On the agenda: Peoria County meeting — data center (Jul 16)

Joint Commission on Racial Justice and Equity
Steering Committee Meeting
AGENDA
Thursday, Ju1y 16, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Peoria City/County Health Department
(2116 N. Sheridan Rd, Peoria, IL 61604)
(Joint Commission on Racial Justice and Equity blind copied to comply with Open Meetings Act.)
Meeting ID
meet.google.com/irs-qtxo-gym
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 314-666-2904
PIN: 166 668 102#

1.

Call to Order

2. Approval of Minutes – June 18, 2026
3. Approval and Appointment
● New applicants
4. Working Groups Progress updates
5. Discussion
● Continued dialogue - How to best align with the city/county priorities and fulfill mission
6. New Business
● Next meeting – Agenda items
7. Adjournment

JOINT COMMISSION ON RACIAL JUSTICE
AND EQUITY
STEERING COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Thursday, June 18, 2026

5:30 pm
Location: United Presbyterian Church

2400 W. Northmoor Rd, Peoria, IL 61614
(Corner of Allen Road and Northmoor Road)
Join Google Meet Meeting
Meeting ID: meet.google.com/irs-qtxo-gym
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 314-666-2904
PIN: 166 668 102#

Members Present:
 Member Present
 Member Absent,
Excused
U – Absent,
Unexcused
Z – Attended by
Zoom
V- Vacant

Others Present:
1.

 Angela Bolden, Co-Chair
 Andre Allen, City Council Liaison

 Tom Pelger, Co-Chair
 Betty Duncan, County Bd Liaison

 Peter Avery
Z Christell Frausto
 Jonathan Wright
 Folanda James

V - Child & Youth Devel
 Janice Zagrado - Econ Devel & Jobs
 Nick Firmand- Environ & Climate
 Kevin Cashmer- Environ & Climate
 Mike Kennedy- Health & Hum Svcs
V Housing
 Lisamarie Schultz- Info Technology
Z Mary Peterson -Justice Systems
V Transportation & Mobility
 Scott Sorrel, County Ex-Officio
 Kimberly Richardson, City ExOfficio
 Brittany Graves

 Melodi Green

Call to Order:
Co- Chair Pelger called the meeting to order at 5:40 PM. Members attending virtually
were identified as Mary Peterson, co-chair of the Justice Committee, and Christell
Frausto, Steering Committee member.
RJE Steering Committee
Minutes June 18, 2026
Page 1

2. Approval of Minutes – May 21, 2026 – Minutes from the May 21st meeting were
provided in advance for review. Hearing no additions or corrections, a motion to approve
was made by Betty Duncan and seconded by Peter Avery. The motion approved
unanimously.
Approval and Appointment- Due to recent workgroup changes, the committee
acknowledged new Steering Committee representatives and workgroup leadership
updates.
• Kevin Cashmer introduced himself and shared that he moved from the Health and
Human Services Workgroup to the Environment Workgroup, which better aligns
with his background and current work with Phoenix Community Development
Services.
• Janice Zagardo was recognized as a co-chair of the Economic Development and
Jobs Workgroup. She noted that she has been involved with the workgroup since
the beginning of the Commission.
The committee also reviewed the current structure of the Steering Committee, including the role
of workgroup representatives as standing members who count toward quorum.
Nominating Committee and Membership Updates
• Jillian Field - Peter presented Jillian Field as a new applicant who came through the
online application form. Jillian works with The Nature Conservancy and has experience
related to environmental concerns, restoration, technology, and data center impacts.
Although she lives in Morton, the group discussed that workgroup members may
participate as volunteers, as they are not formal voting members of the Commission
Steering Committee. A motion was made by Nick Firmand and seconded by Jonathan
Wright to approve Jillian Field as a member of the Environment Workgroup. The motion
carried unanimously.
•

Tristan Mackey - Peter presented Tristan Mackey as a returning applicant. Tristan
previously served with the Commission and had stepped away due to the scheduling
demands related to his medical residency training. Now that he is in practice with more
consistent hours, he is interested in rejoining the Health and Human Services Workgroup.

