PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria City Council took a step forward Tuesday night in regards to the city’s budget with removing 45 positions.
It was a close vote, the council approved 6-5 to move into phase one of a plan that would include staffing reductions and vacant positions across several departments will not be filled.
The cuts include 27 current vacancies, 18 positions across city hall, public works, and community development that are currently occupied. Plus, an additional 28 part time positions would be cut.
The original vacancy cut proposed by City Manager Patrick Urich was 37, but the council voted to keep 10 incoming positions for the police department open.
Cuts to public works will affect the city when snowfall returns.
“We would have longer snow route, there would be less residential plowing,” Urich said.
Any cuts that will be made to occupied public safety positions will be decided closer to October.
“And then look at in phase two, look at the reduced positions that we would have that would be those existing public safety officers,” Urich said.
Making cuts to Peoria’s public safety staff is a concern for the council members.
Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said the council can wait a few weeks and talk with the community when it comes to making operation cuts to the police and fire departments.
“Everybody doesn’t want to lose service, but they don’t want their taxes increased, we get it,” Ardis said.
Several council members are uneasy about making any cuts at all to public safety.
Councilman Sid Ruckriegel said he will not support cuts to several areas of employees that provide vital services to the city.
“If we’re going to look at where we have some cuts to be made, they ought to be where we have duplication,” Ruckriegel said.
Operational cuts down the road would also hit the Peoria Fire Department with 33 positions to cut.
Peoria Fire Chief Tony Ardis said that firefighter/paramedics are always busy, however due to the recent riots that took place early June their efforts were highlighted.
“We actually had more calls the weekend prior to that weekend than we did the weekend of unrest. It’s just you don’t hear about it,” Ardis said.
The council also approved Tuesday a resolution condemning the actions that resulted in the death of George Floyd.
Peoria Police Chief Loren Marion III discussed protocols PPD follows when it comes to use of force.
Marion mentioned that the state has a statute for officers when deciding to use a choke-hold.
“A peace officer should not use a choke-hold in a performance of his or her duties unless deadly force is justified,” Marion said.
Marion also mentioned that officers can not use a taser on someone after they comply, and officers can not shoot at moving vehicles unless a person in the vehicle poses a deadly threat by means other than the vehicle.
The council will meet again on Tuesday June 23.
