ROGER MONROE

Give credit to the majority members of the Peoria City Council. As we reported last month, members blocked an alleged effort by
Mayor Rita Ali and City Manager Patrick Urich to quietly slip under the radar screen a payment of $25,000 for an interruption violence program out of Chicago called, “Cure Violence.” The request for payment was placed on the council’s Consent Agenda in violation of rules that state no payment of more than $15,000 shall be authorized via consent. Consent items are approved without discussion and debate. To be blunt, the “Cure Violence” program should have been — at the least — introduced before the full council for consideration. Majority members took a lot of unfair and inappropriate heat from people who didn’t know what they were talking about. When you’re right, it’s easier to withstand such criticism and personal attacks.
We don’t know all of the details, but the council has held a number of executive sessions since the majority uncovered this unethical, if not illegal, maneuver. Normally, the city announces a Request for Proposals so administrative officials, along with the council, can evaluate proposals to determine the best. This wasn’t done for “Cure Violence.” The mayor and city manager appear to have brokered the “deal” without the council. The majority believed rules and procedures were broken while new council members Andre Allen and Denise Jackson did not. Rumor is the city manager is the one taking heat behind closed doors. He had to know what was attempted was wrong.
The big news, though, is the wrong has been corrected. The city announced it has $700,000 available from the American Rescue Plan to fund violence interruption programs. Not-for-profit agencies and organizations can apply for funding by requesting applications from the Peoria Community Development Department. According to Joe Dulin, department director, proposed programs must meet at least one of five criteria standards. They include violence reduction, neighborhood involvement, empowering youth and young adults, restorative and resilience, and intervention.
To be honest, that’s pretty vague and is in need of clarification.
The money is there. Applicants are eligible for a minimum of $50,000 up to a maximum of $250,000. Dulin said all proposals must be evidence-based and measurable. The deadline for receiving proposals is Friday, Sept. 9.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the way the system works. It’s fair, open, and transparent. That’s how government is supposed to work. Majority members of the council are to be commended for their honesty and integrity.
PEORIA POLICE GETTING IT RIGHT: The City Council is getting it right and so is the police department. Under the leadership of Chief Eric Echevarria, officers and detectives are providing their own interruption violence program. Almost daily, “the men and women in blue” are confiscating one gun after another, as they arrest teenagers and men and women of all ages. From shot spotter alerts to domestic abuse investigations and burglaries, officers wind up removing guns from future use. Too often we forget how dangerous their work is, especially today when we have kids as young as 13 and 14 carrying deadly weapons. Years ago, there was a national movement in the country to say thank you whenever our paths crossed with a member of the military. Let’s start doing the same when we see or meet a police officer, deputy sheriff or state trooper. To them all, “Thanks and God Bless you for what you do!”
PEORIA SCHOOL BOARD GETTNG IT WRONG: The Peoria School Board has been busy renaming schools for their friends and relatives while ignoring the needs of its teachers, who have been without a contract for months. They’ve been offered a 1.5% salary increase. Not enough, say teachers. They’ve called for a federal mediator. The teachers’ union is complaining the board gave high paid administrators raises, but show little concern for those in the classrooms. That’s why they held a large and active protest before the Aug. 8 board meeting. More than 800 were on hand to voice their frustrations.
And boy did WMBD-TV get it wrong. They had a reporter in front of the school district building on Wisconsin talking about the board’s agenda that included safety and COVID-19 restrictions. While she was talking about those subjects, hundreds of teachers were peacefully protesting. She ignored them. That’s like reporting on a car accident while a 20-story hotel is burning in the background. I wonder why someone in the Channel 31 newsroom didn’t tell her to turn around and talk about the protest since it was a “live” report.
There’s some dissension on the board over the Peoria school board’s student dress code. Board member Anni Reinking thinks the code unfairly targets girls. I find her use of the word “target” purposely inflammatory. She decided to survey some parents in District 150
to see if they agree with her views. We’re told Board president Martha Ross took umbrage at the survey suggesting it was inappropriate, while failing to explain why. On the other hand, I not only feel Reinking’s use of the word “target” is offensive, but also irresponsible. The board is focused on females for the benefit of both girls and boys. It doesn’t help to have a board member or even some parents throwing gasoline on a hot topic. It’s a sensitive subject and should be resolved by mature adults. It wouldn’t even be necessary if we had parents like we did in the ’40s and ’50s.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart,” — Eleanor Roosevelt.