Alma Brown is assistant to the Peoria City Manager, public information officer, and acts as spokesperson for the City of Peoria. Among her duties, she secures materials for the city manager to use; performs special assignments for the mayor, city council, and city manager; ensures the city’s communication program keeps the public and city employees informed; develops and revises public information programs; promotes positive media relations; and coordinates city-sponsored events, meetings, and city council installation ceremonies.
Brown’s career with the City of Peoria has spanned more than 20 years, and she’s worked her way up through positions such as secretary and administrative assistant to the mayor/city council.
In addition to her service to the city, she’s very active throughout the community. Brown is on the YWCA board of directors; chaired the 2003 YWCA Leadership Luncheon; and is a member of the Junior League of Peoria, Tri-County (Peoria) Urban League board of directors, the RiverCity Soul Fest, Riverfront Programming Advisory Committee, Pediatric Resource Center board of directors, Peoria School District 150 Task Force, and Santa Parade Committee, just to name a few.
She resides in Peoria.
Tell about your background, schools attended, etc.
I was born and raised in Fairbury, along with my brother, Chuck, and my three sisters: Charlene, Lisa, and Lori. My mother, Betty Brown, still resides there.
When I graduated from Fairbury/Cropsey High School, I knew I wanted to move to a larger city where I could take advantage of more opportunities. After moving to Peoria, I attended Midstate College and earned my AS degree. A few years later, I received my BA in management from the University of Illinois in Springfield.
Describe your work with the city: what you do in general and on a day-to-day basis.
My official title is assistant to the city manager/public information officer for the City of Peoria. In short, I’m the city spokesperson. It’s my responsibility to communicate the city’s message to the community. I do this in various ways, such as working with the media to answer inquiries about issues relating to city departments. There’s always something going on in the city, and often, a day doesn’t go by when I’m not sending out a news release about a road closure or a city program. We often schedule news conferences so the mayor and city manager can convey specific details about major issues such as the budget. Some days, I spend the majority of the time on the phone with citizens answering questions about city services, directing them to appropriate city agencies, or helping to solve problems.
To increase customer service, the mayor and city council have instituted a new citizen service initiative that I head, which involves handling and resolving complaints regarding city services. I route the complaints to the appropriate department for handling, then I track the complaint and make sure it’s resolved. This new system will also help us identify if a change in service delivery is needed.
Communication and customer service is very high on the agenda of our new city manager, Randy Oliver. Creating this new customer service tool is just the beginning of many ideas I anticipate the new city manager to bring forward.
My duties also include producing publications such as the city’s annual report; our employee newsletter; and our City Services Directory, which is an A to Z listing of the services we offer and whom to contact. Periodically, I produce citizen surveys and when the City of Peoria needs assistance from a higher level of government, I communicate the city’s concerns to our local legislators.
Who or what influenced your decision to begin a career in government?
I’ve always enjoyed working with people and doing things to help make their lives a little easier. There really wasn’t anything in particular that led me to a career in government. As a matter of fact, I just happened upon a job posting while working part-time at the Tri-County (Peoria) Urban League for a secretarial position with the CETA Program (currently Workforce Development). I didn’t know it was a job with the City of Peoria until I went for the job interview.
You’ve worked your way up through the ranks at the city. Tell about that journey and why you’ve chosen to remain with the city for so long.
In 1981, I began my career with the City of Peoria as a secretary in the CETA Division. Over the years, our name changed from CETA to JTPA to the Private Industry Council, but we maintained the same mission as it is today: to assist people in their quest to obtain employment. We weren’t located in City Hall, and I must admit I wasn’t as familiar with the city council as I am now.
I truly enjoy a challenge, and I’m most comfortable in a job where there are multiple tasks. After seven years in this department, I was ready for a change and, hopefully, for advancement within the city. An opportunity presented itself when former Mayor Jim Maloof attended one of our Private Industry Council Board meetings. His secretary had just retired, and he asked me to send him a resume and samples of my work. I interviewed, and about a week later received a phone call from the mayor asking me to come and work for him.
Working for the Mayor’s Office was a tremendous opportunity. I learned a great deal because the mayor allowed me to work on projects that were beyond the scope of my secretarial job. I was given the chance to attend meetings on his behalf, and on a couple of occasions, I even presented proclamations. I got the opportunity to meet and sometimes work with people from all walks of life-from governors to basketball players, and even young people like Councilman John Morris, who at the time was the leader of Mayor Maloof’s Mayor’s Younger Buddies Program.
My position with the Mayor’s Office enabled me to establish a lot of contacts in the community that have been very beneficial to my job today. I look at the Mayor’s Office as the hub of the city. This is where I truly learned about how each department worked and how the city worked in general.