•

Kevin Cashmer - Kevin Cashmer was presented as incoming co-chair of the Environment
Workgroup as Cece transitions out of the co-chair role while remaining involved as a
member. They plan a one month of overlap to support a smooth transition.

•

A motion was made and seconded to approve Tristan Mackey joining the Health and
Human Services Workgroup and Kevin Cashmer becoming co-chair of the Environment
Workgroup. The motion carried unanimously.

Orientation Updates - Peter reported that monthly orientation sessions continue to be offered.
Chanel Hargrave-Murray attended the most recent orientation session.
RJE Steering Committee
Minutes June 18, 2026
Page 2

Roster Updates - Peter reported that roster cleanup is ongoing. Confirmation is still pending from
Housing, Transportation, Child and Youth Services, and the Steering Committee. A summary of
active membership numbers across workgroups will be provided at the next meeting.
3.

Working Group Progress updates
• Environment Workgroup -reported that two major projects had previously been under
discussion: the Viridis plant preconditions and the environmental justice review process
related to the Distillery TIF. Viridis is no longer moving forward with the plant. The
group discussed whether an environmental justice or cumulative impact review process
could be incorporated into future requests involving the Distillery TIF. City staff
commented that the Distillery TIF is expected to have limited activity and that future
projects may involve smaller businesses, redevelopment, housing, or commercial
rehabilitation rather than large industrial projects. The group discussed the need for any
future environmental review process to be feasible, enforceable and not overly
burdensome for small businesses. The Environment Workgroup is currently focused on
rebuilding its team and identifying the next practical steps.
• Economic Development and Jobs Workgroup- Janice reported that the Economic
Development and Jobs Workgroup did not meet this month due to several members being
unavailable because of travel and vacations. Kimberly reported that the final draft of the
Peoria Employment Transportation Assistance Pilot report is still being completed and is
expected to be ready for distribution by the end of the month. The report will first be
shared with City Council before being distributed publicly.
Members discussed that, once the PTAP report is complete, the workgroup will need to
consider what comes next, including whether to pursue similar solutions, identify new
funding, or shift focus to a new initiative.
• Health and Human Services Workgroup- Mike provided updates on two initiatives
being explored by the Health and Human Services Workgroup.
o Doula Services- The workgroup hosted a community conversation to better
understand needs related to doula services. Four participants responded.
Discussion focused on whether the community has enough doulas, whether doulas
of color are sufficiently represented, and how the group may support access to
doula services without overstepping into medical system operations.
o Dementia-Friendly Community Certification- The workgroup had also been
exploring the possibility of Peoria becoming a dementia-friendly community. The
member championing that effort has relocated, so the group will determine
whether another member is willing to lead the initiative or whether it should be
paused.
o The workgroup discussed the importance of identifying project champions and
clarifying the roles of champions, co-chairs, and the support of the County or
City.

