Positivity about Pekin was the theme of Mayor Mary Burress' 2025 State of the City address Tuesday, and she had some positive news to report during an early-morning gathering at the Pekin Public Library.
The city was three years behind on its required budget audits when Burress was elected in 2023. Because of that predicament, the city has been on a "do not pay" list for state grants for projects.
Those days are over.
"I'm proud to share with you today that as a result of the progress we've made towards being up to date on our audits, we're no longer on that list," Burress said.
News like that will make it easier for the city to overcome one of three challenges for 2025 noted by Burress: promote a positive attitude about Pekin.
To help achieve that goal, McDaniels Marketing of Pekin was hired last year to put together a comprehensive marketing plan for Pekin.
The other 2025 challenges Burress mentioned were increasing growth and development, and cleaning up the city.
Pekin just completed a year-long celebration of its bicentennial. Congressman Darin LaHood attended Burress' State of the City address and presented her with a proclamation recognizing Pekin's 200th birthday.
LaHood said one of his priorities is helping the city achieve its long-term vision of extending Veterans Road from where it ends at Sheridan Road to Interstate 474.
Pekin received a $4 million federal grant last year for engineering and design work of the road expansion.
"I consider that a down payment for this project," LaHood said.
The city's purchase last year of the 1,000-acre Luttiken Farm property for $14 million over four years was another key step in the extension of Veterans and an opportunity to sell land for retail and residential development, Burress said.
The purchase increased Pekin's geographic footprint by 10%.
Among the other positive Pekin developments during 2024 listed by Burress:
- In addition to several small businesses opening or improving their property, Cullinan Properties began reviving East Court Village. Marshall's, Ross Dress for Less and Five Below are expected to open there in the fall.
- "There has been an increase in interest in Pekin by what I would call 'heavy hitters' in the business and industrial sectors," Burress said. "Our investment in a full-time economic development director (Josh Wray) has influenced that trend."
- A residential TIF program will help eight new single-family homes ranging in price from $250,000 to $2 million be built.
- The Center for Prevention of Abuse is getting ready to break ground on its new facility on 2nd Street on land that was sold to the organization for $1 by the city.
- The Pekin Outreach Initiative moved to the Salvation Army.
- Misti Cave, the Pekin Police Department's social worker, is helping the department deal with a growing unhoused population.
- The city has made a renewed commitment to meeting its annual pension obligation "and for the first time in perhaps a decade, we're moving in the right direction on that aspect of our budget," Burress said.
Burress thanked businesses along Court Street and Derby Street for their patience during road rehabilitation projects.
The mayor wrapped up her talk by mentioning a time capsule created in 1976 was unearthed last year for the city's bicentennial and a new time capsule will be put together to be opened on the city's 250th birthday.
Residents are invited to submit letters and other items for the 250th birthday time capsule by late May. The capsule will be closed July 4. The contents of the 1976 time capsule were put on display at City Hall on July 4, 2024.
The State of the City and Bicentennial Recap was presented by the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce.
Tiffany White, executive director of the Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin and a member of the bicentennial committee, did the recap and emceed the program.
