12-21-99... When Water Rates REALLY Went UP!

When the Board of Trustees approved a series of water rate increases at the November 15 meeting, you can bet that there were some hands rubbing wildly together in the Peoples Party hierarchy dungeon. Poison Pen, who has morphed into the "family friendly" PH Voice on the Journal Star website, made a comment that this will be a 17% increase (over a 4 year period); that the water quality in the Heights is bad; then cascaded into her usual diatribe against everything that has happened in the Heights over the past 6 1/2 years. Of course, Poison Pen aka PH Voice aka Lynn Brown, also happens to be the niece of former Mayor Earl Carter... but, per usual, that's beside the point (sort of).

The real point is that this certainly isn't the first time that the water rates have been raised in Peoria Heights. They've been raised several times over the past number of years; because, you know, costs for everything have risen over the same time span, particularly in the areas of expertise involved with water line work.

What one might be unaware of is that the water rates in Peoria Heights minimum charge were raised from $22.20 to $36.00 in one fell swoop... back on December 21, 1999. For those of you without a Radio Shack calculator, that comes to an increase of $13.80, per billing; a percentage increase of 62%! In ONE year. Lynn Brown's uncle Earl Carter was mayor at the time. And, amazingly, former Trustee Andrea Pendleton was a trustee at that time, and did not hesitate to vote in favor of the same.

Now, that 62% increase in ONE year sort of dwarfs the 17% (actually, it's 16%... trust me, that's what it is... but, Poison Pen's 17% statement is close enough not to get too worked up about) over a FOUR year period, don't you think? However, you might ask, why was this astronomical water increase, under the Carter regime, not a major campaign issue in 2005? I have to assume that they were trying to be proactive instead of reactive in the maintenance and improvements of the Water Services. After all, that is what then-Supt. of Public Works Kevin Mattingly kept saying when he spoke in favor of the increase. Y'see, therein lies the difference between the politics of the Peoples Party hierarchy and its mouthpiece, Poison Pen, and the "politics" of the Village since May 2005. We're not all that concerned about who came up with what, so long as it is in the best interest of the Village. Maintaining a strong dollar balance in the Water Funds secures our ability to continue having our own Water Department. That's a good thing.

Poison Pen doesn't stop to consider that the $1.6 million dollar improvements that are presently being completed, which include replacement of the main water main from below the bluff to the water towers above, and the new well being put in, might cause costs to increase; nope, not her. Nope, not the Peoples Party hierarchy... doesn't matter WHAT happens while we're around - it's WRONG. Poison Pen doesn't investigate to find out that we meet or EXCEED each and EVERY E.P.A. criteria regarding our water quality... or that it's the same water that was around when Uncle Earl was the mayor... nope, it's just BAD water because Uncle Earl is no longer at the controls.

Want to know what a good deal the Peoria Heights residents continue to get regarding their water rates, in comparison to the water rates from Illinois American, just across the "border"? The Journal Star article didn't go into detail about that fact, though it really should have. Illinois American is asking for a rate increase in short order, so let's let the following quote from the Journal Star regarding this request speak for itself...

"By this time next year, some central Illinoisans could end up paying water bills nearly 20 percent higher than today.

Illinois-American Water filed paperwork Thursday with state regulators seeking a $180 million rate increase for its consumers across the state - including Peoria and Pekin residents - largely to pay for infrastructure improvements.

The increase, if approved in full in September 2012 by the Illinois Commerce Commission, would add $7.06 to the typical consumer's bill each month, raising it to approximately $43.65 monthly - before additional taxes some communities tack on."

That's $43.65 PER MONTH. On December 2, 2016, the base rate for the Heights water will be $48.15 EVERY THREE MONTHS. That would be $130.95 for three months for Illinois American. That's 272% HIGHER than our rates.

Yes, it's still quite a deal for our water customers. Yes, we are taking major steps in upgrading our water infrastructure. Yes, the costs of doing such makes it necessary to stay ahead of the curve by raising the water rates.

Just like Earl Carter and the Peoples Party did on December 21, 1999. But a whole lot less.

Continuing Information... With a Letter From Fire Chief Reichert

It's a severe head scratcher when anyone "takes on" the Volunteer Fire Department. Unless there are some gross mismanagements (such as being drunk when putting out a fire; taking a 7 day cruise for "fire training), which have never been a problem in the Heights, there seems to be no reason, whatsoever, for ever calling out the Volunteer Fire Department on virtually any and all potential issues. Unless, of course, there is a political axe to grind.

First thing's first: we cannot, and almost certainly will never be able to, afford a full-time, paid Fire Department. The costs would be at least $1 million a year. That figure doesn't include the pension issues that would come to bear, either. On top of that, our population count (around 6,300) would not really require a full-time, staffed Fire Department. So, we must count on the volunteer spirit of those who are willing to receive hours upon hours of fire training, along with always the possibility of fighting a fire which might cause physical injury or death.

Why do citizens volunteer for this service that takes up so much time from their lives, and puts them in possible harm's way? Some might enjoy the excitement of it, and will never be full-time fire fighters, so this is there chance to participate, along with doing good for their community. Many like the camraderie, the social aspects, working together for the common good. Some want to receive the training and hands-on expertise of fire fighting that will allow them a leg-up in obtaining a job for a full-time fire fighting department. In many, if not most, cases for the Peoria Heights Fire Fighters, they receive training that is every bit as thorough and intense as Peoria Fire Fighters receive. Of course, there are reasons that are as diverse as the people volunteering; but, in the end, THANK GOD that they are willing to do it.

Now, I'll go one step further... what possesses a person to VOLUNTEER to be Fire Chief for the Village of Peoria Heights? Oh, and before Poison Pen gets rockin' and rollin' over the term "volunteer," let's clear it up that Chief Reichert receives about $300.00 a month for the time he puts into his role. He hasn't told me, as it varies, but I'm betting that his work as Fire Chief takes up around 20-40 hours a week. We'll go with an average of 30 hours a week... so that "pays" him a whopping $2.50 an hour. I was knocking that down, back in '75, at Crystal Ice Company, bagging ice.

