Straight Talk | Peoria County Auditor: To be or not to be?

ROGER MONROE

By a vote of 15 to 2, the Peoria County Board Thursday evening, Oct. 14, approved its 2022 budget. That budget was controversial to some because it reduced the operating budget for the office of County Auditor Jessica Thomas by almost $130,000. That meant the loss of jobs for three employees hired by Thomas. Understandably, Thomas was not happy, nor were her soon to be out-of-work employees. Thomas claimed the action by the Board was illegal.

Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos said her claim was without merit. Hoos went further, stating that Thomas had mismanaged her budget, mismanaged the office, and exposed county government to liability. Other complaints about Thomas have surfaced. She allegedly installed her own lock to the Auditor’s office and later had to call a locksmith because she lost her keys. We’re told her lock will be replaced by the Courthouse locking system primarily for fire and safety reasons.

Hoos also suggested that Thomas had been accused of some indiscretions that were not criminal, but fell under the umbrella of poor judgment. Thomas disagrees with the Hoos assessment and has hired a lawyer to challenge the state’s attorney and County Board.

What does the auditor do? Simply put, Thomas reviews invoices to be paid or were paid. In more accounting terms, the office audits receipts of all county officers and departments deposited with the county treasurer. That’s something the county’s finance department also does and has been doing. Additionally, the county, by state law, hires an outside firm to conduct an annual audit, insuring fiscal responsibility.

County Administrator Scott Sorrell noted the county will be hiring a chief financial officer by the end of the year to oversee management of county finances. In plain words, the auditor is duplicating the work of the finance department and has been for at least 10 years.

For decades, Courthouse observers have questioned the need for a county auditor. After all, of the 102 counties in Illinois, Peoria is one of only 17 still electing an auditor; 85 counties do not. In 2010, the local chapter of the League of Women Voters called for the elimination of the office of recorder of deeds and the auditor. Whatever the reason, their referendum called only for closing the recorder of deeds office and it passed. It should be mentioned the recorder of deeds was a Republican and the auditor was a Democrat. Perhaps that was THE reason. Anyway, the duties of the recorder of deeds were transferred to the Peoria County Clerk. Steve Sonnemaker, who had been auditor, handled the additional workload without difficulty.

How about the three employees scheduled to lose their union jobs by the end of the year? County administrators and board members are to be commended. They recommended and passed an amendment to the 2022 budget guaranteeing the three employment at the county with the same salary and benefits if they accept any open position. Currently, there are about 70 available jobs.

Meanwhile, perhaps this is a good time to consider consolidating the duplicating duties. Instead of electing someone based on their political party affiliation, why not just eliminate the office and integrate its financial duties to the experts in the county’s finance department?

Well done Peoria Park Trustees!

A tip of the hat to Peoria Park District trustees. It was refreshing to see them support open meetings designed to allow people to express their opinions about two major proposals they were considering.

The first was a plan to demolish the Glen Oak Amphitheater and remake the entire area next to the lagoon to allow for basketball courts, restrooms, a shelter or two, and a new children’s playground.

Neighbors, members of the Glen Oak Neighborhood Association and others, strongly objected, especially to the removal of the amphitheater. And they said so with dignity and reason during a series of meetings at the park.

At the first public meeting, which I attended, Emily Cahill, executive director of the parks, tried arguing with the objectors, but that proved to be bad strategy. Cahill mellowed in following meetings and listened, as did some trustees. They revised the plan and announced the amphitheater would be replaced with a new one.

The second proposal under consideration by park district trustees was introduced in October 2020. The Pavilion Arts Centre, a newly created organization, offered to lease 18 acres in Donovan Park to construct a 1,500 seat entertainment venue on the rolling grounds of the once proud Donovan Golf Course. Once again, parks director Emily Cahill announced her support for the proposal, saying, “Anytime we’re able to bring new things into our inventory that don’t compete with other things and help augment them, it’s really good for the entire community.”

Community activist David Pittman and others disagreed. For one, the entertainment venue would compete with the Civic Center and the Scottish Rite Theater. Secondly, as Pittman stressed at public hearings, it would obstruct the environment for the nearby Observatory.

Robert Johnson, trustee president, put a quick end to the proposal, stating Donovan Park was no place for the 1,500 seat theater.