So far six people have applied to fill a Peoria City Council seat vacated by Chuck Weaver.
Applicants so far include Illinois Central College assistant Alicia Harris and Caterpillar employee Conrad Stinnett. Video producer Hugh McGowen and Peoria Riverfront Museum Board President Sid Ruckriegel also applied for the post. Attorney Norm Burdick and financial advisor John Kelly are the other applicants so far. City Councilwoman Beth Akeson pushed for more of a public input process in the council appointment. Mayor Jim Ardis says the council will likely use the same process as filling a vacancy last time around:
“We’d have two or three weeks ourselves, to do as much or as little due diligence as you want. Some people did a lot more than others.”
The Council will accept applications through October 23rd.
COUNCIL APPROVES NEW BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION CATEGORY
Peoria agencies now have an extra category to apply for annual Community Development Block Grant funding. The City Council approved adding employment training as a new category for funding requests. Councilwoman Denise Moore says adding the new area supports existing categories for youth, mental health and Senior services:
“Perhaps if people had a job, the pressure of trying to provide for a family that drives you to need mental health services, would alleviate itself.”
Agencies can apply for more than $200,000 in block grant funding this year. Other councilmembers, like Councilman Chuck Grayeb, were against adding another category, saying it would take away already-limited funds from other agencies applying for the grand dollars.