Chief Reichert is motivated by his love for Peoria Heights and for fire fighting, in general. He's a rare, rare, rare commodity in these days. But, let me share with you an open letter that Chief Reichert submitted to the Board of Trustees, Administrator Fick, and me, in response to the latest brouhaha (which I'm certain you read about in the Journal Star) concerning former Trustee Scott Owen and his issues with a used police vehicle being transferred to the Fire Department (I obtained Chief Reichert's authorization to share it):

"Mayor, Board of Trustees, and Administrator,

Since being accused of "inside, good ole boy, back room deals" and "wasting" Village funds, I feel there are some things you should know. The following list is all factual, not what I think I know or what someone told me; it is all true and can be proven.

1. We painted the entire inside of Station 1; Village paid for the paint, and we supplied the labor.

2. Painted the entire inside of Station 2; again, the Village supplied the paint, we supplied the labor.

3. Painted the entire Training room in the basement of Village Hall; you guessed it, we supplied the labor.

4. Stuck-gated the intake valve on Engine 654. Len (Jatkowski) took it apart, cleaned, repaired and reassembled it. No charge to the Village. I sent one in for the same thing from Engine 652 and the cost was over $200.

5. 658 was responding to a call when it stopped running. We got it back to 2 House and stayed until we figured out what was wrong; a dead short in one battery. Village paid for the batteries only; Kenny (Martin) replaced the batteries.

6. When we bought new thermal imaging cameras, we installed and wired them ourselves, no labor charges. (Labor rate: $75 - $95/hr.)

7. Gear racks: I took my own trailer to Deer Creek, IL and picked up racks in pieces, to save shipping charges and assembly costs. Letter of credit for $400 on file (shipping charges). Firemen and Ambulance Service assembled the racks over a week's period.

8. Engine 655 was reported to be not starting. On my day off I took the batteries out, got new ones, and tried to install them. I was having trouble (electrical) and called Len Jatkowski at work; he came to Station 2 during his working hours to help. After about 15 minutes, it was determined that a solenoid was stuck. We worked on the truck for about 2 hours until it was fixed. Again, at no labor cost to the Village.

9. I personally change oil in about 10 small engines that run various pieces of equipment, to save the Village money. The Village pays for the oil, but no labor charges.

10. The pump that runs our hydraulic tools for vehicle extrication quit running. Len (Jatkowski) removed the carburetor and cleaned it, reinstalled it and got it working again. No costs to the Village.

11. Kenny (Martin) attended training to become certified to fix Air-Packs. Huge savings for the Village.

12. After the basement was remodeled, Kenny (Martin) and I painted the hallway; it was not included in the work done. No labor costs.

13. After the basement was finished, I contacted a friend who came down and professionally installed all of the cable and Ethernet cable for no costs (labor or materials).

14. I seal coated the drive at Station 2. Village paid for materials only.

15. I had the opportunity to obtain some commercial storage racks for free, if I hauled them away. I gave several to the Ambulance Service for their storage room.

16. Bob Hill had a friend (expert in the field) change sensors and calibrate our gas detector meter. No charge for labor (very expensive to have worked on).

17. Bob (Hill), Len (Jatkowski) and I carpeted the entire downstairs offices. We had to remove the old carpet, scrape the floors, move the furniture, and then do the installation. Village paid only for the carpet.

18. Deb Reichert pays the bills; keeps track of the budget; does all of the maintenance on our computer system and server. No charge to the Village. How much does our computer person get paid when you (the Village) call him in?

19. Kenny Martin, Bob Hill, Len Jatkowski, Brennan Kennedy and I all went to the NIMS 300 and 400 classes at I.C.C. The classes were free. I can't speak for the others, but I lost four days pay to attend these classes, just over $800 for me. I took these classes not for me, but so the Village can be NIMS compliant. If the Village is found not to be compliant, or not working to become compliant, it would not be eligible for FEMA grants, or other federal or state funds.

This is just a partial list from the top of my head; items like these above go on, almost on a daily basis. This is what being a Volunteer means to me, giving of yourself, your time, and your skills, expecting nothing in return. This is the way I was introduced to the Fire Service 26 years ago. I watched as the Chief did without, kept things running longer than they were intended to, kept our gear and equipment past its life expectancy and fought for everything that we got. Over the past 6 plus years, the attitude has changed. The Mayor and Board have seen the need to upgrade the Fire Department, Ambulance, and their equipment. For this I am very grateful.

The statement that Mr. Owen made, "... all this for a Volunteer Fire Chief that does not even go to fires," I find offensive, degrading and slanderous. Mr. Owen may not know it, but Volunteer or paid Chief, they are both held responsible at the same level. The only difference is about $80,000.00 to $200,000.00 per year, plus benefits. His statement "... this was a classic example of inside, good ole boy back room deals!", I find this to be equally offensive and degrading to both me, the Mayor, and whomever else Mr. Owen thinks was involved in this "deal."

In closing, I am asking to be treated with respect and on an equal playing field with the other departments.

Sincerely,

Chief Reichert"



Chief Reichert could have requested a brand new vehicle for the Fire Department, instead of accepting the used police vehicle. And, again, this is a vehicle that is for FIRE DEPARTMENT use, not as personal vehicle for the Chief. Believe me, Chief Reichert has a much nicer vehicle of his own to use for personal reasons. This Fire Department vehicle is used for picking up equipment; going to training classes; emergency responses, etc. Things which the Chief, or any other member of the Fire or Ambulance services should not be using their own personal vehicles for.

It was always puzzling to me as to why a person like Scott Owen, who clearly has some volunteer spirit himself, i.e. cleaning off the Abe Lincoln bust, coordinating much of the past Duryea Days, would create such controversy between himself and VOLUNTEERS for the Village. I just echo the sentiments of virtually everyone in Peoria Heights: THANK YOU to those who do volunteer for the Village.

