New challengers for the Peoria City Council are getting ready for 2011 elections.

It’s time for (yet) another election. And locals never seem to tire of the campaigning, mudslinging or celebrating with cash bars open ‘til midnight. But celebrations are short-lived when there’s work to be done, and in Peoria winners will have their plates full—with an approximate $13.4 million budget deficit serving as the main entrée. Incumbents and newcomers have filed for the spring election, each hoping voters will save them a spot on the horseshoe.

Peoria’s Top Ten

Candidates are gearing up early for the April 5 Peoria City Council race. Ten candidates have filed to run for at-large seats, including some familiar—and not-so-familiar—faces. Because no more than ten candidates have filed, a February 22 primary will not be necessary, saving taxpayers close to $80,000. The ten candidates for the five at-large Peoria City Council seats are Incumbent Ryan Spain, Incumbent Eric Turner, Incumbent Gary Sandburg, Chuck Weaver, Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, Chuck Grayeb, a former council member, George Azouri, an ICC student, former Heart of Peoria Commission member Beth Akeson, Jim Stowell, a District 150 School Board Member, Andre Williams, a local businessman, and C. J. Summers.

At-large candidates currently on the Council include George Jacobs and Jim Montelongo, the latter of whom will not be seeking re-election since his defeat in the race for State Representative last November by Incumbent Democrat Jehan Gordon. Montelongo, a Republican, claims after seven months of campaigning, jumping into another election for the next five months “would be a little bit unfair to my family and to my business colleagues.” Gordon won a second term by garnering 13,587 votes, or 62 percent, 5,229 more votes than Montelongo, who received 8,358 votes, or 38 percent.

Chuck Weaver, 54, was the first person to announce his candidacy for an at-Large seat as early as September. His name will appear first on the ballot, having won a three-person lottery at the Peoria Election Commission’s office. Chuck Grayeb’s name will appear second, and Councilman Ryan Spain’s name will be third. Both candidates were also in the lottery.

Weaver says he’s very pleased with the way the lottery turned out and believes he has the name recognition to run a strong race. Weaver began his campaign September 14 at the Main Street Commons’ Construction site in the West Bluff. He calls Peoria a “business-friendly” city and says the city needs a larger tax base in order to get more businesses up and running. Weaver is past president of the Central Illinois Angels investment group and former owner of Weaver Enterprises.

Chuck Grayeb, a former city councilman who decided not to seek re-election in 2007, ignited his campaign by taking issue with what he believes to be the poor quality of fire and police services in Peoria. Grayeb blames the current council for the rise in gun violence last summer after the city’s lawmaking body voted to cut over 30 police positions last year to pump money back into a budget deficit projected at $13.4 million. He called Peoria’s security “compromised” and claims the horseshoe’s decision “fired bullets deep into the heart of public safety.”

If elected, Grayeb plans to try to increase funds for public safety and believes state and federal grants should be obtained to help fund the city’s police and fire services.

Grayeb was first elected as an at-large councilman in 1995 and was re-elected in 1999 and 2003. He is the second person to announce his candidacy to run for an at-large council seat.

George Azouri, a 19-year-old running for City Council, is a well-known local leader of Peoria’s Lebanese community and is related to the Rev. Faouzi Elia of the St. Sharbel Church.

Anyone who followed City Council elections for the third district should be familiar with Beth Akeson. Beth was appointed by former mayor Dave Ransburg to serve on the Heart of Peoria Commission in 2004. She ran unsuccessfully for a Peoria Board of Education seat in 2007. Beth has also contributed several guest editorials at the Peoria Chronicle.

Beth Akeson and CJ Summers, also running for City Council, share the platform of New Urbanism development, which promotes easy-to-navigate neighborhoods that contain a range of housing and job types. Arising in the United States in the early 1980s, New Urbanism continues to reform many aspects of real estate development and urban planning.

The (Almost)

Sandburg Snafu

A very familiar face on the City Council, Gary Sandburg, came within seconds of missing the filing deadline for re-election. At the last minute, Sandburg walked in donned in a raincoat and carrying an umbrella. His decision to arrive late has become “par for the course” as Sandburg, the longest-serving representative on the City Council, likes his name to appear last on the ballot.

Having undergone aortic valve surgery last spring, Sandburg claimed he jogged the last three blocks from the City Council parking lot to the Civic Center to make it on time, although, in the weeks leading up to the election, he was not always 100 percent certain he would file. With two grandchildren on his mind with whom he loves spending time, his decision finally came down to a simple pledge he had made when he first placed his name on the ballot: He would never refuse to run. He says he would rather voters cast their ballots for other candidates if they are displeased with his service to the city.

What Will It Take?

With ten candidates running and just five at-large seats, it may take more than mere grassroots efforts to get a successful campaign off the ground. And some candidates, like Jim Stowell, are not accepting campaign contributions. Money from those wishing to contribute will instead support local food pantries or mentoring programs. Stowell, who has lived in the community nearly five decades and served on the District 150 School Board, claims he might recycle his school board signs to cut campaign costs. He says, if elected, he will return $2,000 of his $14,000 annual salary that Council members receive.

Tough Budget Talks

Council members in November discussed the possibility of cutting the budget deficit, a sure-to-be hot topic as elections draw ever close. Such talk has encompassed consolidating or restructuring the city’s Economic Development Department as a cost savings. While some council members said they did not have enough information to make an informed recommendation concerning the Economic Development Department and other budgetary issues, members like Clyde Gulley are interested in just how much the city could save.

City Councilman Ryan Spain believes “time is of the essence” and calls the budget dilemma “a race to the finish line” that’s “coming up soon.”

Council members also discussed cutting benefits, raising fees and placing a hold on travel expenses to mitigate the deficit.