One of the things I had the opportunity to do in my capacity as the mayor’s secretary was work with the former public information officer and learn her duties. When she took another position out of state, I applied and have held the position since 1996.
Why am I still with the city? Our jobs with the city impact so many people’s lives, and I love being able to do something that can make someone’s life a little easier. I hope I’ve served the citizens of Peoria well. When I look at how wonderful the Peoria community is and see the dedication shown by the 770 city employees who work to serve this community, I’m proud to say I, too, work for the City of Peoria. I can’t imagine working anywhere else.
How was your job affected during the recent challenges the city faced? Are things settling down for you with a new city manager on board-or just the opposite?
When we were faced with the necessity of layoffs, I, like many of my co-workers, wondered whose names would be placed on the list. Fortunately, I wasn’t personally affected, but we did lose one position in our office.
We’re all eagerly anticipating the arrival of our new city manager. With his numerous years of experience and education, I believe it’s going to be a very exciting time for Peoria. With new people, there often comes change; however, we’re no stranger to change because every two years there are elections, and there’s always the possibility of a new face on the city council.
Among the many new city endeavors, which are you most passionate about? Is this an exciting time to be involved in city government?
The downtown museum and the Medical and Technology District are the projects I’m most excited about. Our investment on the riverfront has encouraged families to live and reside on the riverfront. When the museum comes to fruition, it will only make our downtown better.
The Med-Tech District is the type of project that will help revitalize the downtown and the central part of the city. This is the first step to a knowledge-based economy that will create a lot of synergy in the community. As we get more developments and housing off of Main Street, more people will want to live and invest in this part of the city.
What are some of the misconceptions the community may have about the city or its officials?
The largest misperception is that the city has raised real estate taxes every year, and that simply isn’t true. The city hasn’t raised taxes, other than a sales tax, in more than 10 years. The City of Peoria only represents approximately 15 percent of the total tax bill.
Another misperception is that the City of Peoria’s budget problems are due to investing in major projects such as O’Brien Field and the downtown museum. In fact, the city’s responsibility for developments are solely in providing funding towards infrastructure that usually amounts to $2 million to $3 million.
The council is working hard to ensure that direct contact with city staff and city departments will result in prompt and efficient response and feedback. Council members receive an inordinate amount of phone calls for services from constituents on a daily basis, and we would like to encourage them to contact city departments directly. This will enable us to address their specific concerns in a timely manner.
What’s the most stressful part of your job with the city? The best part?
Most stressful would probably be when I’ve planned my day and something urgent occurs that requires immediate attention. The best part of my job is when I work on an issue for a citizen, and I’m able to get his or her problem resolved.
What are some of the ways the public can contribute to the city and its goals?
The increase in the number of neighborhood associations has been very encouraging to us. The neighborhood associations have been a tremendous ambassador between the city and neighborhoods. Members of the neighborhood associations currently serve on our Neighborhood Development Commission that assists the city in deciding how dollars can best be spent in the neighborhoods. Neighborhood Associations are also represented on the Medical and Technology District Commission and Advisory Council. The public can contribute to the city by serving on a city commission. We have more than 40 commissions that directly impact the city’s goals and objectives.
You were part of a national broadcast a few months ago about weight loss struggles. Tell us about that.
The NBC affiliates were asked to send in tapes from individuals who were interested in being a part of Dr. Phil’s town hall meeting on weight loss. WEEK-TV contacted PALM, the local organization that coordinated the MoonWalk, and asked them to suggest some people to provide a tape. PALM representatives chose the City of Peoria and Methodist Medical Center to submit names. Our MoonWalk coordinator, Kristin, asked me if I was interested in sending in a tape, and after thinking long and hard, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Dr. Phil had five weight loss questions he wanted answered. I went to WEEK-TV, and they taped me answering the questions. I went into this thinking it would be nice to be chosen, but I knew it was a long shot because tapes were being sent in from all across the United States.
WEEK sent the tape to New York, and two days later I received a call from Dateline NBC saying they were considering me for the show. They asked a few more weight loss questions and told me they would be making a decision in about a week. The following week I received a call from a Dateline producer saying they wanted me to come to New York to be on the show. They also said they were considering me for a speaking part because of my position with the city. Dateline sent a crew to Peoria to film me in my home and while I was working out. They flew me to New York with all expenses paid, including hotel and a limousine to and from the airport.
