Latest news with #PeoriaCountyBoard
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Peoria County accepting applications for civic leadership academy
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Applications are now being accepted for Peoria County's annual Civic Leadership Academy. The program, done with the city of Peoria, aims to help inform people how government at both the county and city level works. The free program meets weekly, usually at a city or county facility, and includes a presentation, tour, and time for questions and answers. This year's program will be on Thursday nights from Aug. 7 to Oct. 14. Sessions will start at 6 p.m. It will conclude with a graduation by proclamation at the Peoria County Board meeting and first Peoria City Council meeting in October. Topics and tours include the Peoria Police Department, Emergency Communications Center, Peoria County Coroner's Office, Peoria County Sheriff's Office, Peoria Public Works, Peoria Fire, and Peoria County Animal Protection Services. Participants must be 18 or older. Registration is online on the county's website. Paper copies of the application are also available at the Peoria County Courthouse in room 502. People must register by July 18. Details on the weekly sessions are subject to change, with the final schedule to be handed out at the first session. Space is limited, and applicants will be notified upon their acceptance into the program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Peoria County Courthouse to undergo plaza construction starting Tuesday
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The back of the Peoria County Courthouse is going to look vastly different after scheduled renovations. Starting on Tuesday, construction is set to begin on the courthouse's plaza, which will bring a 'transformational' new look, Scott Sorrel, the county administrator, said. The $6.6 million project approved by the Peoria County Board will usher in a water structure similar to a splash pad with a cast bronze bison and a black granite waterfall. Inscribed on the waterfall will be phrases from President Abraham Lincoln's speech in Peoria from 1854. You will be able to sit on the structure as well, when it's not running water. Peoria Courthouse Plaza could have 'transformational' makeover by the fall Another feature that would be a result of construction is LED lights that will line the top of the courthouse that will look similar to what the Murray Baker Bridge has. The World War I and World War II Memorial and the Final Salute Memorial will not be accessible during the construction timeline. CORE Construction is at the helm of the project, and they expect it to be completed by the fall. Two reasons why the project is slated for an autumn completion include the city's bicentennial schedule and the possible trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, who allegedly shot and killed Springfield resident Sonya Massey in July of last year. A judge agreed to move the case from Springfield to Peoria two months ago due to pretrial publicity. 'We're going to have more people, whether it be a bigger jury pool or national media coverage or potentially bystanders that are advocating for justice in that trial, will be here,' Sorel said. 'We want to make sure that we've got a block and a plaza that can accommodate the increased number of people for that as well.' There will be even more limited parking than there already is around the courthouse. Alternative parking includes the Hamilton Square parking deck and the Niagara parking deck. A good chunk of that money, as well as other funds to fix up the exterior of the courthouse, comes from the American Rescue Plan Act money. Beyond fountains, one can also expect better sidewalk lighting. There will be permeable pavers and new pavers that allow for water to seep into the ground rather than run off. Some of the money will go to updating landscaping and lighting on the area along Jefferson Avenue. Others will go into improving the area at the intersection of Main and Jefferson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Peoria County Board makes several appointments to Team Peoria County
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Three new faces will take on prominent roles within Peoria County government in areas of education, finance and assessing properties. At their Thursday night meeting, the Peoria County Board approved three new appointments to administrative positions within the courthouse. Two of them the regional superintendent of education and the county treasurer, will serve until an unexpired term is finished in 2026. After that, they could opt to run for election or step aside. The board appointed George McKenna to serve as the next Regional Superintendent of Education beginning on June 1. He will replace Beth Crider who is retiring. McKenna has served as the Assistant Superintendent at the Peoria County Regional Office of Education since 2016 and will finish Crider's term which expires in next year. She has been in the top educational spot for the county since 2016. His education career spans three decades. Before coming to the county's regional office, he served in school district around the state in many capacities including principal, assistant principal, dean of students and as a special education teacher. He received his doctorate in education leadership from Western Illinois University; a master's degree in special education from Illinois State University; and a bachelor's degree in physical education from Millikin University The board also appointed Branden Martin to the position of county treasurer beginning on July 14. He will replace Nicole Bjerke who retiring after eight years in the position and after more than 27 years in the office. Her term ends in 2026 when the seat will be up for election. Martin has lived in the region for his entire life. An entrepreneur with more than 28 years of experience in launching and managing businesses in a variety of industries, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Peoria Area Association of Realtors. He also sits on the boards of the Downtown Development Corporation and the Peoria Historical Society. Martin is also the vice-chair of the city of Peoria's planning and zoning commission. The third appointment and the only one that is not an elected position of supervisor of assessments. Chad Jones will take over for Dave Ryan, who is retiring, on May 20. Jones is a life-long Peorian and began his tenure with the county in 2019 as a member of the Board of Review. Since 2023, he's been the chief deputy in the assessor's office. He's also worked in real estate since 1995. Jones is a graduate of Peoria High School and holds a business degree from Eastern Illinois University. His appointment runs through April 30, 2029. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Peoria Courthouse Plaza could have ‘transformational' makeover by the fall
