Peoria Township Office
427 W. Main Street
Peoria, IL 61606
Office Hours
Monday – Thursday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Friday 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Phone 309-674-8237
Fax 309-674-8347
Ameren Assistance- There will be no Ameren Appointments taken for the rest of 2024
next call in date will be December 30th for January 2025 Appointments
Our Mission
The Mission of The Town of the City of Peoria Township’s Office is to thoughtfully and professionally serve the people of Peoria Township. We will treat all residents with fairness, dignity, courtesy, and respect while administering General Assistance, Emergency Assistance, and any other programs offered by our office. We promise to serve the community with honesty and integrity.
The Town of the City of Peoria Township Office is here to serve the citizens who reside in Peoria Township. Peoria Township consists of a large portion of the City of Peoria, but not the entire city. You must live within the Peoria Township boundaries to qualify for services through this office.
History of Township Government
Township government, the oldest existing form of government on the North American continent, was established in 1636 by early American settlers, who wanted to escape from the autocratic governments of Europe. Established as a pure democratic process, the people have a direct voice in this grassroots government.
Townships in Illinois currently serve more than 8 million people. Many people are confused about where Townships fall into the big picture in relation to City, County and State governments. Townships are NOT subsets of Cities or Counties.
History of the Town of the City of Peoria Township
The Town of the City of Peoria Township is governed by § 60 ILC (Illinois Compiled Statutes).
Peoria Township was brought into a Co-Terminus Township by vote of the County Board on July 1, 1903. The County Board adopted a Resolution creating the Town on December 15, 1907.
Prior to 1990, the boundaries of the City of Peoria and the Town of the City of Peoria were the same, but after 1990, a court order decreed that the Town could not grow or expand when the City of Peoria annexed property, so the Town and the City were no longer within the same boundary lines.
Peoria City Council Members serve as Town Trustees. Compared to other governments such as City government, different rules apply and the Town has a separate budget, different fiscal year and different Notice and filing deadlines. The Town has separate powers …… Officials are the Trustees (sitting City Council Members), and other Town Officials are the Supervisor of General Assistance, the Town Assessor, the Town Clerk, and the Town Collector.
Township Mandated Functions:
Illinois Townships have certain mandated functions:
- Road and Bridge Maintenance;
- Property Assessment;
- To provide General Assistance to those in need.
However, Townships often do a lot more. Township government is the closest government to the people and most Townships have taken steps to provide specific needs within their communities and to design creative programs to help fill those needs.
Note: The Town of the City of Peoria has no road or maintenance function.