Once Again... Ambulance Information

On the Journal Star website, Poison Pen quotes "revenues vs. expenses" for the Ambulance Service, from the volunteer era under the administration of her esteemed Uncle Earl Carter; and also since the full-time staffed and paid Ambulance Service came into being.

Once again, certain facts have to be written about... facts which Poison Pen just cannot grasp. Or, more likely, simply does not WANT to grasp.

First, you cannot compare the "revenues/expenses" of a volunteer service vs. a paid service. The volunteer service was not working. It was not working under Uncle Earl. But, Uncle Earl did nothing about it. He didn't even request for the Board of Trustees to go with AMT, even though that option was pushed by former Trustee Wayne Baum. Particularly during the daytime working hours, there were calls put out that our volunteers did not show up for! Not because they did not care, but because they were not available. So, some calls were going a half hour; an hour; two hours before any service showed up. It might be Dunlap Fire & Rescue; it might be West Peoria Fire & Rescue; it might be AMT (if they had a vehicle available in the area); it might be us, if we finally were able to get volunteers to arrive. This was happening on probably 30-50% of the calls! The paperwork is available for anyone who wants to see it, going well into Uncle Earl's two terms. Just give us a call, and then come on by.

So, we had two options... go with a paid service, or go with AMT. Period. End of discussion. Once again, comparing a cost analysis for a volunteer service that we could not proceed with versus a full-time paid, staffed, Advanced Life Service outfit is being done for one reason, and one reason only... POLITICS.

Scroll through the postings I've placed, and you'll find why we chose to have our own Ambulance Service over AMT's. But, I will write that the main reason was SERVICE. We can get to our residents within 5-10 minutes, TOPS. AMT might be in the area, they might not. It could be 5-10 minutes, but it's much more likely to be a half hour or more. If your loved one has just had a heart attack, let me know which service you'd rather have... 5-10 minutes or a half hour or longer.

Village Board to Consider Raising Sales Tax by .5 percent to Equal Peoria's Tax Rate

We will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday September 14, for the Board of Trustees to discuss the possibility of raising our sales tax by .5%, thus equaling Peoria's base sales tax rate.

Why?

Obviously, the lack of revenues received from the state plays a role. It's had an extremely harmful effect on every community around us, and we certainly have not been immune.

We've been very aggressive in addressing our infrastructure issues. As you've read probably a few more times than you'd like on this blog, the proof is in the pudding. Please read as follows regarding how we have changed the monetary outputs towards curbs and sidewalks in the Heights:




"Here is what was actually spent in the last 4 budget years of the Carter administration on Curbs and Sidewalks:

2005-2006 $3,804.00
2004-2005 $43,014.00
2003-2004 $57,292.00
2002-2003 $9,288.00

Grand Total of the last 4 Carter budget years: $109,594.00

Here’s what has been spent on Curbs & Sidewalks in the first 4 years we had control of the budget:

2006-2007 $124,807.00
2007-2008 $154,821.00
2008-2009 $97,589.00
2009-2010 $76,597.00

For a grand total of: $453,814.00."

That's over FOUR times more that was spent on curbs and sidewalks in Peoria Heights since we've had control of the budget.

It truly cannot be made any plainer.

We've also been very aggressive regarding our services provided to the Village. The full time Ambulance Service, which is paramedic certified, is the easy example. But, also the addition of a full-time Ordinance Officer/Building Inspector; the addition of an additional Police Officer, who also spends a good deal of time at our grade school, as the School Resource Officer. The moving of the Police Department to a separate building; scroll through the blog, and there will be a good deal more examples.

But, I also believe this is more fair for us as a Village, and for our citizens, as well. The last thing I wanted to do was to see ANY tax increase in Peoria Heights, particularly during these recession years. However, this is not an increase in property taxes. The proposed increase will bring OUR base sales tax rate to equal Peoria's same... and that's all.

The citizens of Peoria Heights probably spend 80-90% of their disposable income in Peoria, East Peoria, Washington, etc. Mostly because, let's face it, those communities have a much greater variety of the stores that we all mostly buy our goods from. We don't have a Best Buy. We don't have a Target. We don't have a Wal-Mart. We don't have a Kroger. So, whenever our citizens go into Peoria, they pay 8 1/4% sales tax to the City. In the Heights, it is 7 3/4%. But, that smaller sales tax percentage certainly has not brought in a Best Buy; or a Kroger; or a Target to the Heights. No one who lives within a few blocks of the Walgreen's on University is going to hop into his/her car, drive to the Heights Walgreen's, in order to save 18 cents. So, the lower sales tax percentage only costs us revenues; it doesn't give us the "retail edge" that it was hoped it would.

How much more will it cost the consumer who shops in the Heights compared to now?

If you go to Walgreen's and buy $40.00 worth of items, you will end up paying 20 cents more. If you go to one of the restaurants along Prospect, and have a $250.00 bill, you will end up paying $1.25 more. Bear in mind, whatever you end up paying in either of those scenarios, you'd be paying the same amount if you were doing your purchasing in Peoria. Although, you would be paying more at the restaurant, actually, in taxes, in Peoria; as the City has an additional tax amount for restaurants.

This .5% sales tax increase could mean upwards of an additional $250,000.00 a year for the Heights.

If we want to continue to be more aggressive with our infrastructure issues; and making sure that our services remain what they are, if not better; and to make sure that we remain a VIABLE community; then, we have to make certain that our revenue stream is all it can be, particularly in these economically trying times.

No one wants to see ANY tax increase; especially anyone on the Board of Trustees and me. But, to let needed revenues go unclaimed, just BECAUSE, is no longer a smart option. Our services and infrastructure issues are virtually the same as Peoria's... our sales tax rates should be the same, as well.

Patriot Days Carnival September 22-25

We're all excited to be bringing a family carnival back to the Heights in just a few weeks. It will be located adjacent to the former Cohen's warehouse building, on Marietta, just off of Prospect.