RJE Steering Committee
Minutes June 18, 2026
Page 3

o Justice Workgroup- Mary reported that community-based organizations who
completed the Justice Workgroup survey were given opportunities to review and
update their responses. Approximately 18 groups participated. The workgroup is
now working to determine the best format for presenting the information in a way
that is useful to the community. The Youth Opportunity Court remains in early
implementation, with a small number of youths having gone through the program
so far. A case manager has been hired through the Bar Association, and the
program hopes to build toward six participants. The Juvenile Justice Council
continues to meet and is working through committee structures and planning
related to reducing youth interaction with the justice system.
4. Discussion
• Commission Alignment with City and County Priorities
The committee held a broader discussion on how to better align the Commission
and its workgroups with City and County priorities in a way that is meaningful,
practical, and sustainable. Members discussed the need for clearer processes when
workgroups develop initiatives that may require support from the City Council,
County Board, City staff, County staff, or other departments. The discussion
highlighted that City and County governance structures differ, and that the
pathway for support depends on the subject matter, available funding, department
ownership, and whether formal policy approval is needed.
• Key points from the discussion included:
o Workgroups need appropriate City or County staff liaisons who can
provide subject-matter knowledge, help identify feasibility, and connect
workgroup ideas to the right decision-making pathway.
o Some staff liaisons previously functioned in more administrative support
role. Workgroups need both technical or leadership staff support to move
initiatives forward.
o The Commission may be most effective when workgroup priorities align
with existing City and County strategic plans, bringing a racial equity and
social justice lens to the work.
o The Commission should avoid spending time on initiatives that are not
connected to governmental priorities, resources, or implementation
pathways.
o Future discussions should include reviewing City and County strategic
priorities and identifying where the Commission can meaningfully
contribute. Tom shared that he previously drafted a rough alignment
between City and County goals and Commission workgroups. He will
distribute that information before the next meeting. This topic will be the
focus of the July meeting.
Leadership and Meeting Location Updates
• Peter announced that he will roll off the Steering Committee and Joint
Commission effective after the September meeting. He plans to remain active
through that transition period and help package information for whoever
continues the work.
RJE Steering Committee
Minutes June 18, 2026
Page 4

•

The committee discussed future meeting locations after Peter transitions. Potential
locations included Distillery Labs, the City room used for training, and the Health
Department community room. Members noted that the Health Department may be
a strong option because of parking, central location, bus access, and available
meeting technology. The group will explore availability for the third Thursday of
the month from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 7:00 p.m.

5. New Business
•

Action Items
• Peter will follow up with Jillian Field and Tristan Mackey to connect them to their
workgroups (Environment and Health & Human services, respectively).
• Peter will continue roster cleanup and provide an active membership summary at
the July meeting.
• Tom will distribute the document on draft alignment between City/County
strategic priorities and Commission workgroups before the July meeting.
• The Steering Committee will focus the July meeting on alignment with City and
County strategic priorities.
• The group will explore future meeting location options, including the Health
Department community room.
Next meeting – July 16th – Location to be confirmed

6. Adjournment• Meeting was adjourned at 7:12 PM
Minutes Prepared by: Brittany Graves, HR DEI Generalist- Peoria County

RJE Steering Committee
Minutes June 18, 2026
Page 5

Potential JCRJE alignment / support of City /County 2026 Strategic Plans
•

Economic Development & Jobs work group
o City Business Growth & Prosperity - EEO Office - By the end of January 2026 develop a
publicly accessible Section 3 business/persons listing focused on locating and utilizing
income-eligible neighborhood businesses/persons on required contracted projects to
increase utilization of income/location eligible businesses by 10% by December 2027
o County Role in Downtown Peoria Strategy – Executive - Collaborate with existing partners to
attract new businesses to downtown Peoria
o County Economic Development Strategy – Executive - Develop and implement a business
recruitment and retention strategy to retain high quality businesses. Focus on working with
existing partners to maximize and increase tools in the toolbox.
o County Create a Business Development Incentive Policy – Executive - Explore as part of the
Economic Development Plan, explore the creation of a business development incentive policy
o City Embrace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – EEO office
 The Fire Department will enroll six (6) apprentices into its training program by June 1st,
2026, completing all training and educational requirements within 24 months (June 1,
2028). (Fire)
 By December 31, 2026, the Police Department will increase the number of qualified
applicants for sworn and non-sworn positions by 30%, and improve employee retention
rates by 20%, through implementing targeted recruitment and retention campaigns.
(Police)
Economic Development & Jobs work group – bring community voice on equity into these
initiatives. Secure grant funding to continue and expand Employment Transportation
Assistance program. Continue research with GPEDC, Tri County Regional Planning
Commission, and CityLink on potential transit solutions to overcome transportation barriers.
Develop and deliver an annual minority / small business meeting to close knowledge gaps.

