The Pekin City Council approved a $9.96 million contract with $200,000 in contingency spending with Tremont-based R.A. Cullinan & Son for the Court Street reconstruction project between Stadium Drive and Valle Vista Boulevard.
City Engineer Josie Esker has authorized spending about $140,000 in contingency funds so far and she anticipates another $210,000 will be needed to replace dilapidated pavement that was discovered.
The council on Monday approved Esker's request for an additional $150,000 in contingency spending, bringing the total to $350,000, "in order to have a road surface that lasts as long as possible," she said.
The vote was 6-1, with Rick Hilst voting no.
Cullinan began asphalt paving in the project area Tuesday morning.
Residential properties will be demolished to make way for Court Street work
Two residential properties will be demolished and one will be partially demolished as part of the Court Street reconstruction project.
Homes at 1 and 7 Kenmore Court will be taken down, and a home at 909 Court Street will be partially demolished by low bidder River City Demolition of Peoria. River City Demolition's bid of $72,227 was 9.7% below Esker's estimate of $80,000 for the work.
Council unanimously approved River City Demolition's bid Monday.
Most homeless people police encounter 'choose homelessness'
Pekin Police Chief Seth Ranney responded Monday to recent social media posts complaining about homeless people creating problems in the city's commercial areas and how police are dealing with the unhoused.
"Saying we're not doing anything couldn't be further from the truth," he said. "We're doing everything we can legally do. Homelessness is a complex societal issue. It's more of a mental health and drug addiction issue than a homeless issue.
"We've found that the majority of homeless people we encounter choose homelessness. And being homeless isn't against the law. There are about 10-12 homeless people we deal with on a regular basis. They have severe mental health or drug addiction issues. They need help."
Ranney said about 25 camping structures have been removed from the city's riverfront since the council recently approved an ordinance banning camping on city property.
"We're not going to solve the homeless problem in Pekin, but we need to learn to manage it, and that's going to take a community effort," said City Manager John Dossey, who was replaced by Ranney as police chief.
Paying your utility bill by phone? That will end Jan. 1
Pekin city staff take about 100 calls per week from residents who pay their utility bill over the phone using a credit card. That practice will end Jan. 1 after a unanimous council vote Monday.
The phone option was put in place during the pandemic, but now reduces city staff efficiency because of the three to five minutes needed for each call, "adds to the complaint that the phones are always busy at City Hall, and increases the risk of a credit card data security breach," said city finance consultant Bob Grogan.
Residents can pay their utility bill though autopay, online, in-person, in grocery stores, through the mail, through their bank and in the drop box at City Hall.
Council rejected a suggestion of continuing the pay-by-phone practice and adding a $4 convenience fee.
Some products in smoke shops and tobacco retailers concern city manager
A six-month moratorium on the issuing of new tobacco product dealer's licenses was declared Monday by the council so city staff and the Zoning Board of Appeals can determine a special use permit process for the location of smoke shops and tobacco retailers and review city regulations regarding the sale, distribution or delivery of tobacco products.
Dossey said he has concerns about items sold at some smoke shops and tobacco retailers that are legal, but can cause health issues for youths.
The vote for the moratorium was 6-1, with Hilst voting no.
No parking stays in place on a section of Park Avenue
Parking will continue to be banned on the south side of Park Avenue between Court Street and Garden Drive in front of 1430 and 1432 Park Avenue in Pekin.
Council voted 4-3 Monday to deny a request by resident Daniel Shipman, who lives at 1430 Park Avenue and has been trying for about 20 years to get street parking approved in that stretch.
The city's Traffic Safety Committee has continually recommended against street parking in the stretch, citing safety and traffic pattern concerns. Hanson Professional Services of Peoria was hired by the city in 2022 to determine if street parking was possible in the stretch and it also did not recommend it.
Esker said if parking was allowed on that stretch of Park Avenue and there was an accident there, the city could be sued because of its knowledge of Hanson's recommendation.
Street parking is allowed on the north side of Park Avenue in that stretch.