There were a total of 50 people chosen from all over the United States to take part in this town hall meeting. I had no idea I had definitely been chosen to speak with Dr. Phil and Katie Couric until 20 minutes before the show began. A producer came up to me while we were in the green room and said, "We need to do your hair and make up because you’re going on first." They gave me a quick run through of where I needed to sit and the types of questions I might be asked. Katie and Dr. Phil came over to me before the show began and introduced themselves. Once my segment started, Katie asked me questions relating to the piece that was filmed in my home, and I was able to ask Dr. Phil’s advice on my weight loss situation. It seemed like the three of us were chatting away for a long time, and Dr. Phil gave me some very helpful suggestions.
New York is an amazing city, and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to go there and be part of the town hall meeting. Weight loss is a very personal issue, and it’s one I’ve struggled with my entire life.
I’m still very involved with the project. Dateline has provided all of us with an e-mail address so we can keep them informed of our progress. They’re also considering bringing us back in one year to see how we’ve done with our weight loss. I’m proud to say I’ve lost 20 pounds since returning from New York. I’m motivated to lose more and reach my goal.
You’re very involved with the community. How do you make time for your commitments? With a full-time job in the public sector, why is community activism in your off hours important to you?
The city has always encouraged its employees to be involved in the community, and if there are times I need to attend meetings during work hours, my employer very generously allows me to do so. However, most of my meetings take place before work, during lunch hours, or after work. The fact that I’m not married and don’t have children probably makes it a little easier for me to serve on the number of boards that I do because I don’t have to worry that I’m taking time away from family.
They say, "To whom much is given, much is expected." When you’ve been as fortunate as I believe I’ve been, it’s essential that you give back to the community. When I left Fairbury to come to the big city, I never imagined I would be blessed with the opportunities I’ve had or given the chance to meet the people who’ve crossed my path. Even though I may not have as much personal time as I may need, I don’t mind spending time volunteering on boards or helping with neighborhood association projects. Giving back is something we should all be willing to do.
Tell about your recent induction into the African American Hall of Fame.
I was inducted into the African American Hall of Fame in 2003 for Community Service. When I received the call that this honor was being bestowed upon me, I was speechless and humbled. I thought about those who’ve been honored before me like Dr. Romeo B. Garrett and Erma Davis, and I felt so honored.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The thing I’m most proud of is Public Employees for Community Concerns, which is a group of African-American City of Peoria management employees that coordinates the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon. I, along with 11 of my city colleagues, began coordinating this luncheon as a way to bring the community together in fellowship to honor Dr. King on his birthday. The luncheon has grown tremendously over the last 11 years, and we’re very excited about having Dr. Maya Angelou as our guest speaker January 19, 2004. TPW
Brown’s career with the City of Peoria has spanned more than 20 years, and she’s worked her way up through positions such as secretary and administrative assistant to the mayor/city council.
In addition to her service to the city, she’s very active throughout the community. Brown is on the YWCA board of directors; chaired the 2003 YWCA Leadership Luncheon; and is a member of the Junior League of Peoria, Tri-County (Peoria) Urban League board of directors, the RiverCity Soul Fest, Riverfront Programming Advisory Committee, Pediatric Resource Center board of directors, Peoria School District 150 Task Force, and Santa Parade Committee, just to name a few.
She resides in Peoria.
Tell about your background, schools attended, etc.
I was born and raised in Fairbury, along with my brother, Chuck, and my three sisters: Charlene, Lisa, and Lori. My mother, Betty Brown, still resides there.
When I graduated from Fairbury/Cropsey High School, I knew I wanted to move to a larger city where I could take advantage of more opportunities. After moving to Peoria, I attended Midstate College and earned my AS degree. A few years later, I received my BA in management from the University of Illinois in Springfield.
Describe your work with the city: what you do in general and on a day-to-day basis.
My official title is assistant to the city manager/public information officer for the City of Peoria. In short, I’m the city spokesperson. It’s my responsibility to communicate the city’s message to the community. I do this in various ways, such as working with the media to answer inquiries about issues relating to city departments. There’s always something going on in the city, and often, a day doesn’t go by when I’m not sending out a news release about a road closure or a city program. We often schedule news conferences so the mayor and city manager can convey specific details about major issues such as the budget. Some days, I spend the majority of the time on the phone with citizens answering questions about city services, directing them to appropriate city agencies, or helping to solve problems.
To increase customer service, the mayor and city council have instituted a new citizen service initiative that I head, which involves handling and resolving complaints regarding city services. I route the complaints to the appropriate department for handling, then I track the complaint and make sure it’s resolved. This new system will also help us identify if a change in service delivery is needed.
Communication and customer service is very high on the agenda of our new city manager, Randy Oliver. Creating this new customer service tool is just the beginning of many ideas I anticipate the new city manager to bring forward.