There will be up to 12 rides; midway games; and food vendors. A beer wagon will be on the grounds on Friday and Saturday. This event will coincide with Homecoming Week at Peoria Heights High School, which should make that week one to remember. We also hope to have a live band performing on either Friday or Saturday night... more details when they are available.

Hours are as follows:

Thursday September 22: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Friday September 23: 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Saturday September 24: 12 noon to 11:00 pm

Sunday September 25: 12 noon to 6:00 pm

Mark your calendars now and I'll post more information as soon as it is finalized.


* This will work well with Homecoming at Peoria Heights High School, too. The Homecoming football game is Saturday afternoon, at the high school; the dance is that night. With decent weather, all of these activities should help make it a Homecoming to remember!*

Tower Park Music Fest Line-Up 2011

Remember: admission is free. There will be giant inflatables for the kids on Saturday from noon till around 7 - 8 pm.

Food vendors will be there, as will the beer trailer...

We hope to see you there!


Friday August 5

5:00 Caribbean Sol

7:00 Roundstone Buskers

9:00 Five Guys Named Moe



Saturday August 6

12 noon Heath and Greg

3:00 Ready Steady Go!

5:00 Barry Cloyd's Celtricity

7:00 The Special Consensus (Bluegrass)

9:00 Nick Boettcher and DriveTrain




For more information on the Special Consensus, check out their website:

http://www.specialc.com/

Duryea Days Begins Tonight

Don't forget about the Duryea Days festivities happening this weekend. Car show tonight; Rod Stewart singer dude, as well. Food vendors, beer tent, etc. It's all good.

Tomorrow on Saturday, there is such a long list of featured acts performing, that I'll have to ask you to check it out at the Chamber of Commerce website:

http://www.peoriaheightschamber.com/

Many thanks to the members of the Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce, along with Trustee R. Scott Owen for all of the hard work they've put in to making this a Duryea Days to remember!

IDOT Safety... ?

From the Journal Star the other day comes the following story:

"A highly traveled section of Farmington Road is due for an overhaul in the coming years, but highway engineers want public input before putting the final touches on the project.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will host a hearing from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Itoo Hall, 4909 W. Farmington Road, in which the plan will be detailed and engineers will be available to answer questions. Drawings of the project also will be presented.

"Our goal that night is really to present what is proposed and take back feedback," said IDOT District 4 community relations manager Brian Williamsen.

The scope of the project covers Farmington Road from just east of Swords Avenue to just west of Red Bud Drive and includes a major overhaul of the intersection with Kickapoo Creek Road, as well as replacement of the bridge over that body of water.

"A big part of that project is moving that intersection," Williamsen said, adding that it will move about 75 feet to the west. "It's enough to make it so the sight lines there are better."

Farmington Road from just east of Swords to the area just east of Kickapoo Creek also will be widened to include a turn lane.

Also included in the project is the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Farmington Road and Swords.

"Safety is the goal," Williamsen said of the proposed changes.

The project also has a bike lane through part of the roadway but does not include any sidewalks. The design of the widened road, however, incorporates areas where West Peoria could build sidewalks if desired.

The work does not yet have a specific start date but is included in the state highway department's five-year plan that begins next year."

Is there any significance in this story in regards to Peoria Heights? Well, the key component is that a traffic signal light is going to be installed at the intersection of Farmington Road and Swords Avenue. And, why is that going to be done? Let's let the quote from IDOT District 4 community relations manager Brian Williamsen explain why...

"Safety is the goal."

Since when is a traffic signal considered to be "safe" by IDOT, I ask. You see, when we made the same request to have at least one signal installed on Galena Road, I was told that IDOT studies show that intersections with traffic signals are much more dangerous than those without traffic signals. On a few thousand other occasions, I asked the readers to digest that statement for a spell. My response to the IDOT rep who told me that was simply, "Well, if that's the case, then why not remove ALL traffic signals so that EVERYONE can be safer when they travel?" And, of course, I was met with absolute silence.

So, once again, the decisions and actions of the IDOT "brain-trust" have virtually no continuity; it's just what they feel like they should do that day. Or, perhaps a person or company with clout made the request for the traffic signal; or maybe there's an elected representative in that area that will go to the mat with IDOT about a traffic signal; who knows...

My wife, Kathleen Allen, has lived along Terrace View Lane (right off of Galena Road) for almost all of her life. These issues with Galena Road have been around for so many years, which she can definitely verify.

All I know is that none of us will get a straight answer from IDOT as to why Farmington Road and Swords Avenue should receive a traffic signal light, when Galena Road and Galena Park Terrace/Longshore subdivision cannot get one.

It's just... because.

Tower Park Music Fest 2011

I can't seem to get the Journal Star to acknowledge the upcoming Tower Park Music Fest, even when I supply the information to them, prior to the deadline, for the Red Letter Date section. But, regardless, we WILL be having the Music Fest again this year; our 6th Annual. A few of the acts and their times still have to be finalized, but so far the line-up is as follows:


Friday August 5

5:00 Caribbean Sol

7:00 Roundstone Buskers

9:00 Five Guys Named Moe



Saturday August 6

12 noon OR 1:30 Heath and Greg

3:00 Ready Steady Go!

5:00 Barry Cloyd's Celtricity

7:00 The Special Consensus (Bluegrass)

9:00 Nick Boettcher and DriveTrain


The open times should be filled shortly; I'm just waiting for finalizations from the bands. We will be having the blow-up things for the kids again; food, drink, & beer "wagon," and hopefully a couple of surprises. I'll be providing more information as we get closer to the dates.

Benefit for Tracy Boettcher - May 22 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Those of you who have come to Tower Park Fest the past 5 years will know that Nick Boettcher and his band, DriveTrain, have closed the festival each of those years. They bring a great crowd and always put on a fantastic show. Through Nick, I've been able to know his parents, Tracy and Amy Boettcher. I can't say enough good words about them and Nick. Positive people who work for the betterment of the arts and their community; there aren't nearly enough folks around like them.

