EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT PEORIA, IL • CORPORATION COUNSEL City of Peoria, Illinois CORPORATION COUNSEL
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CITY OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS CORPORATION COUNSEL EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT PEORIA, IL • CORPORATION COUNSEL City of Peoria, Illinois CORPORATION COUNSEL GovHR USA, LLC is pleased to announce the recruitment and selection process for Corporation Counsel for the City of Peoria, IL. This is an opportunity to join a dynamic city entering a new era in local government management. This brochure provides background information on Peoria, as well as the requirements and expected qualifications for the Corporation Counsel position. Additional information about Peoria can be found on the City’s website: peoriagov.org. Candidates interested in applying for the position should electronically submit their résumé and cover letter, along with contact information for five (5) work-related references at GovHRJobs.com. Open until filled with first review of applications September 20, 2021. Questions regarding this opportunity may be directed in confidence to the Executive Recruiter working with the City of Peoria: GovHR USA Maureen Barry, Senior Vice President Phone: 847-380-3240, x116 Email: [email protected] THE CITY The City of Peoria (Pop. 110,417) is located midway between Chicago and St. Louis in central Illinois on the Illinois River. Greater Peoria strikes the perfect balance between big-city life and small-town atmosphere. The neighborhoods are safe, and ethnically, culturally and racially diverse. The City has a strong base of residential, commercial and educational properties. Outstanding park districts and local establishments offer unique arts and cultural activities, along with recreational options for every member of the family. A four-time All-America City, Peoria and the surrounding metro area (around 300,000 residents) are among the most favorable regions in the country for cost of living, at about 13 percent below the national average. Peoria scored a top position on the Gallup-Healthways State of American Well-Being Index and in a 2016 survey that ranked the Peoria metropolitan area 26th out of 190 communities surveyed, the highest ranking of any region in Illinois. Peoria also ranks high in providing the best value among retirement DEMOGRAPHICS destinations, according to MarketWatch, and was fifth among U.S. cities where millennials were buying homes in 2017 according to Population: 110,417 SmartAsset, a leading financial analytics organization. (over 300,000 with surrounding metro area) Greater Peoria is a melting pot in the heart of the Midwest, with a Number of Households: 46,123 range of organizations and initiatives that spotlight its rich cultural Owner-occupied housing unit rate: heritage. The Peoria Chinese Association and Indo-American Society 55.9% of Peoria promote its Chinese and Indian heritage; Friendship House, Peoria Hispanics Group, and the Great Peoria Hispanic Chamber of Land area: 48 square miles Commerce provide resources to the growing Latino community; and Median Household Income (2019 dollars): the Tri-County Urban League, Peoria NAACP, and African American $51,771 Hall of Fame honor Peoria’s deep African American roots. From health and human services to the environment and education, Median Home Value (Owner-occupied): a diverse range of organizations are active in the Peoria community. $125,700 By cultivating and embracing a culture of well-being, Peoria’s leaders of government, business, education, healthcare, faith, and the arts (Source: U.S. Census, QuickFacts, 2019 estimated) embrace the philosophy that improving the well-being of its people is a vital aspect of serving the community. PAGE 2 PEORIA, IL • CORPORATION COUNSEL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River. Located on Interstate 74, the city is home to Bradley University, MISSION STATEMENT the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (where mass production of penicillin was developed), The mission of the City of a major medical hub with four major hospitals serving central IL, and the headquarters of OSFHealthcare, Maui Peoria is to provide excellent Jim, RLI Insurance, and others. municipal services, balancing The City serves as the regional medical hub for central Illinois with four major hospitals, a Veterans exceptional customer service Administration Clinic (the “V.A. Clinic”), UICOMP, and Jump Simulation Center. OSF Saint Francis Medical with financial responsibility. Center (649 beds), UnityPoint Health Methodist Hospital (350 beds), St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Children’s Research Hospital of IL (127 beds), and Kindred Hospital VISION STATEMENT (50 beds) serve a wide variety of needs. In the spring The 2025 Vision Statement for Peoria is of 2011, a new V.A. Clinic opened with state-of-the-art a “safe, beautiful, and growing