My duties also include producing publications such as the city’s annual report; our employee newsletter; and our City Services Directory, which is an A to Z listing of the services we offer and whom to contact. Periodically, I produce citizen surveys and when the City of Peoria needs assistance from a higher level of government, I communicate the city’s concerns to our local legislators.
Who or what influenced your decision to begin a career in government?
I’ve always enjoyed working with people and doing things to help make their lives a little easier. There really wasn’t anything in particular that led me to a career in government. As a matter of fact, I just happened upon a job posting while working part-time at the Tri-County (Peoria) Urban League for a secretarial position with the CETA Program (currently Workforce Development). I didn’t know it was a job with the City of Peoria until I went for the job interview.
You’ve worked your way up through the ranks at the city. Tell about that journey and why you’ve chosen to remain with the city for so long.
In 1981, I began my career with the City of Peoria as a secretary in the CETA Division. Over the years, our name changed from CETA to JTPA to the Private Industry Council, but we maintained the same mission as it is today: to assist people in their quest to obtain employment. We weren’t located in City Hall, and I must admit I wasn’t as familiar with the city council as I am now.
I truly enjoy a challenge, and I’m most comfortable in a job where there are multiple tasks. After seven years in this department, I was ready for a change and, hopefully, for advancement within the city. An opportunity presented itself when former Mayor Jim Maloof attended one of our Private Industry Council Board meetings. His secretary had just retired, and he asked me to send him a resume and samples of my work. I interviewed, and about a week later received a phone call from the mayor asking me to come and work for him.
Working for the Mayor’s Office was a tremendous opportunity. I learned a great deal because the mayor allowed me to work on projects that were beyond the scope of my secretarial job. I was given the chance to attend meetings on his behalf, and on a couple of occasions, I even presented proclamations. I got the opportunity to meet and sometimes work with people from all walks of life-from governors to basketball players, and even young people like Councilman John Morris, who at the time was the leader of Mayor Maloof’s Mayor’s Younger Buddies Program.
My position with the Mayor’s Office enabled me to establish a lot of contacts in the community that have been very beneficial to my job today. I look at the Mayor’s Office as the hub of the city. This is where I truly learned about how each department worked and how the city worked in general.
One of the things I had the opportunity to do in my capacity as the mayor’s secretary was work with the former public information officer and learn her duties. When she took another position out of state, I applied and have held the position since 1996.
Why am I still with the city? Our jobs with the city impact so many people’s lives, and I love being able to do something that can make someone’s life a little easier. I hope I’ve served the citizens of Peoria well. When I look at how wonderful the Peoria community is and see the dedication shown by the 770 city employees who work to serve this community, I’m proud to say I, too, work for the City of Peoria. I can’t imagine working anywhere else.
How was your job affected during the recent challenges the city faced? Are things settling down for you with a new city manager on board-or just the opposite?
When we were faced with the necessity of layoffs, I, like many of my co-workers, wondered whose names would be placed on the list. Fortunately, I wasn’t personally affected, but we did lose one position in our office.
We’re all eagerly anticipating the arrival of our new city manager. With his numerous years of experience and education, I believe it’s going to be a very exciting time for Peoria. With new people, there often comes change; however, we’re no stranger to change because every two years there are elections, and there’s always the possibility of a new face on the city council.
Among the many new city endeavors, which are you most passionate about? Is this an exciting time to be involved in city government?
The downtown museum and the Medical and Technology District are the projects I’m most excited about. Our investment on the riverfront has encouraged families to live and reside on the riverfront. When the museum comes to fruition, it will only make our downtown better.
The Med-Tech District is the type of project that will help revitalize the downtown and the central part of the city. This is the first step to a knowledge-based economy that will create a lot of synergy in the community. As we get more developments and housing off of Main Street, more people will want to live and invest in this part of the city.
What are some of the misconceptions the community may have about the city or its officials?
The largest misperception is that the city has raised real estate taxes every year, and that simply isn’t true. The city hasn’t raised taxes, other than a sales tax, in more than 10 years. The City of Peoria only represents approximately 15 percent of the total tax bill.
Another misperception is that the City of Peoria’s budget problems are due to investing in major projects such as O’Brien Field and the downtown museum. In fact, the city’s responsibility for developments are solely in providing funding towards infrastructure that usually amounts to $2 million to $3 million.
The council is working hard to ensure that direct contact with city staff and city departments will result in prompt and efficient response and feedback. Council members receive an inordinate amount of phone calls for services from constituents on a daily basis, and we would like to encourage them to contact city departments directly. This will enable us to address their specific concerns in a timely manner.
What’s the most stressful part of your job with the city? The best part?