That is why it is shocking and disheartening when I learned that Tracy Boettcher, Nick's dad, has been diagnosed in the early stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). This disease shouldn't be happening to anyone, obviously, but particularly not to Tracy. But, in typical Boettcher family tradition, they are going to face this obstacle head-on; and to get the word out; to educate people about ALS and its consequences.

There is going to be a benefit for Tracy at Luthy Botanical Gardens, 2218 N. Prospect Rd., (Glen Oak Park) - on May 22 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Nick will be performing; there will be food, soft drinks, games & raffles. All proceeds will go towards research, travel & treatment to help Tracy Kick ALS. Cost is $20.00 person; tickets are available from Luthy Botanical Gardens; Moon Dancer; or via Paypal to susbyme@gmail.com. Any of these methods will count as an entry into one of the raffles.

If you are unable to attend the Kick ALS event, you can still donate via Fundrazr at the following Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HelpTracyKickALS.

Attend if you can, donate as well.

"The X Factor" Visits the Heights

On Saturday April 16th, there will be try-outs at Tower Park for the new Simon Cowell Fox TV Series, "The X Factor." It's sort of a pumped up "American Idol," in that there is no age limit for the participants, and those trying out can do so in duets, groups of singers, etc.

This will be the only try-out in Central Illinois. The two winners will get "front of the line" passes to the next step in the try-out process, in Chicago. This is a huge advantage over the rest of the people who will be in line.

The "show" will start around 10 a.m., and conclude around 3 p.m. Sign up is through the Fox 43 website. Even if you're not actually participating, it should be a great time, watching all of the local talent perform. And, of course, we hope you'll continue your visit to Peoria Heights throughout our restaurants, gift shops, and beyond.

We hope to see you there!

Thank You for A Solid Victory

The voter turn-out in the Heights was much lower than most would have expected. Under 12% is amazingly low, BUT thank you to all of you (no matter who you voted for), who took the time out of your day to vote on April 5.

The Independent candidates scored a solid victory, particularly with the lower voter turn-out. Congratulations to Bryan Harn, Jeff Goett, & Debbie Reichert. We will continue working even harder towards making Peoria Heights an even better to place to live and do business in.

The financially difficult times will continue for the foreseeable future, no doubt. But, we cannot allow ourselves to stagnate, or worse, regress. We've improved our services a great deal over the last several years; helped make the Heights a destination point; and we're on the cusp of going even further with our progressive plans.

Thank you again to the voters of Peoria Heights.

Please Vote for the Independent Trustee Candidates on April 5

I am backing, and asking you to vote for, the Independent candidates for Trustee in Peoria Heights on April 5. They are:

Bryan Harn

Jeff Goett

Debra Reichert

All three of these candidates are lifelong Peoria Heights residents. They have the well being and progress of our Village as their number one goals.

Two of the People's Party candidates did not even bother to show up for the Meet the Candidates Night a couple of weeks ago. DID NOT even bother to show up! The President of the People's Party is former mayor Earl Carter. I don't think I have to add anything else to that statement.

Your vote on April 5 is very, very important. The status of the Peoria Heights Village Board can change in just ONE election, let alone two.

Please make sure you exercise your right to vote on Tuesday. Thanks!

Special Election Visit from Carnac the Magnificent

"They will add on the amount from the Police Pension tax line, just because it has 'Peoria Hts' next to it on the tax bill."

Rip open the hermetically sealed envelope.

"How will the Peoples Party hierarchy and Poison Pen try to make a lie out of the Village tax rate going down over the last few years?"


I'm going to have to contact Carnac the Magnificent more often over the next week and a half. I should have predicted this one, myself. You see, the Peoples Party hierarchy and Poison Pen don't want to hear the fact that the Village tax rate has gone down the last few years. Why? Because part of their scheme in the upcoming election is to make it look like the Heights is falling apart, and that we're going to have to raise taxes, blah blah blah.

So, in order to circumvent the facts (something that the Peoples Party hierarchy and Poison Pen are quite adept at), they decide they will add an unrelated tax line from the property tax bills, in order to try and make it look like I'm lying about the fact that Village tax rates HAVE gone down.

Which tax line is that? The Police Pension line, of course. It is a completely separate tax line from the Village tax line. The Police Pension amount is set by the Illinois State Insurance Commission. It's out of our hands. The Commission sends the amount assigned to the County, which in turns puts the amounts on the tax bills. I'm surprised that the Peoples Party hierarchy and Poison Pen didn't add on the tax lines for District 325, the Airport Authority, and ICC, along with that. I'm sure if they thought they could POSSIBLY get away with it, they would have.

Here is the fact: the Village tax rate, the amount that goes into funding what the Heights DOES, like street repairs, employee payroll, snow plowing, etc., HAS GONE DOWN over the last few years. From .16983 to .13415.

It's a fact that the Peoples Party hierarchy and Poison Pen don't like, but it will remain a fact. If you want to verify it by viewing my tax bills for 2006 and 2009, let me know. Call me at 688-6869, or e-mail me at marcus57@aol.com, and I will get copies to you. BEFORE the election, if you contact me before Tuesday the 5th.

Looks like I'd better put Carnac on my speed dial, because I'm pretty certain his skills will be needed when the likely Peoples Party newspaper comes out this coming Friday.

The Importance of Voting on April 5th

A local election in Peoria Heights can actually hinge on one vote. ONE vote. That fact in of itself should spur the casual voter to take part in the local Trustee election, come April 5. But, it normally doesn't.

Why is voting for three Trustees in the Heights so important? Because, obviously, the Trustees do the voting that decides what is to be done (and not done) in the Village.

Do you like what has been happening in Peoria Heights over the past several years? The only way to guarantee that it will continue is to show up at the polls, and vote for the Trustee candidates who say they want to do so.

If you don't like what has been happening in the Heights over the past several years, the only way to do your part in ending it is to show up at the polls, and vote for those candidates who want to change what's been going on here as of late.

It's all really that simple.

