The City of Pekin's efforts to hand over school bus transportation operations to Pekin Community High School this summer hit a snag this week.
An agreement for the high school to lease the city's bus department office and bus parking lot for the high school's estimated 30-35 buses was tabled by a unanimous Pekin City Council vote so changes could be made to the agreement.
Council members asked for changes to be made, and for the city to renegotiate some of the agreement's monetary terms with the high school.
Josh Wray, the city's economic development director, met Friday with District 303 Superintendent Danielle Owens to discuss the agreement.
Wray said he was confident the talks would go well enough for both the City Council and District 303 School Board to approve the agreement at their next meetings Feb. 23.
The current agreement is for three years starting July 1, with options for at least two more years so the high school will have time to build its own school bus facility. The city wants to move into the office and use the parking lot after the high school leaves.
"We hope the high school will have their own facility in three years, if not sooner," said City Manager John Dossey. "We're trying to help with the transition. We're partners. We can't say to the high school, 'We're done with school buses. Here you go.'
"We want an agreement that's fair to the high school and city's taxpayers, and has the least impact on them."
Council member Jake Fletcher said, "I don't think the city should make money on this deal, but we shouldn't lose money, either."
One change that definitely will be in the revised agreement is the bus department office at 1130 Koch Street will remain a polling place, as suggested by council member Dave Nutter.
Council members expressed concerns about the $95,000 first-year payment for the lease; the $60 per hour cost of using city mechanics for bus repairs and maintenance; the city supplying fuel and vehicle parts at cost plus 5%; splitting utilities; and the city's sale of recently purchased bus radios for $1 each to the high school.
Pekin Public Schools, a K-8 feeder district for the high school, is expected to outsource its school bus transportation.
Weekly recycling pickup going away?
Pekin Public Works Director Simon Grimm announced at this week's council meeting that starting March 2, recycling will be picked up at residences every other week instead of weekly because of a personnel move that left the solid waste department one employee short.
Fletcher and council member Rick Hilst questioned the switch and residents criticized it this week on social media, so it appears the change will be discussed by the council at its Feb. 23 meeting after more information is gathered.
"This is something that affects every residence in Pekin, so council should have a say on whether or not to do it," Fletcher said.
Hilst asked Grimm if it was his decision to go to a twice-a-month recycling pickup. Grimm said yes.
"That's good to know, because we'll get getting calls about it," Hilst said.
On to the next audit
In other action this week, the council unanimously approved:
- Awarding a contract to Lauterbach & Amen of Naperville to do the city's 2024-25 fiscal year audit. The cost includes $53,100 for the audit report, $6,700 for the single audit required for grant compliance, $4,500 for the Pekin Public Library audit, and $1,975 each for five TIF reports. The 2022-23 fiscal year audit, also done by Lauterbach & Amen, was completed this month. Lauterbach & Amen was hired earlier to do the 2023-24 fiscal year audit.
- Awarding a contract to low bidder Earth Services of Benton for $38,000 for the removal of two underground aviation fuel storage tanks and associated piping at the Pekin Municipal Airport. New above-ground fuel tanks will be installed in a separate project. If contaminated soil is found in the tank removal process, the city will pay up to $5,000 for the deductible needed to have the remediation work covered by the Illinois Leaking Underground Storage Tank Fund.
- Rejecting all bids for the purchase or lease of city-owed property at the intersection of Broadway Street, 2nd Street and 3rd Street. City staff believes a small business like a coffee shop can open at the 1.1-acre location.
- Authorizing Griffin Reeise Engineering of Henry to do the design work at a not-to-exceed cost of $95,000 for the stormwater pond relocation that's needed at a one-acre property on Court Street in front of Menards that will be the site for commercial development by JPG Commercial Real Estate of Peoria.
- Appointing Ron Harlan to the Economic Development Advisory Committee to replace Earl Riley, who resigned.
