[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6205051,"mediaKeyId","3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907","parentId",3777195,"title","Peoria police say neighborhood services unit understaffed; recruitment pipeline may fill vacancies by August","audioSeconds",341,"startMs",6141000,"endMs",6482000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907&start=6141&end=6482","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907/thumbnail_6141000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6205051/Peoria/Peoria-County/Illinois/Peoria-police-say-neighborhood-services-unit-understaffed-recruitment-pipeline-may-fill-vacancies-by-August","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6205051-7694cde9d9121fad1440cdae9d403e29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179860&Signature=AXRO5Wmi1-XVkcgvRloOnvvQ1ROhb-jguz5z-ATJIyC7Vdc2nzP1hpM6RGBdfTB0JfpPxh4F2aZWYPQAK7JeXZ~~VzmfgnydVNEiY7o6zJk9ilLVgarJH6UuBO-uPeOuoypa09kB5B2NTP1pjq14N-Wz-vPl3HEYmC~KePgfZiVb2xslNWYYV4QsfbIR-OBVh470i5Vq-KF0YZ0RYs~hbT1WVtUKODQFjiHYMPC7oxdcJRhxdTwkhPZ7fgTs20gvwWjo1G2fBL9rXmEHUpGAUiVdfLSg0Rdve3qFW4M9XbONVf0nWBJ3geuJwVjsTuqu1Bek3~5PRmDrMkMzGr7T3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Peoria, IL","date","2025-06-12T00:33:56.847Z","article","The Peoria Police Department reported to the City Council on June 10 that its Neighborhood Services Unit (NSU) is understaffed but that an active recruitment and training pipeline should allow the department to backfill vacant neighborhood positions in the coming months.

Assistant Chief Dixon briefed the council on NSU staffing: the unit has a sergeant, a nuisance-abatement officer (temporarily filled), three resident officers and one community engagement officer, and one neighborhood house was vacant pending minor repairs. He said the department’s on-paper headcount is 227, but 34 officers are in training or at the police academy and 17 are out for various reasons; the effective staffing of officers available for assignments is therefore reduced.

“It's going to take a little bit before we can backfill some of these positions, but I'm anticipating at the latest in August, backfilling the neighborhood house down in Madison,” Assistant Chief Dixon said. He added the department’s next candidate classes will finish in August and then in the autumn months, allowing more hires to be placed on the street.

Council members asked about plans to expand neighborhood houses and community policing presence; Dixon said leadership is prioritizing a Madison house reopening and would like to place an additional house in the East Bluff if space and staffing permit. Council members and staff praised the NSU’s outreach and urged continued emphasis on recruitment and training to restore neighborhood coverage.

No formal council action was required; the update was provided during new business and council members thanked police staff for the briefing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Peoria City Council Meeting June 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Assistant Chief Dixon and police staff told the council the Neighborhood Services Unit is short several officers but that a training pipeline should allow the department to refill a neighborhood house by August and continue hiring through the fall.","taxTitle","Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois","taxId",2826,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6205057,"Peoria finance director reports April 2025 revenues holding; civic center bridge loan repaid",892,4870000,5762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907&start=4870&end=5762","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907/thumbnail_4870000.jpg","/articles/6205057/Peoria/Peoria-County/Illinois/Peoria-finance-director-reports-April-2025-revenues-holding-civic-center-bridge-loan-repaid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6205057-7a1098dbcc9bdda20bb3b7244c54120b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179860&Signature=C-b7RiZr-xeF8-zcKaJfYZyPs1gkVrk7iU4Hu0eCRjYv6KpoZDAScX5ADpczeQ18vGMG0mjRpbB--kiS4Rx4T1SHtltD42ovzBV5PMS9TY93zxTgO0sGrGqY4BA-4a9SgPVqKEOqPCFuemCWi8wPnK2q3MOYEY0dDQJTrrmC-ZluEwWYU8vxuIDiqlJU5-zywh-ibm6c3LAZkcwFceUcbVH23KI5I2FgggzeF-KydhrjHreJuNSViW0t0cbWs0Gj9XYuA86WzrzN8uuKHxiiWLUdpp1BadrZJw2SMcpYMwXrcvtfH1RlTUgaeob64WI8ceqYT8hcuK2F6rN2fOm8PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Peoria’s finance director presented the city’s unaudited financial report for the month ended April 30, 2025, telling the City Council on June 10 that revenues were near budget and expenses trailed projected levels, a combination the director called a positive sign for the year.

Finance Director Kyle Cratty said the city’s revenues are roughly flat against the budget and up about 2.5% compared with the prior year, while expenses were down about 5.2% versus budget and down 7.3% from the previous year. He said stronger home-rule and state sales taxes to date reflect recent state law changes affecting out-of-state sales tax and certain rental equipment sales.