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — New water features, LED lights and a new Lincoln memorial monument could be on its way for the Peoria County Courthouse. A $6.6 million project that would be a facelift to the courthouse plaza was approved Monday by the infrastructure committee of the Peoria County Board who will consider final approval at the next board meeting. Major changes could be coming to the Peoria County Courthouse Plaza County Administrator Scott Sorel shares what kind of change people would see to the plaza if the board gives the go-ahead. 'It's going to be transformational,' Sorel said. 'We have two fountains now, those are being completely removed and replaced with different water features.' The water features would include a water structure similar to a splash pad with cast bronze bison, and a black granite waterfall. Inscribed on the waterfall will be phrases from President Abraham Lincoln's speech in Peoria from 1854. You will be able to sit on the structure as well, when it's not running water. Another feature that would be a result of construction is LED lights that will line the top of the courthouse that will look similar to what the Murray Baker Bridge has. Major changes could be coming to the Peoria County Courthouse Plaza The fall is a quick turnaround for construction, but Sorel said he was told he can be done. 'Our construction manager, which is CORE Construction, has set the schedule,' he said. 'It is aggressive, but they have great confidence that they will achieve it.' Two reasons why the project is slated for an autumn completion include the city's bicentennial schedule, and the possible trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff deputy Sean Grayson who shot and killed Springfield resident Sonya Massey in July of last year. A judge agreed to move the case from Springfield to Peoria last month due to pretrial publicity. 'We're going to have more people, whether it be a bigger jury pool or national media coverage or potentially bystanders that are advocating for justice in that trial will be here,' Sorel said. 'We want to make sure that we've got a block and a plaza that can accommodate the increased number of people for that as well.' If the project goes forward and crews begin working, there will be even more limited parking than there already is around the courthouse. Alternative parking includes the Hamilton Square parking deck and the Niagara parking deck. A good chunk of that money, as well as other funds to fix up the exterior of the courthouse, comes from the American Rescue Plan Act money. Beyond fountains, one can also expect better sidewalk lighting. There will be permeable pavers and new pavers that allow for water to seep into the ground rather than run off. Some of the money will go to updating landscaping and lighting on the area along Jefferson Avenue. Others will go into improving the area at the intersection of Main and Jefferson. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What to know about round 2 of Peoria County's Digital Equity program
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A second round of applications for low-cost or no-cost internet access to eligible low-income households will begin next month. Peoria County started its Digital Equity pilot program last year with a $125,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Peoria County Board approves equity program to bridge 'digital divide' The sign-up period for the program is open from April 1 to April 27. After applications are received and reviewed, the goal is to have all households connected and receiving service by June 1. Peoria County residents who are interested in applying can review the full eligibility requirements and submit an application online. The pilot program will run for 12 months and is available to county households, who currently do not have internet access. Participants will be selected via a lottery system, with priority given to those with lower area median incomes. Peoria County will cover the full cost of broadband service for one year, with payments made directly to the service providers. For years, the county has known there is a gap in the ability to get access to high-speed internet. Some areas simply don't have the infrastructure. In other areas, residents either can't afford it or if they can, they get the cheapest level which doesn't provide adequate coverage. And it's the latter that this program will address, Andre Allen, the county's diversity, equity and inclusion officer, told WMBD last year. He wants people to be able to afford and to have the access to the internet that they need and what's appropriate for their families. The pilot program, funded through the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, a Peoria Democrat, is to be spread as evenly as possible across all 18 districts. In August, Allen estimated that about 400 families could get some type of assistance from the program. 'The Digital Equity Pilot reflects Peoria County's commitment to addressing inequities in digital access,' Allen said. 'By working together with broadband providers, we're able to offer a critical resource to underserved households across Peoria County. We look forward to seeing the impact this program will have over the next year.' For additional information, please contact Brittany Graves at (309) 495-4666 or via email at bgraves@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
