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

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…