Pekin has landed a medical equipment manufacturing facility that's expected to create more than 100 jobs and generate more than $300,000 annually in property tax revenue.
Epic Medical will build a plant in the 438-acre Riverway Business Park, north of Hanna Drive on the southwest side of Pekin, after the City Council unanimously approved the sale Monday of 66.5 acres of land to the Singapore-based company for $500,000.
Components for IV's will be manufactured at the facility.
The door was opened for the land sale March 13 when the state approved an incentive package for Epic Medical. The city had been working with the state since mid-January to bring Epic Medical to Pekin.
Josh Wray, Pekin's economic development director, led the city's efforts to attract the business.
Wray said Epic Medical is a medical equipment manufacturer that does about 50% of its business in the U.S., so it was looking to open its first U.S. production facility.
"After a nationwide site search, Epic Medical decided to come to the Midwest for access to reliable and high-quality water and the relatively mild weather, to Illinois because of the economic incentives provided by the state, and to Pekin because of a shovel-ready site and our ability to make the land deal happen quickly while adhering to proper procedures and council approval," Wray said.
There is a major need for IV equipment in the U.S. because a large manufacturing facility in South Carolina was destroyed recently by a hurricane, Wray said.
Land development at the Epic Medical facility site is expected to begin this year, and the plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2026, Wray said. The entire operation will be indoors.
The city is not giving Epic Medical any incentives to locate there, Wray said. All the incentives are from the state.
"This is a big deal for Pekin. A dream come true," said City Manager John Dossey, who heaped praise on the team effort of city staff, the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois American Water and others for making it happen.
"I can't say enough about Josh's work on this project. He's been getting up at the crack of dawn to see this through while he's been recovering from surgery," Dossey said, noting the 13-hour time difference between Pekin and Singapore.
Amy McCoy, executive director of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce, and Sally Hanley, vice president of the GPEDC, urged the council to approve the land sale.
Council member Karen Hohimer left the council meeting immediately after the vote because of another commitment. She asked for the land sale to be moved up on the agenda so she could cast her vote and the council agreed unanimously to her request.
Crime issues on South Capitol Street a 'high priority' for police
Several residents who live on the 300 block of South Capitol Street told council members Monday they don't feel safe because of homeless people vandalizing and trespassing in homes, and a "drug house" and a vacant home in their neighborhood.
The residents met with Pekin Police Chief Seth Ranney and City Attorney Jim Vasselli outside the council meeting room during the meeting to discuss their concerns.
At the end of the meeting, Ranney said police and code enforcement officers have been doing their best over the past couple months to address the multi-faceted problems on the block. An eviction notice for the "drug house" and demolition of the vacant home are in the works.
"We're not apathetic to the problems," Ranney said. "This is a high priority for us."
Sunset Hills Plaza cannabis dispensary approved
Council approved each of these items Monday by a 6-0 vote (Hohimer was absent):
• A special use request for an adult-use cannabis dispensary at 2910 Court Street in the Sunset Hills Plaza. The space previously was a Redbrand Credit Union branch and is next door to Hacienda Mexican Grill & Cantina. Dispensary co-owner Chris Fanta of Buchanan, Mich., told the Zoning Board of Appeals that 20-30 jobs will be created. Co-owner and real estate developer Vick Mehta of Downers Grove told the ZBA he plans to purchase the plaza and renovate it.
• Variance requests by Tazewell County to reduce the minimum off-street parking space requirement, and the requirement for a parking lot screening wall and landscaping on the west side of the proposed county Justice Center annex at 1 Capitol St. Also approved was a site plan for the proposed annex.
• Changes to the requirements for a tobacco products dealer license that update the requirements and align them with state law. One change bans the use of vending machines. With the changes in place, a moratorium on tobacco products dealer licenses was lifted
• The appointment of a chief deputy city clerk by the city clerk. Also, up to two deputy city clerks can be hired if needed and the city manager can serve as an ex-officio deputy city clerk. The city currently has a city clerk (Sue McMillan) and a deputy city clerk (Nicole Stewart).
• Authorization for the city to participate in the state's purchase of road salt for the 2025-26 winter season. The cost for salt is anticipated to be between $90-$100 per ton. The city plans to order from 2,000 to 3,750 tons.
• Clarifying that the city engineer's supervisor is the director of public works.
• Hiring JIMAX Landscape of Peoria to do code enforcement mowing, brush removal and other landscaping actions from April 1 through March 31, 2026. Six bids were submitted. The city's proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget has $135,000 budgeted for the work.
• Hiring CMT Excavating of Pekin to do board-ups and other actions needed on dangerous buildings in the city from April 1 through March 31, 2026. Four bids were submitted. The city's proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget has $200,000 budgeted for the work.
• Sending $90,751 to each taxing body from surplus revenue in the Southern Industrial Park TIF District gathered during the 2024-25 fiscal year.
City picks a U.S. Army veteran as its new public works director
Pekin has a new public works director.
Dossey announced Monday that Pekin resident Simon Grimm has been hired and will begin working for the city March 31.
Grimm, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran and retired lieutenant colonel who worked at the Pentagon at the end of his military career, will be leaving Rivian Automotive, where he's been a senior operations management professional since 2023.
Pekin solid waste, recycling disposal costs now tied to inflation
New solid waste and recycling disposal contracts with GFL Environmental (formerly Peoria Disposal) were approved Monday by the council. Each contract is for five years starting May 1 with an automatic five-year renewal unless either the city or GFL wants to opt out.
Pekin has had a solid waste disposal contract with GFL since 2004.
The city's tipping fee -- the fee it pays GFL to dispose of waste in a landfill -- is now $59.50 per ton.
Annual increases in the tipping fee will change from a set schedule to a variable rate depending upon inflation. Increases will range from a minimum 2.5% to a maximum 6% in the first five years of the contract. For years 6-10, the maximum increase will be 7.5%.
After the first year, the annual minimum/maximum increases will equate to about $1.53 to $4.59 per ton.
Pekin has had a recycling disposal contract with GFL since 2020. The city currently pays $106.92 per ton for recycling disposal.
Cost increases over the recycling disposal contract's 10-year period mirror those in the landfill disposal contract. The city receives about $36.19 per ton annually from Tazewell County to offset its recycling costs.
The vote for each contract was 4-2, with Rick Hilst and Dave Nutter dissenting. Nutter said he's not comfortable with a 10-year contracts.
Residential ground-mounted solar arrays an eyesore?
Should city rules be tightened for a residential ground-mounted solar array?
The Zoning Board of Appeals will tackle the job after getting that direction Monday from the council.
Currently, only a building permit, connection to the resident's electrical system, and meeting building setback requirements are needed for a residential array.
Council member Chris Onken suggested the requirement of a privacy fence around a residential array. Nutter said whatever rules are put in place, he wants to make sure residents can have an array if they want one.
Complaints about a residential array on a vacant lot in the northern section of the city prompted Monday's discussion.