Cratty also reported the Civic Center has repaid a previously provided bridge loan in full. The city had advanced funds to the Civic Center to cover project payments while it awaited state reimbursements; the Civic Center returned the funds, and Cratty said the city has not recently observed any reserve-level concerns from that entity.

Council members requested clarifications. Council Member Allen asked for more detail on the timing effects of grant reimbursements; Cratty said year-to-date comparisons can reflect the pace of grant spending because revenues are recognized when expenditures are recorded and reimbursed. Cratty agreed to provide additional dollar-amount context alongside percentages in future reports to make the numbers clearer to residents.

Council members discussed several other finance-related items: Cratty said the city now has five cannabis dispensaries and expects to be able to break out cannabis-related sales-tax revenue in the next budget process once Department of Revenue confidentiality thresholds are met. He also identified the garbage fund and certain federal-program reimbursement timing as items staff will monitor.

Council voted to receive and file the April 30 unaudited financial report; the motion passed unanimously.","Finance Director Kyle Cratty reported April 30 unaudited figures showing revenues roughly on budget and expenses below expected levels; the Civic Center has repaid a bridge loan in full and sales tax trends are stronger than anticipated though grant timing affects year-to-date comparisons.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6205060,"Peoria accepts $475,000 IHDA Strong Communities grant to expand demolition and land-bank work",0,5894000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907&start=5894&end=5894","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907/thumbnail_5894000.jpg","/articles/6205060/Peoria/Peoria-County/Illinois/Peoria-accepts-475000-IHDA-Strong-Communities-grant-to-expand-demolition-and-land-bank-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6205060-defffdef8c874b7b2b6a5089dabf8d2c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179860&Signature=NHNye2BkLVFcmo7794bJ-VIk5ajOiNp4RW5TEM8dC8R5Lj3kpkzRBOWsowk~SghaGGtGb0EU5SZwX3NF32ZbShnw5zeEHF3IommHzYNYFLga4nQXCsT5xvBKxq92avj6gfVVLSSv1As3Fah~Qu-ICDCJkk-XN5U2BisMF6bqHyG3osG2mpKMyyzaZiX98Zt4GICrq1idwNhuaGKFklv0bv1mUsawqtHgUQjIa1Y6WYmzeac2-2nvjPHIrYcv9h8gVdNKGqxnqFtofwOnmD1hCreo9~iyP1TYHF5vMyhCH1GlgcUph6VyDMeDVHcTtvYJwpBN6vqfhK9N3NF1LQ4ICw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Peoria City Council on June 10 accepted a $475,000 increase and extension to a Strong Communities Program grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) to support demolition and follow-on redevelopment work.

Community Development Director Doolin told the council the city previously received about $712,000 for demolition under the Strong Communities Program and was asked by IHDA to absorb additional funds that other grantees did not spend in time; the extra money must be spent quickly because it originates from American Rescue Plan allocations administered by the state.

“Over the last 10 years, we have torn down about 950 vacant, abandoned houses in our community. The remarkable thing in the last three years is we’ve torn down about 450 of those 950 houses,” Director Doolin said, noting staff and legal department efforts to accelerate demolitions.

Council members discussed next steps for cleared lots and stressed the city’s strategy of acquiring parcels in clusters to make redevelopment attractive to builders. Director Doolin and council members cited two near-term projects taking advantage of cleared lots: Churchview Gardens, a roughly 60-unit affordable housing development on the South End, and a Habitat for Humanity project tied to demolition of the McKinley site that received a congressional earmark and is expected to yield roughly 20 homeownership opportunities when completed.

Council Member Cyr asked whether the city has a plan for the large number of cleared lots; Director Doolin and others said the land bank’s strategy is to accumulate contiguous parcels for clustered redevelopment and coordinate infrastructure improvements that make sites viable for housing. Council Member Jackson urged a mixed-housing approach, saying both rental and homeownership will be needed in neighborhoods that have experienced long-term disinvestment.

Council Member Riggenbach moved approval of item 25-148A, to accept the grant increase; Council Member Jackson seconded. The council approved item A unanimously and then unanimously adopted an ordinance amending the 2025 revised budget to recognize the $475,000 grant increase (item 25-148B).

Speakers urged continued coordination with state agencies. Council members and staff noted that Illinois Department of Transportation projects — including $44 million in infrastructure improvements referenced by staff — will help make some redevelopment corridors more attractive to developers. Corporation Counsel and legal staff were publicly thanked for processing the statutory notices and court filings required for property acquisition and demolition.

