Peoria City Council members have reached a consensus to fill an at-large vacancy.
Sid Paul Ruckriegel has been selected to replace Chuck Weaver, who resigned after his appointment as Illinois State Senator.
The consensus was reached during an executive session Thursday. The City Council will vote to formally approve Ruckriegel’s appointment Tuesday and he is expected to be immediately sworn in.
“I’m just proud and happy to serve the people of Peoria,” Ruckriegel told 1470 & 100.3 WMBD. “I couldn’t think of a better slate of people to be chosen with.”
Ruckriegel was among four finalists selected by the Council out of a total of 21 residents who applied to fill the vacancy. The other finalists included Zach Oyler, Rita Ali and Thomas Fliege.
“It was wonderful slate of individuals who applied,” Ruckriegel said. “It’s a great cross-section of the whole city. The number of the applicants and the diversity of the applicants I think really reflects well on the open process of the selection.”
Ruckriegel is director, owner and vice-treasurer of SERVUS, Inc., a newly merged restaurant and real estate holding company with operations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan. The business entity includes 156 stores with 3,300 employees.
Ruckriegel describes himself as a neighborhood advocate.
“Not only in one part of the city but the entire city that is the first step, the local involvement,” Ruckriegel said.
Ruckriegel is currently director of the Moss-Bradley Residential Association.
Ruckriegel is also a member of a number of civic groups. He is currently president of the Peoria Riverfront Museum Board, a Peoria Public Library trustee and vice-chair of the Peoria Historic Commission.
Ruckriegel says he will keep his spot on the Museum Board. But, he will resign from the Library Board and the Historic Commission.
Ruckriegel is also a Peoria Historical Society trustee, a member of the Heart of Illinois United Way Board of Directors, and a RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Libraries) trustee.
“I grew up in a family of service,” Ruckriegel said, “and always believing you gave back to the communities that you both did business in and lived in.”
Source: http://www.1470wmbd.com/city-council-replacement-selected/
