The Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin ran up a bill of slightly more than $214,000 for city services during the recent federal government shutdown.
The Pekin City Council this week paved the way for the prison to pay the bill from the Oct. 1 to Nov. 12 shutdown when it unanimously approved a contract with a prison.
Federal regulations required contract approval so the money could be paid to Pekin.
Veteran city council member Dave Nutter was surprised when the prison item landed on the council agenda.
"Over the number of years that the federal government has had shutdowns, this is the first time since I've been on the council that anything like this has come to the council for approval," he said.
"It's great. We may see this again. There's a potential for another government shutdown at the end of January."
Pekin Finance Director Eric Dubrowski said the prison has a solid record of paying city bills on time.
Josh Wray, the city's economic development director, said only substantial late city bills for the prison caused by a federal government shutdown necessitate a contract.
Police leasing five new vehicles
In other business this week, the council took the following actions:
• Approved lease agreements with Enterprise Fleet Management for two new 2026 Ford Interceptor police squad cars and three new unmarked detective vehicles. Five vehicles — including three Ford F150 pickup trucks — will be traded in to offset the estimated nearly $44,800 cost of the new leases. The exchanges are part of Pekin Police Department's fleet lease program with Enterprise that reduces overall fleet costs.
• Approved expanding the city's contract with HOI Vending of Bellevue, which will install and operate four vending machines at City Hall. One snack and one soda machine will be installed in city staff's breakroom, and in the lobby. There is no cost to the city for the three-year contract with a three-year option and HOI will give the city 10% of gross sales, as it does with the three vending machines it installed in the city's school bus barn.
• Approved repairs to one of the street department's Vactor trucks that will cost slightly more than $33,000. Coe Equipment in Rochester will do the work.
• Approved the appointment of Wray to the Tri-County River Valley Development Authority and the re-appointment of Jill Davis to the Pekin Housing Authority Board for a four-year term.
Each item was approved unanimously except the repairs to the Vactor truck. Nutter abstained in that vote because a family member is employed in the street department.
Court, not Broadway
Council member John Abel said during the council meeting that he heard from Broadway Road residents that grain trucks are being driven illegally on the road instead of on Court Street, which is the legal route for those trucks.