city” with equipment and expansion of health care services for four broad goals to realize the vision: veterans. The UICOMP Cancer Research Center is a 34,000 square foot, $12 million state-of-the-art research • FINANCIALLY SOUND center which opened in the fall of 2011. In 2014 OSF Customer focused, cost-effective, and completed the Jump Simulation Center, a $50 million efficient municipal services state-of-the-art medical training and research facility. Also, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central IL opened in December of 2019 with 22 mini-suites • SAFE PEORIA available. A community focused on the safety and security of its residents Peoria is globally connected. The Illinois River is used heavily by barges to transport bulk goods. More than 3 • BEAUTIFUL PEORIA million tons of cargo pass through local locks each year, Beautiful neighborhoods, beautiful providing access from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of streets with attractive spaces and Mexico and beyond. The Peoria area is served by three buildings Interstate highways: Interstate 74, which runs from northwest to southeast through the downtown area, • GROW PEORIA Interstate 474, a southern bypass of I-74, and Interstate Businesses identifying Peoria as a 155, which runs south from I-74 in Morton to Interstate desirable place to locate or expand, and 55 in Lincoln, connecting to Springfield and St. Louis. residents finding Peoria as a desirable place to relocate to and to live PAGE 3 PEORIA, IL • CORPORATION COUNSEL CITY GOVERNMENT The City of Peoria is a full-service community with 615 FTEs and a total budget of just over $200 million, including a $100 million General Fund. The City is a home rule municipality and operates under the Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of the Mayor (elected at-large) and ten council members, who are elected for four-year terms. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council and serves as the chief administrative officer of the City. All department heads, including the Corporation Counsel, are appointed by and directly report to the City Manager. The City provides services through 14 departments including: City Manager, Community Development, Emergency Communications, Fire, Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, Legal, Police, Police Six strategic outcomes identified by the and Public Works and the offices of an elected City Clerk City Council: and City Treasurer. Six groups of employees in the • ARTS, CULTURE AND LIFELONG LEARNING City’s departments are currently unionized. The City’s Deliver the building blocks of a vibrant and diverse water service is supplied through Illinois American community Water Company and wastewater service is provided by • ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND the City and the Greater Peoria Sanitary District. Risk NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY - management and liability claims against the City are Provide economic opportunity for all and support managed by the Legal Department and a third-party strong, diverse neighborhoods administrator. The City’s health insurance benefits are managed through a joint labor management health care • ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH - Maintain, committee. protect, and enhance a healthy and sustainable environment The City revised its 2021 Budget to account for COVID-19 • GOOD GOVERNMENT FOR ALL - Develop pandemic induced reductions in revenues, which forced effective and efficient city government focused the City to make staff and capital spending cuts and on equitable results, while retaining a high-quality restructure its debt service payments. As a result, the workforce City managed to produce positive unaudited General Fund results for the last fiscal year. • INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY - Provide a reliable, equitable, and safe transportation system The City is taking further steps to address its budget challenges by offering an to eligible employees and • PUBLIC SAFETY - Being safe at home, at work, at reorganizing operations as needed to align spending to play and in your community meet the new realities of a COVID-19 world. The next Corporation Counsel will join the City at a time that requires bold, decisive action and the ability to leave a long-lasting impression. The City Council revised its strategic plan in 2019 by identifying strategic outcomes and key challenges facing the City of Peoria and department heads were tasked with identifying new strategies or adjusting existing ones to address those challenges. The goal of the strategic planning process was to provide a defined focus for the next 3-5 years and clear direction for the 2020-21 biennial budget and beyond. PAGE 4 PEORIA, IL • CORPORATION COUNSEL THE POSITION IN BRIEF The Corporation Counsel is responsible for providing legal advice to the City Council, City Manager and department heads, including advising on labor and personnel