A proposed adult-use cannabis dispensary in downtown Pekin passed a significant milestone Monday.
The Pekin City Council unanimously approved a special use for Miggy's Shop at 359 Court St., the former Classical Dance Academy.
The Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on the special use request Feb. 12 and reviewed the application and city code sections related to the business. The ZBA voted 6-1 to recommend approval of the special use.
State law and city code list permissible operating hours for the dispensary as 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. At least 10 full-time employees will be hired in the first year of operation, according to the special use request.
The dispensary cannot "advertise," but can have a sign on the building.
Nobody under age 21 can enter the dispensary, nobody can reside in the building, and outdoor seating and a drive-through are not allowed.
The proposed timeline for opening the business is from six to 12 months.
Speech state champion, record-setting girls basketball team honored
The council took a time out from serious city business Monday to honor IHSA speech state champion Alina Vang from Pekin Community High School and the Pekin girls basketball team.
Vang took first place in extemporaneous speaking.
The basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the state tournament for the first time in team history, won a regional championship for the first time since 1980, and set a team record for victories in a season with 20.
Mayor Mary Burress presented a proclamation from the city to Vang and the girls basketball team's players and coaches, and each received a ceremonial Pekin coin.
"I'm getting this proclamation, but all my teammates worked hard," Vang said.
"We really appreciated the support from the community during the state tournament," said girls basketball coach Brett McGinnis. "We never felt like we were at a disadvantage when we went on the road to play state tournament games."
City brings former public works director on board for six months
Former City Engineer Josie Esker left Pekin in February for a job with Peoria County, but work on projects must go on while the city searches for a new city engineer and/or public works director.
With that in mind, the council on Monday approved a six-month professional service agreement for an estimated $84,000 fee with Giffin Reeise Engineering. GRE will provide up to 20 hours per week of service.
Justin Reeise is a former Pekin public works director, so he's familiar with current city projects.
The council vote for the service agreement was 5-1, with Hilst voting no. Lloyd Orrick was absent.
TIF funding available for contractors who renovate dilapidated homes
Pekin is going to give a new TIF program a try. The program incentivizes the renovation of dilapidated residential structures in any of the city's five TIF districts.
The TIF incentive is limited to 50% of renovation expenses, up to $50,000 for an owner-occupied home and $30,000 for a rental property.
A profit-share with the city is required if the property is sold within five years after receiving TIF funds, and an owner-occupied project cannot become a rental unit for at least five years after TIF funding is received.
Josh Wray, Pekin's economic development director, said he expects about three projects a year will be done with the new TIF incentives.
The vote for the new TIF program was 5-1, with Hilst voting no.
In another TIF-related agenda item Monday, an amendment to an agreement with property owner Kelly Madden for a renovation project at 901 Derby St. was approved by the council.
After Hours Automotive, the building tenant, must generate at least $5,000 annually in sales taxes for the city for five years, or pay the city to make up the difference. If After Hours Automotive closes, Madden will be responsible for the payment.
The city is providing $50,000 in TIF funding for Madden's project.
The council vote on the amendment was 4-2, with Hilst and Dave Nutter voting no.
Another fiscal year audit completed; next is the 2022-23 audit
Slowly but surely, Pekin is catching up with mandatory fiscal year audits.
Jennifer Martinson, a partner at Lauterbach & Amen, presented a "clean" 2021-22 fiscal year audit to the council Monday.
The audit completed a three-year agreement between Pekin and the Naperville-based firm. The council unanimously approved Monday a contract extension with Lauterbach & Amen to do the 2022-23 and 2023-24 fiscal year audits at a total cost of $101,725.
Lauterbach & Amen also will prepare annual fiscal year reports for the city's five TIF districts at a cost of $3,850 each, and prepare the Pekin Public Library's annual financial report at a cost of $8,550 for both fiscal years.
Martinson said work on the 2022-23 fiscal year audit should begin in May.
"In my two years as mayor, we've completed three past audits. That's great," Burress said. "Getting caught up with audits is one of my top goals as mayor."
The 2021-22 fiscal year audit and the city's proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget are on the city's website, ci.pekin.il.us.
In another catch-up item Monday, council approved a new contract with the police officers union 5-1, with Hilst voting no. The contract is retroactive to May 1, 2023 and continues through April 30, 2026.
Sign of the times: business signs will be moved for Court Street work
Four business signs need to be relocated for the next phase of the Court Street rehabilitation project.
The council Monday approved low quotes of $36,860 from Laser Electric of Peoria and $45,646 from Schwartz Electric of Pekin, respectively, to relocate signs at Advantage Auto, 1215 Court St., and Big Dog Auto, 1227 Court St.
The cost of relocating signs at CVS, 910 Court St., and State Farm, 1000 Court St., will come before the council at a later date.
The vote for the Advantage Auto and Big Dog Auto quotes was 5-1, with Hilst voting no.
It's a banner day for Pekin
CGI Digital, a Rochester, N.Y.-based company that installs community street banners at no cost to the community, is proposing to install at least 25 banners throughout downtown Pekin and as well as a stretch of Parkway Drive between Court Street and Broadway Road.
Business sponsorships would pay for the banners.
Council weighed in Monday on six design options.
GIS mapping, copier fleet extensions approved
Also Monday, the council unanimously approved:
• A three-year contract extension through March 2028 with Metamora-based Cloudpoint, which does GIS mapping for the city. The city currently pays Cloudpoint $7,850 per month, or $94,200 annually. The new contract is for $7,950 per month, or $95,400 annually, about a 1.25% increase.
• A three-year copier fleet lease extension through the end of the 2027-28 fiscal year with St. Louis-based GFI Digital, which has an office in Peoria. The city will save $521 per month under the new lease agreement and the street department will get better equipment that will print on larger paper for sewer operations. The new lease agreement's three-year total is $39,204.
• A one-year renewal of a software maintenance agreement with California-based Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). The software maintained by ESRI houses all of the city's mapping, including GIS. The agreement renewal runs from May 15 to May 14, 2026. The renewal cost is $45,200, the same as for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
• Authorizing City Manager John Dossey to enter into a $21.7 million Illinois Environmental Protection Agency loan agreement at 1.87% interest for the final phase of the waste water treatment project.
• Reallocating $4 million in city bonding authority from the state to the Tri-County River Valley Authority for industrial development.