The grant and budget amendment were approved without dissent; staff said they would proceed with demolition work and continued land-bank strategies intended to prepare sites for housing and other follow-on uses.","The council accepted a $475,000 grant increase from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to expand demolition work under the Strong Communities Program; council members and staff described nearly 950 demolitions over 10 years and strategies to convert cleared lots to housing.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6205065,"Peoria approves $22,630 membership in Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative over two no votes",2007,1433000,3440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907&start=1433&end=3440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777195-2ab63b411f2c48848618a5fefaf78907/thumbnail_1433000.jpg","/articles/6205065/Peoria/Peoria-County/Illinois/Peoria-approves-22630-membership-in-Illinois-River-Cities-and-Towns-Initiative-over-two-no-votes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6205065-27db30ffd9763892d3ae5566ae6be9a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771179860&Signature=He5pQ0R84mBTb2My51FNwwLHxatYfR~H8WEC6vE2U6MmWxBTs57IXgLYNY79U1rTsfqzrm7etnOhTaxeKwiMoaPdPuv6IMTl320-DjzS65i2ihrrsaYEIDP4~JCxf51SREZDd5O4mIiwTnBDipB9spWWoY~9W1JPiYdGwqDRp6vvoUAKrGGmrkqsYywqruv6oytLO4lndBbiy0I7R6WYTcUdfAFPThqwROnEca1qYCNVUhwOXvZeZOSHo65t1Vz54ykbwph2uCAuqhQ3UifFKVmWtVC4GvIYdaQm0As4cuUKG1fh3KRKnc4SZSuT-7ieTP4swNnE4YN8aDDkrp6xeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Peoria Mayor Rita Ali and the City Council voted 9–2 on June 10 to approve a $22,630 annual membership in the newly formed Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative, an organization presenters said will amplify the Illinois River’s profile and help attract funding and private investment to riverfront communities.

The membership earned the council’s approval after a presentation by Colonel Bob Sinclair and Dr. Anshu Singh, who described the initiative’s goal of coordinating mayors and local governments along the Illinois Waterway to pursue federal funding, ecosystem restoration, tourism and trade-development opportunities. Dr. Singh said the group already has more than a dozen mayors committed and that the Community Foundation of Central Illinois will serve as the fiscal sponsor.

“It was just the idea of the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission was to try and help stand up and support the establishment of the Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative to raise our voice, raise our profile, be able to influence national funding and policy decisions,” Colonel Sinclair said.

The presenters described several potential outcomes of an organized Illinois River mayors’ group: coordinated federal advocacy (they noted similar roles played by the Mississippi River and Great Lakes initiatives), pooled grant applications, and promotion of river tourism — including exploratory contacts with American Cruise Line. Dr. Singh said the Illinois River is part of the Upper Mississippi River system and argued Illinois communities lack the same advocacy presence as those other river systems.

Council members expressed differing views before the vote. Council Member Andrew Cyr said he could not support the fee, calling it “just a drop” given Peoria’s much larger obligations to combined sewer overflow work and other infrastructure. “I just can’t vote for it because of all the money we as a city already spend,” Cyr said.

Council Member Riggenbach, who moved approval, and Council Member Jackson both argued Peoria, as the largest city on the Illinois River, has a leadership responsibility and said the initiative could produce long-term returns through federal and regional partnerships. Jackson pointed to prior local riverboat tourism and said restoring similar opportunities could generate revenue.

Council Member Carmona joined Cyr in opposition, saying the city should be cautious about joining additional organizations while facing budget uncertainty. After a motion, the council voted: yes — Riggenbach, Jackson, Allen, Kelly, Euler, Gordon Young, Valpula, Vespa and Mayor Rita Ali; no — Cyr and Carmona; outcome — approved.

The presenters provided examples of the initiative’s potential leverage: Colonel Sinclair cited $192 million in approved ecosystem restoration projects in the Upper Mississippi River restoration program and the Illinois basin’s share of federal restoration funds as items that lacked sufficient local advocacy in prior years. Dr. Singh described early discussions with American Cruise Line about excursions that could include Peoria and noted ongoing conversations with senators and other federal officials about forming a broader freshwater coalition.

Council discussion included questions about the initiative’s timeline (the local effort has been organized for about five months), governance, and whether the membership is an annual payment; the manager confirmed the $22,630 is an annual contribution. Council Member Valpula asked what the initiative had accomplished to date; Dr. Singh said the Illinois River group is new but that sister organizations have helped secure tens or hundreds of millions of dollars for their regions.

The council directed no additional action beyond approving the membership; presenters said the group will report back to members. The motion to join passed with nine affirmative votes and two nays.

Peoria’s membership is intended to be an annual contribution; council discussion included a manager comment that the full member-driven budget target for the larger initiative was approximately $54,000 from member communities, supplemented by corporate sponsorships.

The matter was debated during the consent-removed item 25-143 and concluded with the formal vote recorded on June 10.","The Peoria City Council voted 9–2 to join the new Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative, a regional advocacy group presenters say will boost investment and river-focused projects; two council members opposed the annual $22,630 membership fee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Peoria police say neighborhood services unit understaffed; recruitment pipeline may fill vacancies by August

Peoria finance director reports April 2025 revenues holding; civic center bridge loan repaid

Peoria accepts $475,000 IHDA Strong Communities grant to expand demolition and land-bank work

Peoria approves $22,630 membership in Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative over two no votes