The three yes votes for Shipman's request were cast by Hilst, Dave Nutter and Lloyd Orrick.
McDaniels Marketing gets the go-ahead to develop a marketing plan for the city
McDaniels Marketing will put together a marketing program for Pekin to attract residents, businesses and workers. The Pekin firm will be paid $15,000 to create a three-year plan and will be paid again, an estimated $40,000-$60,000 annually, when the plan is executed.
Three marketing agencies including McDaniels Marketing submitted proposals and made presentations Sept. 9 to the city's Economic Development Advisory Committee. The proposals and presentations were scored.
McDaniels Marketing's proposal was approved 4-3 Monday by the council, with Hilst, Nutter and Orrick voting no.
Those who voted against McDaniels' proposal expressed concerns that a second Pekin marketing agency didn't submit a proposal because it wasn't aware that the city was seeking proposals.
Regulations are in place for off-premises LED signs and billboards
Pekin can now regulate off-premises electronic/LED signs and billboards.
Council unanimously approved changes in the city's sign code Monday that were recommended by the city's Zoning Board of Appeals to replace "the outdated and insufficient regulations," said Chief Building Official Nic Maquet.
A moratorium on issuing permits for off-premises electronic/LED signs and billboards was declared in March by the council so the ZBA and city staff could determine what code changes were needed to protect motorists and determine the locations where the electronic/LED signs and billboards would be allowed.
Reasonable regulations were created for existing electronic/LED signs and billboards, Maquet said.
ADA improvements are coming to bus department polling place
Pekin has received a $63,314 Polling Place Accessibility Grant from the Illinois State Board of Elections through Tazewell County to make Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades in parking spaces, sidewalks and curbs at the city's bus department building at 1130 Koch St.
Council unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement with the county Monday to receive the money.
The work is expected to be completed in time for the Nov. 5 election.
Foreclosed, vacant property owners registry is put on hold
The creation of a registry that lists the owners or responsible parties of Pekin properties that are foreclosed or vacant was postponed unanimously Monday by the council so registry wording can be clarified and city staff can meet with real estate agents who have concerns.
The intent of the registry is for the city to have a contact person for these properties who can address maintenance, safety and aesthetic concerns.
Vacant car wash to reopen with bays for oil changes
A vacant self-serve car wash at 1610 Broadway Road in Pekin will be transformed into a Clean & Lube self-serve car wash and oil change business after council approved a special use permit Monday.
"Most small self-serve car washes aren't profitable anymore (that's the reason why this one is closed), so we'll replace two of the existing car wash bays with oil change bays. That's a more sustainable business model," said project developer Peter Colvin of Easy Leasebacks of Douglas, Mich.
Clean & Lube is based in Canton, Ohio.
Council approved the special use permit request as part of the meeting's consent agenda, which passed 6-1 with Hilst voting no.
Fire department gets vehicle that will be staffed 24/7 by a paramedic
In other action Monday on the consent agenda, the council approved:
- Purchasing a 2024 Ford Interceptor police car for the Pekin Fire Department for $42,890 from Morrow Brothers Ford of Greenfield, which has a contract with the state so municipalities can save money. The vehicle will be staffed 24/7 by a paramedic.
- Paying Tazewell County $18,562 for animal and rabies control services from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.
- Appointing Heather Knight to the city's Police Pension Board of Trustees, replacing Grogan as one of the mayor's two appointees to the five-member board.
- Appointing Tabitha Reeise as the city's representative with the Central Illinois Agency of Aging, a not-for-profit organization that serves people of all ages, incomes and abilities in six counties including Tazewell.
In a related but separate item, council approved paying the county $62,668 for animal control and rabies control services during 2025. Communities are billed by the county for animal control and rabies services based on population. The payment was approved 6-1, with Orrick voting no.
City seeks grant to replace HVAC units in rental units
The city will apply for a $500,000 Community Development Healthy Homes Block Grant that will be used to replace 30 HVAC units in low- to moderate-income rental units after getting council approval Monday.
