Should the City of Pekin replace its four “Welcome to Pekin” signs with new ones, and add a welcome sign at the eastern edge of Broadway Road at a cost of about $30,000 per sign?
That was a hot topic of discussion Monday at the regular Pekin City Council meeting.
Council members Jake Fletcher, Rick Hilst and Dave Nutter said they did not see a need to replace the current welcome signs.
Mayor Mary Burress, mayor pro tem Karen Hohimer and council member John Abel want the current signs to be replaced, while council member Peg Phillips has no preference yet.
“Why do we need to change the signs?” Nutter said. “The ones we have are beautiful. There’s nothing wrong with them. They could use a touch-up of paint or be landscaped better, but that’s it.”
Because money for the signs would come from a tourism fund, it would need to be put toward tourism-based uses. Nutter suggested spending it on repairing the approach to the Hampton Inn & Suites on Court Street, “which looks like a bombed out war zone.”
Hilst said there’s “absolutely nothing wrong” with the current welcome signs and balked at the expected price tag.
“That’s quite a bit of money to be spending on ‘Welcome to Pekin’ signs when the ones we have, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them,” said Hilst. “I think that money could be spent on higher priorities.”
Fletcher said drivers know when they’re entering Pekin and wondered how he could justify the cost.
“How do I tell my parents, who are on a fixed income, that Pekin could be spending $150,000 for welcome signs?” he asked.
Burress called the old signs “pitiful looking” and said it’s time for a change. After seeing design options, Hohimer said the new signs will be bold, beautiful and attractive.
“I’m sure some people who drive by the current welcome signs don’t see them,” she said. “I didn’t know where they were.”
The discussion was precipitated by the council's 4-3 vote in August to approve a rebranding campaign, although the city’s tourism and beautification committees have been talking about updating the welcome signs for more than a year.
The tourism committee budgeted $150,000 for capital expenses in the 2025-26 fiscal year, mostly for the welcome signs, and city staff obtained a preliminary quote of about $30,000 per sign.
With the new welcome signs still on the table, council will get a look at the specs for the signs before bids are requested.
Revenue from the city’s hotel/motel tax, not property taxes, goes into the tourism fund.
Troubled businesses won’t get a city contract
The council unanimously approved a change to the city’s procurement policy, blocking companies that are not in good standing with Pekin from entering into a contract with the city.
Not in good standing means a company that is:
• Delinquent in paying taxes, fees or fines to the city or any governmental agency;
• A defendant in an action that involves a violation of a state, county or federal law;
• Bankrupt or insolvent;
• In breach of or in default on any agreement with the city.
Bullet-proof vests purchased for police officers
Other actions taken by the council include:
• unanimously approving an almost $19,000 purchase of 24 bullet-proof vests for the police department from Danville-based Ray O’Herron Company. A grant will cover half the cost, and the other half will come from police officers’ annual uniform allowance;
• unanimously approving a special use request by Big Dog Auto for an automobile repair shop with short-term vehicle storage at 305 N. Third Street;
• unanimously approving a continuation of its intergovernmental agreement with Tazewell County to have the county’s animal control department provide animal-related services. The city’s cost for 2026 will be nearly $70,000.
• approving a residential TIF agreement with Deb Kotek for a $500,000 home she’s building on Osprey Court. Kotek will receive up to $62,000 in property tax rebates over a maximum 10-year period. The vote was 6-1, with Hilst casting the dissenting vote.