I've not been able to get a full handle on what the Peoples Party candidates are wanting to do, if elected. Mostly I hear that the Peoples Party simply wants to undo everything we've done. Candidates Dave Parkinson and Charlie Gauf did not show up at the Meet the Candidates Night. Peoples Party candidate Bryan Lammers was there, professed his being an independent, and seemed to step back from the mantle of the Peoples Party. All of the trustee candidates (Independent and Peoples Party) seemed to be more aligned than not so. I don't understand why Parkinson and Gauf chose not to be at the forum.

I guess we'll know more when the Peoples Party literature comes out for the April 5 election. I don't expect to see any of it until the Friday before the election. I do know that the Independents running for Trustee, for the most part, want to continue on the path we have taken since 2005 - strengthening and repairing the infrastructure; increasing or maintaining our local services; and trying to attract families and new business to the Village.

In the end, no matter who you back or for what reason, it is imperative that you show up to vote on April 5. It takes just minutes of your day; there's rarely much of a line at the voting booth; and you truly have a real impact on the voting decisions.

Meet the Candidates Night - March 16 7:00-8:30

A Meet the Candidates Night will be at Village Hall in Peoria Heights, March 16, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. The candidates will include ICC Trustee candidates, as well as Dist. 325 School Board candidates, and candidates for Village Trustee.

I believe we will have the forum filmed, as well, but I can't guarantee how many times it will be shown on Channel 22. Best bet is to attend the forum, so that it might help make up your mind as to who to vote for.

Hope to see you there.

Independent Candidates Fund-Raiser March 12 - noon to 4 pm

The Independent Candidates of Peoria Heights will be having a fund raiser at the VFW Hall on Lake St., March 12 from noon to 4 pm.

There will be butterfly porkchop sandwiches; brats; hot dogs; chili; coffee; dessert; soda & water - all for a donation of $10.00 for adults, and $5.00 for children, 12 and under.

This will be the only fund-raiser for the Independent Candidates, and it will help offset the costs of the campaign for each of the candidates. We had a really good turn-out two years ago, and we're hoping for more of the same this time around.

Advance tickets are available now. If you can purchase the tickets in advance, it would be greatly appreciated, as it will help us narrow down the numbers better... BUT, tickets will be available at the door, as well, on the day of the event. Please call me at 253-3676 or 688-6869 to request tickets.

We will also need volunteers to bring a dessert. And, just like last time, if you could please bring some canned or boxed goods with you, it would be greatly appreciated. We had quite a number of food items last time, and made solid contributions to two of the local food banks.


The Independent Candidates for Trustee are:

Bryan Harn
Jeff Goett
Debbie Reichert


We hope to see you there!

From The Archives

Diagonal Parking on Prospect?

A certain Heights business owner (and now a Peoples Party trustee candidate) has consistently thrown out the need to return diagonal parking along Prospect, likely from Kelly Avenue on north (of course, on HIS side of the street only; parallel parking to remain on the other side of Prospect)... that this would help "solve the parking issues" in the Village, and possibly slow traffic down. In fact, he had a letter published in the Journal Star about a year or so ago, publicly calling out for diagonal parking to be installed on Prospect. When I say "return," I mean that diagonal parking was on Prospect (from what I've been told) up until the late 50s to early, early 60s.

Would this concept work again? Maybe... if it was 1961.

I do have to admit it would probably slow traffic down... to a complete standstill, mostly due to accidents.

Do you know what the average traffic count for this area of Prospect is? About THIRTEEN THOUSAND a day. It's an extremely busy road. Have you ever tried backing out of a diagonal parking spot at the Peoria post offices, on a reasonably busy day? Invariably, a van or a truck will park on one side or both sides of your vehicle... and you have to inch out... slowly, slowly... and hope to High Heaven that the traffic behind you is going slow, and that the drivers are watching for you, and... and...

And, that's at the POST OFFICE parking lot.

Well, try doing that with the traffic that goes along Prospect each and every day. The odds for collisions would increase dramatically. On top of that, if you have diagonal parking along Prospect, you will now have to condense the four lanes to two lanes of travel, as the road is not wide enough to do it any other way, if diagonal parking was brought back. So, the traffic (remember, THIRTEEN THOUSAND vehicles per day), that normally travels in the north or southbound TWO lanes would now be traveling in ONE north or southbound lane. The traffic along Prospect that someone would be trying to back into, for all intent and purpose, would now be DOUBLED in numbers.

A center turn lane will not make it any easier. Remember, it's ILLEGAL to pass a vehicle using a center turn lane... not to mention, very dangerous. What happens if a vehicle coming in the opposite direction decides to turn, just as you start to pass?

You're going to need a lot more than just good luck to back out safely. You're going to need a helicopter to lift you out of your spot.

Not to mention the havoc that would be caused with two lanes of travel, when a semi-truck stops to deliver goods to a business... that's right, traffic will STOP behind that truck till it moves. Because there is no longer any other lane to go into. The semi-trucks cannot negotiate the turns on the side streets, let alone the alleys behind the businesses, to try and deliver BEHIND the stores. They simply have to deliver at the front.

What does this all sound like to you? It sounds like a total and complete MESS to me. And, a dangerous one at that.

There are reasons why diagonal parking has not been brought back to Prospect Road, by ANYONE prior to our administration, as well. The main reason is safety.

There are those who wish that things could be like they were in 1961... when Peoria Heights was pretty much the northern-most destination along Prospect. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I'd be surprised if the traffic count exceeded 1,000 cars a day back then. Well, since it is unlikely that we will ever see 1961 traffic count numbers again... it would be nice if those who expound on these "solutions" (i.e. diagonal parking on Prospect), would spend some time doing a very simple thing.

That would be: checking the calendar, in order to be reminded what year it is.

Praise to ALL of Our Emergency Personnel For A Great Job!

A huge thank-you to our Police Department; our Street Department; our EMTs; and every single one of our employees for handling this snow storm with a minimum of problems. We got through it all with YOUR help, and it is greatly appreciated.

Simply put, all of our employees are the best... they care, they work, and they produce.