Housing work group
•

County Comprehensive Plan Update - land Use - Plan and budget for an update to Peoria
County’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Housing work group – bring community equity voice into plans, including affordable housing

Justice work group
o City Community Safety – Police - All priority neighborhoods will have an assigned
Neighborhood Liaison Officer to increase positive relationships and trust between the
community and the city. Success will initially be measured by 100% of neighborhoods having
an assigned officer who regularly attends neighborhood meetings.
o City – EEO Office- By December 2026, develop in writing a comprehensive, cross-collaborative,
transparent process for intake, investigation, and resolution of discrimination complaints,
including data tracking for reporting purposes, to increase response time by 25%.
Justice work group – bring community equity voice into these plans. Continue
implementation of Youth Opportunity Court, Juvenile Justice Council, Restorative Justice
Foundation with the County. Build on opportunities identified by community survey of
programs related to yout violence.
Environment & Climate work group
o City - Embrace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Police - By June 2026, Public Works will develop
and pilot a city-wide outreach strategy for green infrastructure education that tests at least three
approaches to increase public understanding by 20%, as measured by exit surveys for both inperson and online methods, by December 2027.
o County Resource Management Plan Update – 5-year plan to decrease Peoria County’s
generation of waste
Environment & Climate work group – support these plans, bring equity voice into considerations.
Work with City on Environmental Justice Review and community sustainability plan.
Health & Human Services work group
o County - Implement the Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plan - Health
Health & Human Services work work group – ensure consideration of racial equity focus /
impact on disadvantaged populations
Steering Committee
•

City – Community Development - Launch a Neighborhood Association Directory map layer in GIS by
May 2026 that allows the public to view contact information, meeting times, and other pertinent details
to support increased participation in community meetings.
JCRJE Steering Committee – work with City and County to train key City and County staff and JCRJE
commissioners in the Urban Institute’s framework, co-design principles, and develop consensus
strategic goals, actions needed to realize those, build resources into City and County annual budgets
for integrated action.

City / County Joint Legislative Agenda
City Request – Missing Middle Housing Solutions: Faced with an unprecedented housing crisis Illinois
needs to accelerate the production or preservation of housing for middle- or moderate-income
households (those earning between 80-140% area median income).
•
•
•

Establish/Pilot a Missing Middle Homeownership Tax Credit.
Establish/Pilot a Missing Middle Tax Credit for Multi-Unit Rental Housing.
State-Land Bank Partnership.
o Housing work group

City Request – Modernize the Illinois Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Support legislation to modernize the
Illinois Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to reflect current realities of violent juvenile crime and strengthen
accountability for both repeat juvenile offenders and their guardians. Communities across Illinois
including Peoria, Chicago, Rockford, Decatur, and Springfield are experiencing a rapid rise in violent acts
committed by juveniles, including armed robberies, carjackings, shootings, and aggravated vehicular
hijackings. In Peoria, law enforcement has encountered juveniles with double digit arrest histories, often
involving gun crimes, who continue to be released back into the community due to statutory gaps and
limited authority for detention or intervention. The reform preserves the juvenile justice system’s
rehabilitative purpose while restoring consequences, structure, and accountability to prevent continued
violence:
• Mandatory detention hearings for juveniles charged with violent felonies involving firearms or
serious bodily injury • Statutory authority for secure detention of juveniles who pose a threat to
public safety, including repeat violent offenders
• Graduated consequences for chronic offenders, including extended supervision and electronic
monitoring
• Firearm sentencing enhancements for juvenile offenders found in possession of illegal guns or
using guns in the commission of crimes
• Parental responsibility provisions requiring guardians to participate in court ordered counseling,
monitoring, or accountability plans
• Intervention and rehabilitation funding to support mandatory behavioral services, education
compliance, and mentorship programs
• Information sharing authority between law enforcement, schools, probation, and service
providers to reduce recidivism
o Justice work group
City Request – Economic Development Incentives: Illinois has limited tools to support economic
development. Support expanded economic development tools for Illinois cities that comparable states
have established (such as Missouri, Indiana, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina). Tools
range from job-development credits, set-aside benefits for economic development, life sciences
manufacturing tax credit, etc.
•

Economic Development & Jobs work group