY AND HER TEAM AT I.C.C.

AS WELL AS THE COLLABORATION.

THE COLLABORATION, I KNOW, THAT CHRIS SETTY AND HIS TEAM AT THE GREATER PEORIA E.D.C.

WAS INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT BUT AGAIN, A GREAT COLLABORATION THAT HAS A GREAT RESULT.

AND IT'S GOING TO MEAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOOST FOR OUR AREA.

>> DR. BAILEY, OF COURSE, IS THE PRESIDENT AT ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLLEGE.

PATRICK, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT DOLLARS.

A LOT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS AND STATE DOLLARS.

SOME OF THAT MONEY WILL BE FOR PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN TEST AND BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN.

BUT A LOT OF THIS MONEY IS ONE TIME MONEY.

WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE BUDGET OF THE CITY OF PEORIA, LET'S SAY, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF SOME OF THIS?

>> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING IF YOU GO BACK TO 2020, WE SAW A $20 MILLION DROP IN OUR REVENUES WHEN COVID HIT.

AND THEN IN 2021, WE STARTED TO SEE THIS REBOUND AND THE REBOUND REALLY WAS VERY STRONG WITH SOME OF OUR STATE SHARED REVENUES, REVENUES THAT COME FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT WAS LED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE RYAN SPAIN TO CHANGE THE TAXATION STRUCTURE IN ILLINOIS TO TAX INTERNET SALES.

THAT GAVE US A 15% BOOST IN OUR SALES TAX REVENUES SO SIGNIFICANT.

AND THAT, YOU KNOW, 15% IS NEARLY $10 MILLION.

SO THAT WAS A GOOD BUMP THAT WAS COMING BACK TO THE CITY OF PEORIA.

THAT'S CONTINUED TO GROW.

WE'RE ALSO SEEING THAT STATE INCOME TAXES BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND THE CORPORATE INCOME TAXES ARE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THEY'VE BEEN AT EVER AND WE'RE SEEING CORPORATE INCOME TAX AT A TREMENDOUSLY HIGH LEVEL.

PROBABLY THIS YEAR, IT WILL BE $10 MILLION OVER WHAT WE ANTICIPATED IT TO BE.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLAN THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOREVER.

BUT SO LOOKING LONG TERM OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THAT OUR REVENUES ARE GOING TO TROUGH AGAIN.

BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, OUR FISCAL SITUATION IS THE BEST THAT IT'S EVER BEEN AND WE ARE -- OUR RESERVES ARE AT TOP LEVELS.

WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO END THIS YEAR AT ABOUT 30% IN OUR FUND BALANCE RESERVE SO THAT'S OVER OUR POLICY REQUIREMENTS AND WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD FISCAL POSITION FROM THAT END.

SO THE KEY IS WE HAVE TO BE PLANNING FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND KNOWING THAT BECAUSE OF THIS INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET AS MUCH DONE WITH THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT, SO THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS GOING TO BE STRESSED.

BUT OPERATIONALLY, WE JUST HAVE TO BE JUDICIOUS ABOUT HOW WE USE THOSE DOLLARS MORE.

>> AND FOR CLARIFICATION, THE FUND BALANCE RESERVE IS WHAT WE NORMALLY WOULD CALL THE RAINY DAY FUND.

>> RAINY DAY FUND.

THAT'S CORRECT.

>> THERE IS MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR POLICE OFFICERS, I THINK THE AUTHORIZATION LEVEL IS 222, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> DON'T HAVE 222.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO TRY TO FILL THAT GAP?

>> WELL, WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT -- WE'RE IN THE RECRUITING PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

IF SOMEBODY IS READY TO COME APPLY, WE ARE TAKING APPLICATIONS.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT A LATERAL PROGRAM WHERE THE CITY HAS APPROVED A $15,000 HIRING BONUS FOR OFFICERS IN ILLINOIS WHO ARE ALREADY POLICE OFFICERS AND HAVE BEEN TO THE ACADEMY TO COME WORK AT THE PEORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND WE WILL BE OFFERING A $15,000 HIRING BONUS AND GET UP TO A LEVEL FIVE, STEP FIVE LEVEL PAY DEPENDING ON THEIR YEARS THEY'VE BEEN AT THE AGENCY THEY'RE AT.

AND VACATION AT A 10 YEAR, UP TO 10 YEAR EQUIVALENT HERE.

WHAT THEIR VACATION WOULD BE.

>> AND THAT FILLS THE GAP IN THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE TRAINED BECAUSE A BRAND NEW OFFICER HAS TO GO TO ACADEMY, ETC., IT TAKES HOW LONG?

>> BETWEEN ACADEMY AND FIELD TRAINING, YOU'RE LOOKING AT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS, CLOSER TO EIGHT MONTHS.

THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE ACADEMY.

WE WOULD DO AN IN HOUSE TRAINING AND GET THEM ON THE STREETS SOONER.

>> REAL QUICK ANSWER TO A QUICK QUESTION.

PIONEER INDUSTRIAL PARK.

EXPANSION POSSIBLE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE -- WE'RE WORKING TO GET SOME OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, O.P.M.

AS I CALL IT, TO HELP TO DEVELOP THE PIONEER PARK AREA.

TO EXPAND THAT TO INCLUDE AN OVERPASS TO ROUTE 6.

WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE A BIG ECONOMIC BOOST AND ATTRACT MORE INDUSTRIES TO OUR AREA AND SUPPORT EXISTING INDUSTRIES AS WELL.

>> THAT MONEY WOULD COME FROM?

>> TWO USOD GRANTS.

ONE IS THE MEGA GRANT WHICH IS PROJECTS OVER $100 MILLION AND THE OTHER IS THE BUILD GRANT THAT IS SMALLER $30 MILLION ASK.

>> HOW SOON MIGHT WE HEAR?

>> HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> WITH THAT, WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME.

THERE'S MORE TO DISCUSS.

WE HOPE YOU CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AT HOME.

LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO PATRICK URICH, THE CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF PEORIA AND MAYOR RITA ALI, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AND TO THE POLICE CHIEF, ERIC ECHEVARRIA FOR JOINING US ON "AT ISSUE."

THANK YOU ALL THREE.

WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN NEXT TIME WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "AT ISSUE."

PLEASE JOIN US THEN.