“Whoa! I haven't even had my coffee yet.” newyorker.com/cartoons/rando…

“Whoa! I haven't even had my coffee yet.” newyorker.com/cartoons/rando…

Fire Chief Ed Olehy said the Peoria fire department keeps the fire in the room of origin 78 percent of the time. He also said that while new construction materials burn hotter, new homes are tighter and can contain fires. #peoriacc

Fitch's Bruce Mueller called the data collection effort by the Peoria Fire Department and AMT was "a very collaborative process," #peoriacc

At Large Councilwoman Beth Akeson suggests that the city website include information regarding how times have changed--that the response time has gone from 20 minutes to under four minutes due to construction materials of newer homes and the size of homes today. #peoriacc

5th District Councilman Denis Cyr expressed concern over travel time in his district. He also noted that a 2004 study made 30 recommendations regarding fire/medical response and that most haven't been followed. #peoriacc

The Fitch study suggests a change in how fire/medical response is done by not sending firefighters to low-priority calls and employing changes in dispatching to send the right resource to the right call. #peoriacc

Bruce Mueller presents a study of fire and emergency calls in Peoria. Fitch & Associates was hired to give city officials an analysis of the response service provided. #peoriacc

.Nowlan notes that the number of homeless in Peoria when counted in January was 285, down from 400 last year. #peoriacc

Kevin Nowlan of the Heart of Illinois Homelessness Continuum of Care outlines service to the homeless provided in Peoria. #peoriacc

Eureka College's men's basketball team receives a city of Peoria proclamation. Eureka coach Chip Wilde introduced the Red Devils squad that started the season 2-10 but wound up in the Division III tournament. #peoriacc

The Peoria City Council opens with recognition of Kick Butts Day, an anti-smoking program that focuses on getting the "don't smoke" message out to young people. #peoriacc

Catch DOA Downtown Peoria Public Library at 2 p.m. Saturday. Helen Burgess, the cousin of Neville Brand, who played Chester the wild-eyed henchman.

How should the city close TIF districts? Invest in infrastructure or give back tax money to taxing bodies? #peoriacc

Ardis suggested the council wants to drive more TIF districts to attract development. #peoriacc

Grayeb says that TIF districts have gotten a bad name but many have been useful for the city. #peoriacc

It's on to tax increment financing. Development tool that allows the city to establish priorities.#peoriacc

Voring for the compromise: Riggenbach, Moore, Montelongo, Ruckriegel, Oyler and Ardis. Against: Grayeb, Jensen, Akeson, Cyr. #peoriacc

City council passes Oyler option by 6-4 margin, going back to once amonth pick-ups in older neighborhoods and pick up recycling in the alley--through June. Meanwhile, twice-a-month curbside recycling would continue elsewhere in Peoria.#peoriacc

Councilman Zach Oyler suggests that for the next 90 days people in the older parts of town will have once a month service in the alley until the city sorts out the problem. the city would get twice-a-month pick-ups. #peoriacc