The Board of Trustees meeting for February 1 was postponed because of the storm, and has been re-scheduled for February 8, 6:30 pm.

Again, thanks to all who were involved in making this storm much more bearable than we could have initially imagined.

You Hear The Darndest Things When You're Snowplowing...

One of our snowplow operators was stopped by a Peoria Heights citizen the other day, and he was told, "We gotta get ourselves a new mayor. Our taxes are too high." Now, mind you, this statement was made by one of the Peoples Party trustee candidates in the upcoming election; but, more importantly, the statement is really politicized without anything to back it up. However, I'm betting it will be one of the headlines in the newest Peoples Party "literature."

First, the only item that we have any control of, regarding the property taxes in the Village is listed as "Peo Hts" on your real estate tax bill. If you have yours handy, you might want to check it out. For our home's 2009 real estate taxes, our total tax due was $3,528.40. Of that amount, the "Peo Hts" figure was a staggering $52.53. For the 2008 tax bill, the "Peo Hts" figure was $52.02. This is an unbelievable increase of 51 cents over the previous year. To make things even more convoluted, the "Peo Hts" rate for 2007 was $53.34; and for 2006, it was $63.08. So, actually, the "Peo Hts" section of the tax bill, the one that we have control have, has decreased by $10.55 on our tax bill, from 2006.

Should we take credit for that? There are formulas and other things that go into what comes into the Village through property taxes, many which are applied by the County, and in the end, it is what it is. The Peoples Party trustee candidate appears to be a bit mixed up regarding what effect the mayor has on the imagined tax "increase," but also on the actual tax "decrease." You might want to keep that in mind when you receive your handy-dandy Peoples Party circular in a couple months or so.

Several weeks ago, we had to have a "Truth in Taxation" meeting at Village Hall, as the total rate for the increase in Heights property taxes was going to exceed the allowed "under 5%" figure. This gets a bit confusing, but the bottom line is that the Village can increase its tax rate, at least on the surface level, at just under 5%, per year, without having a "Truth in Taxation" meeting. The Village has done this for decades, with an increase of just under 5%; and thus avoiding these special meetings.

Even with these surface level "increases," the actual tax rates can go down from year to year; the Village tax rate was .16983 in 2006, and then went down to .14227 in 2007, then down to .13523 in 2008, and down again to .13415 in 2009. In actuality, the Village tax rates have continued going down over the past years, even though the "surface level" Village rates go up by just under 5% each year. So, in other words, taxes do not necessarily go up just because of this. However, the past two years we have had to have these "Truth in Taxation" meetings, due to the Peoria Heights library requesting more than their allotted 5%. These "Truth in Taxation" ads are in the Journal Star, and look very imposing and daunting; and the language does not spell out WHY the special meeting is needed. For a number of reasons, most of which would be logical because of the economy and such, the library has found itself behind what it needs to maintain its services. Because the Village collects the money FOR the library through the property taxes, it is the Village's name that shows up as the requester for the increased funding. However, it is completely library-needs driven.

For the benefit of the Peoples Party trustee candidate, the mayor and trustees of Peoria Heights have no control over the taxes going to Peoria County; ICC; Great Peoria Airport Authority; Library; Peoria Park District; Richwoods Township; and the Peoria Heights School District. We are legally bound to pay a certain percentage into the Police Pension fund. The Pension Fund amount is set up by the Illinois Department of Insurance. We can add MORE to that, and possibly will have to in the future; but that's it. I'm sure that he has a whole bunch of other reasons to come up with a "new mayor," but the "too much taxes" argument seems to be a bit of a stretch, it would appear.

Ambulance Service Facts & Figures

One of the major complaints that the Peoples Party hierarchy, and a few other citizens, have had over the past couple of years, is the creation of the paid ambulance staff in Peoria Heights. My experiences have shown that the vast majority of citizens have been strongly in favor of the new service; but, as usual in the Heights, virtually everything is potentially a political issue.

Just a quick overview: we were faced with two choices a few years back, in regards to our Ambulance Service. One- we create a paid staff, as the days of the all-volunteer service had pretty much reached its conclusion several years before I even took office. The reasons for that are many, but mostly the demographics and dynamics of Peoria Heights, along with many other communities, had changed so much over the past generation that it was virtually impossible to be able to depend solely on an all-volunteer staff. Or, Two- we do away with Ambulance Service altogether, and contract with AMT.

I hate to ask you to go back and read the previous postings regarding the Ambulance Service, but there's so much information about it that is what the blog-reader will pretty much have to do. What I want to address here are the costs of the paid ambulance service, as that has been called into question several times by Lynn Brown and others.

First, it will be a bit difficult to make true apples-to-apples comparisons. The AMT service would be free (or so I've been told), however it does not appear that a single dedicated AMT vehicle would be only in the Heights, let alone two. What does that mean? Well, if a loved one of yours has a heart attack while in Peoria Heights, and you call 9-1-1, the odds are much, much greater that the ALS Ambulance squad from the Village will be at that location within minutes; and unless the AMT vehicle is in the neighborhood, it could be many more minutes before an AMT vehicle would arrive. In the business of life-saving, of course, minutes can make all the difference. Lynn Brown and other detractors have never seemed to address this situation when complaining about the paid ambulance service. It's easy to sling political arrows, but when it all becomes a real situation, one might feel a bit different if the person needing the ambulance is a loved one.

Comparisons to the volunteer service are pretty much of no value. The all-volunteer service will not work as well as we require, and had not worked well for over a decade. However, costs will be used as a contrast, just because.

For fiscal year 2010-2011, the personnel costs of the paid ambulance service came to $235,367.00. Non-personnel costs for the ambulance service amounted to $97,859.00, which is pretty much in line to what it would have cost to have the all-volunteer service, if that had been able to be retained.

So, the "difference" maker in costs, and the major problem with the Peoples Party hierarchy would appear to be the $235,367.00 in personnel costs. This is for ALL of the personnel costs, including the forced overtime.