Most stressful would probably be when I’ve planned my day and something urgent occurs that requires immediate attention. The best part of my job is when I work on an issue for a citizen, and I’m able to get his or her problem resolved.
What are some of the ways the public can contribute to the city and its goals?
The increase in the number of neighborhood associations has been very encouraging to us. The neighborhood associations have been a tremendous ambassador between the city and neighborhoods. Members of the neighborhood associations currently serve on our Neighborhood Development Commission that assists the city in deciding how dollars can best be spent in the neighborhoods. Neighborhood Associations are also represented on the Medical and Technology District Commission and Advisory Council. The public can contribute to the city by serving on a city commission. We have more than 40 commissions that directly impact the city’s goals and objectives.
You were part of a national broadcast a few months ago about weight loss struggles. Tell us about that.
The NBC affiliates were asked to send in tapes from individuals who were interested in being a part of Dr. Phil’s town hall meeting on weight loss. WEEK-TV contacted PALM, the local organization that coordinated the MoonWalk, and asked them to suggest some people to provide a tape. PALM representatives chose the City of Peoria and Methodist Medical Center to submit names. Our MoonWalk coordinator, Kristin, asked me if I was interested in sending in a tape, and after thinking long and hard, I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Dr. Phil had five weight loss questions he wanted answered. I went to WEEK-TV, and they taped me answering the questions. I went into this thinking it would be nice to be chosen, but I knew it was a long shot because tapes were being sent in from all across the United States.
WEEK sent the tape to New York, and two days later I received a call from Dateline NBC saying they were considering me for the show. They asked a few more weight loss questions and told me they would be making a decision in about a week. The following week I received a call from a Dateline producer saying they wanted me to come to New York to be on the show. They also said they were considering me for a speaking part because of my position with the city. Dateline sent a crew to Peoria to film me in my home and while I was working out. They flew me to New York with all expenses paid, including hotel and a limousine to and from the airport.
There were a total of 50 people chosen from all over the United States to take part in this town hall meeting. I had no idea I had definitely been chosen to speak with Dr. Phil and Katie Couric until 20 minutes before the show began. A producer came up to me while we were in the green room and said, "We need to do your hair and make up because you’re going on first." They gave me a quick run through of where I needed to sit and the types of questions I might be asked. Katie and Dr. Phil came over to me before the show began and introduced themselves. Once my segment started, Katie asked me questions relating to the piece that was filmed in my home, and I was able to ask Dr. Phil’s advice on my weight loss situation. It seemed like the three of us were chatting away for a long time, and Dr. Phil gave me some very helpful suggestions.
New York is an amazing city, and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to go there and be part of the town hall meeting. Weight loss is a very personal issue, and it’s one I’ve struggled with my entire life.
I’m still very involved with the project. Dateline has provided all of us with an e-mail address so we can keep them informed of our progress. They’re also considering bringing us back in one year to see how we’ve done with our weight loss. I’m proud to say I’ve lost 20 pounds since returning from New York. I’m motivated to lose more and reach my goal.
You’re very involved with the community. How do you make time for your commitments? With a full-time job in the public sector, why is community activism in your off hours important to you?
The city has always encouraged its employees to be involved in the community, and if there are times I need to attend meetings during work hours, my employer very generously allows me to do so. However, most of my meetings take place before work, during lunch hours, or after work. The fact that I’m not married and don’t have children probably makes it a little easier for me to serve on the number of boards that I do because I don’t have to worry that I’m taking time away from family.
They say, "To whom much is given, much is expected." When you’ve been as fortunate as I believe I’ve been, it’s essential that you give back to the community. When I left Fairbury to come to the big city, I never imagined I would be blessed with the opportunities I’ve had or given the chance to meet the people who’ve crossed my path. Even though I may not have as much personal time as I may need, I don’t mind spending time volunteering on boards or helping with neighborhood association projects. Giving back is something we should all be willing to do.
Tell about your recent induction into the African American Hall of Fame.
I was inducted into the African American Hall of Fame in 2003 for Community Service. When I received the call that this honor was being bestowed upon me, I was speechless and humbled. I thought about those who’ve been honored before me like Dr. Romeo B. Garrett and Erma Davis, and I felt so honored.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
The thing I’m most proud of is Public Employees for Community Concerns, which is a group of African-American City of Peoria management employees that coordinates the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Luncheon. I, along with 11 of my city colleagues, began coordinating this luncheon as a way to bring the community together in fellowship to honor Dr. King on his birthday. The luncheon has grown tremendously over the last 11 years, and we’re very excited about having Dr. Maya Angelou as our guest speaker January 19, 2004. TPW