The West Peoria Residents’ Association invites everyone to join them in kicking off the Christmas Season at the annual Christmas Party on Friday, December 7, 2012, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Franciscan Complex. Santa will arrive at 6:00 p.m. to start the festivities – so don’t be late. Activities will include a coloring contest for the children, pictures with Santa and a brain-teaser contest for the adults. Entertainment will include music by Nut-N-Honey, the Flynn’s Irish Dancers and a sing-along with the Mayor and Council. And refreshments – of course!

As mandated by law, each township must host caucuses before their upcoming elections, both Republican and Democrats. West Peoria Township will hold its Township Caucus on Tues. Dec. 4, 2012. Anyone interested in being a township official in West Peoria? Officials include: supervisor, clerk, tax collector, and four trustees. Imelda Kelch announced that she will not run for tax collector this time. Anyone interested should contact the West Peoria Township Office on W. Rohmann Ave. The office is open Tues, Wed., and Thurs. 9:00 a.m. to noon, or you can call 674- 0462.

Election for the following West Peoria officials will take place April 9th, 2013; one alderman from each ward; Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 3, and Ward 4. Anyone interested in running for one of these positions should contact the City Clerk for a nominating packet. The packets will be available for pickup at West Peoria City Hall now through December 17th 2012. If you have any questions, call West Peoria City Clerk Carole Stephens at West Peoria City Hall 674-1993.

At the West Peoria Neighborhood Watch December meeting Peoria County Sheriff’s Deputy Stephanie Spears and partner, Clyde, will demonstrate how scent is used to track. Deputy Spears will also explain how bloodhounds make a better track dog and share some of her tracking experiences. The meeting is Wednesday, December 12, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome – plan to attend and bring a friend.

Do you know of a West Peoria family in need of a Christmas food basket? Call the West Peoria Lions @ 673-6207 for information. December 15th is the deadline for calling for Christmas baskets.

Check out the Club’s fundraisers at Haddad’s Market: Really Large Coloring Books & the Greater Peoria Dining Tour Books make great Christmas gifts.

Remember to recycle, old keys, glasses, hearing aids, cell phones, and ink cartridges. Drop off at Haddad’s Market or call 673-6207.

West Peoria Lions Club now meets at Courtyard Estates (formerly Jumer’s) 6:00 p.m. on the 2nd & 4th Mondays.

In late October, the West Peoria Library was notified that the former West Bluff Christian Church will soon be under new ownership and the library and food pantry would need to find another location. Many residents may have seen the Journal Star article written by Scott Hilyard. Since then, the library has found a new location in West Peoria at 206 Bergan St.

The library located inside the church has been packed up and is currently being stored until the first of the year. The new location needs some cleaning and remodeling before the library can move in but will most assuredly be a great place for the West Peoria Library and Food Pantry to grow. Stay tuned for new and exciting things to come!

Thank you to all of the residents of West Peoria for their support and patronage of the library. Many households and families have taken advantage of this service and will hopefully continue to come enjoy the library in 2013. If you have any questions about the library, please contact Emily Huff at 453-8139 or email at: westpeorialibrary@yahoo.com or “like” us, West Peoria Library on Facebook to stay updated on our progress.

All residents are required to sign up for garbage service with Waste Management at 1-800-796-9696.You will be charged for this service. Landscape Waste Pickup ends on the last Friday in December. It will begin again on the first Friday in April. This service is included in your Waste Management bill. Winter storm damage limb pick up: check the City website or contact City Hall for a copy of this policy.

1) For more information visit the City website: www.cityofwestpeoria.com.

The following information concerns the upcoming winter season and how to best survive it in West Peoria. Snow Routes / Parking Ban SECTION 3-3-5 DEFINITIONS: All streets within the corporate limits of the City of West Peoria are hereby designated as emergency snow routes. It shall be unlawful to park any vehicles on these streets at any time within twelve (12) hours after a snowfall of two (2) or more inches. Where there has been a snow forecast of two (2) or more inches for any calendar day, it shall be unlawful to park any vehicles on any of these streets for that calendar day. The Street Department Manager shall be authorized to take the necessary actions to have those vehicles which are parked on streets designated as snow routes in violation of the provisions of this Section towed away in order to permit the clearing of snow from the snow routes. The payment of any and all charges incurred as a result of such towing away shall be the responsibility of the vehicle’s owner. In addition to, or in lieu of towing the vehicle, the owner or lessor of the vehicle shall be fined $25.00 for first offense and $50.00 for second offense and for the third offense, the fine may be up to a maximum of $750.00. In all events, each day the violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. (SOURCE 94-18, 95-13, 00-28, 08-04) Any Questions: Please Contact City Hall 674-1993

West Peoria Quality of Life Statement from the 2012 Annual Financial Report

The City of West Peoria is a great place to live. It is the hope of City Council, that their City annual improves the quality of life of each of its residents by providing a family atmosphere, controlled and intelligent commercial growth, as well as quality public services that its constituents have grown to expect.

Consistent with the City’s desire to enhance the quality of life in the City, the City Council again funded the West Peoria Paint Program. This program reimburses a portion of the paint cost incurred by a City homeowner who desires to enhance the appearance of his or he’s property. The program has been very successful.

The City West Peoria and other communities across central and southern Illinois approved referendums allowing municipalities to form a Municipal Opt-Out Electricity Aggregation. The City of West Peoria ran a competitive bid to select an Alternative Electric Supplier to provide savings to residents and small businesses located inside the City’s boundaries

Final completion of Heddington Oaks construction will soon be a reality. This “state of the art” elder care facility is a 151,000 square foot “community” located on approximately 13 acres and will have a capacity of 214 residents, including 80 Alzheimer’s patients.

Adjacent to the City, the historic Jumers Hotel on Western Avenue is owned and operated by Petersen Healthcare. Its new name is the Courtyard Estates. This elder care facility offers a favorable living option for seniors 65 years or older who are in need of some assistance within their daily living.

Haddad’s Market, perhaps West Peoria’s best-known business reopened on November 28, 2011, after being destroyed by fire on New Year’s Eve of 2010. The West Peoria community welcomed its “reopening” with open arms and it is of hope that this commercial anchor of the City will continue to thrive for many decades.

I wish for a healthy and enjoyable holiday season for all the readers of this column and their families.