The revenues for the ambulance service in fiscal year 2009-2010 came to $154,799.00. However, this figure does not include the outstanding billings for the same fiscal year that had not been collected yet, which was around $80,000.00. Some of the billings included in the $154,799.00 would have included billings from fiscal year 2008-2009, but those would have been minor, as the full time paid ambulance service was not in full swing yet at that time. My best guess would be around $35,000.00; so deducting that from $154,799.00, then adding the $80,000.00 of non-received billings, we come to an estimated revenue total of $199,799.00.

Subtracting the $199,799.00 from the $237,367.00 personnel costs, we then come to a total estimated cost of $37,568.00 for the PERSONNEL costs of having a paid ambulance service. Now, if you want to champion switching over to AMT, then you can add on the non-personnel costs of having a paid ambulance service, which would be $97,859.00, for a grand total of $135,427.00. However, you can add this on ONLY if you advocate switching over to AMT, and doing away with our own ambulance service. Lynn Brown has made mention many times of switching to AMT; but, it should be noted, that the Earl Carter regime had 8 years to do exactly that, and never did.

Now, the Ambulance Service revenues for fiscal year 2010-2011 have come to $146,577.88, up to and including December 17, 2010; with around $120,000.00 in outstanding billings. With well over a quarter to go in the fiscal year, our actual collected revenues are not far under the total collected revenues for the entire fiscal year of last year. At this pace, the Ambulance Service should be collecting around $225,000.00, not including the outstanding billings, which will certainly still be hovering around that $100,000.00 figure. ACTUAL total billings for fiscal year 2010-2011 will be at or near $325,000.00. I have never said that I ever expect the Ambulance Service to be a money-maker; it's a SERVICE for our citizens. But, as the billings increase, we edge closer to maybe having a break-even year now and then.

How is it a SERVICE to our citizens?

1) Timeliness: Already touched on that. Mere minutes for our paid ALS ambulance crew to arrive at the scene in the Heights; AMT could be much further away at any time. We are here in the Village 24/7. It honestly could be a matter of life and death.

2) Costs: If you don't have insurance to cover the service, you would find that the costs are roughly HALF of what AMT charges. We're talking several hundred dollars difference here.

3) Maintain our own Services: As I've discussed before, whenever possible, it is best for a municipality to maintain its own services. What happens if AMT is no longer in business in ten years, and the new ambulance service decides to start charging the Heights for this service? We would no longer have any choice but to pay what they would require... our ambulances would be long gone. CONTROL is important.


Police protection is not free. Road and water maintenance are not free. 24/7 ALS emergency service is not free. Yet, we've added this service without charging an additional nickel on anyone's property tax bills. This is an important, possibly life-saving service, that the vast majority of the residents in the Heights recognize the value in. I'll take on the Peoples Party hierarchy any day of the week in a debate on this one.

Advertising the Heights

During the campaign of 2009, the Peoples Party flier stated that I had not shown how the new administration had a hand in the "gin up" of the Village revenues. A letter that was in the Journal Star, written by present Peoples Party trustee candidate Dave Parkinson, also took me to task about trying to take credit for the sudden increase in the Village sales tax revenues over the last few years. Per usual, neither of those "sources" took the time to read what I had continuously put out both in this blog and in campaign materials. I have stated many times that we CAN take some credit for the uptick in sales tax revenues in the Village. Why? Because beginning with the first budget we had control of, we began advertising the Heights, through the Chamber of Commerce; through festivals; and through the mass media in general.

Beginning in fiscal year 2006-2007, the Board of Trustees approved money being given to the Chamber to advertise the Village. We began the Tower Park Music Fest. The Chamber started Duryea Days, helped with the money given through the Board. What has been the payoff?

In fiscal year 2005-2006, the sales tax revenues in Peoria Heights came to $1,163,776.00. This was a slight increase over 2004-2005, around 2%. Those percentage increases were virtually uniform over the previous years. The Village would see increases of 2-3% each year, as a matter of routine.

With the advertising of Peoria Heights commencing in 2006-2007, the increase in sales tax revenue went to 11.5%! The dollar amount increase was $133,822.00; a normal increase would have been around $23,000.00, so by advertising the Heights, we saw an increase of over $110,000.00 in ONE year in sales tax revenue. The money given to the Chamber, and the money put in to the Music Fest, that year, was around $30,000.00; so we realized $80,000.00 of absolutely new money for the Village, just by advertising what we have to offer.

This out of the ordinary increase can be attributed to one thing, and one thing only, ADVERTISING. If it didn't work, no one would do it. No Wal-Mart had opened here; Heritage Square certainly wasn't taking off; it was pretty much "business as usual" in terms of numbers and sizes of businesses within our confined borders. Our sales tax revenues have continued to rise by 2-3% since then, until this past fiscal year, so the big bounce we saw from advertising that one year has continued, and is now our new "measuring stick." What would happen if this advertising is taken away? It might take a year to catch up with us, but you can be certain we would see a pronounced drop in sales tax revenue. That is the way of business.

And, we ARE in business as a municipality. We are in competition with every other community around us, to bring people in, to show them what we have to offer. When a person comes to the Music Fest to see a band play, they are likely to buy gas here; to drop by Walgreens for an item or two; to take in one of our restaurants for lunch or dinner; to BUY things that they otherwise would not have bought had the Music Fest not been going on.

When a person logs onto the WEEK-TV website, and they check out the weather view from the Observation Tower, they will also find advertising for the upcoming things to do in the Village. When they turn on the WEEK-TV news, and watch Lee Ranson's weather report, they will also hear Lee talk up what is going on in the Heights for the upcoming weekend. This all puts the Peoria Heights name out into the public domain; for a number of good reasons, but foremost in bringing additional sales tax revenues into the Heights.

Advertising is a good thing. It has clearly helped us out, and brought a good deal more revenues into Peoria Heights than the costs of doing the same. It's too bad when a good thing becomes a political thing; but when your opponents are bellyaching that NOTHING we do is good, it comes with the territory.

Again, if advertising didn't work, no one would do it.

It's working in Peoria Heights.