The transfer of Pekin Community High School bus transportation service from the City of Pekin to District 303 is back on track.
After months of negotiations, city and district officials have agreed to the terms of a two-year lease for the high school to use the city's bus office and parking lot on Koch Street, starting July 1.
The Pekin City Council unanimously approved the lease this week. The district's school board is expected to do the same at its March 23 meeting.
District 303 Superintendent Danielle Owens thanked the city for its years of bus service for the high school and said she's sad its coming to an end.
She also said it's important to have a seamless transition of bus service from the city to the high school and she appreciates the city giving the high school time to build its own bus facility.
"We want nothing more [than] to be out of your hair and have our own operation," she said. "But it takes a little bit of time to [create] a bus transportation department from the ground up."
Owens said more than 40 city bus employees have been hired by the district.
Pekin City Manager John Dossey said Pekin Public Schools District 108, which also will no longer have city bus service as of July 1, is outsourcing its new service.
Terms of Pekin's lease with District 303 include:
- The city will lease the bus department space to District 303 for exclusive use, except for Tazewell Consolidated Communications, city public works operations, and as a polling place;
- District 303 will pay the city $95,000 annually for the initial two years of the lease. Payment for an additional year would increase based on the increase in the consumer price index [CPI];
- The city will be responsible for maintenance of the building and fuel pumps and tanks, as well as snow removal;
- District 303 will be responsible for janitorial services, security and waste disposal;
- The city will sell its bus radios to the district for $1 each, and the district 303 will be responsible for radio operating costs;
- Fuel and vehicle parts will be supplied by the city at cost plus 5%;
- Vehicle maintenance will be provided by the city at a cost of $60 per hour for a mechanic or $75 per hour for the fleet foreman.
The school district will provide and install its own technology, and all utility costs will be split based on usage. After the first year, Pekin has the authority to terminate the lease with 180 days notice
Police vehicle bought with funds from 'bad guy'
In other business this week, the council approved spending nearly $31,000 to purchase a 2026 Polaris Utility Terrain Vehicle [UTV] for the Pekin Police Department, using funds seized from a local illegal narcotics dealer.
Pekin Police Chief Seth Ranney said the UTV will allow officers to cover large areas of land, including the five miles along the Pekin riverfront, more effectively and efficiently while conducting patrols and enforcing ordinances.
"It's great we got the money for this purchase from a bad guy, not taxpayers," said council member Jake Fletcher.
The council also approved continuing the city's partnership with Bob Grogan of Middle America Government Consulting to provide help for the city's financial department, mainly with completing two past-due audits, during the 2026-27 fiscal year.
"Bob inherited a mess from Hell when he started here three years ago," said council member John Abel. "Now that we're so close to finishing the past audits, we shouldn't cut him loose now."
One financial department member will be off work during the year on a maternity leave. The vote for keeping Grogan on board was 4-3, with Rick Hilst, Dave Nutter and Fletcher casting the "no" votes.
Other actions taken include:
- Approving several changes in the tax increment financing [TIF] and business development district [BDD] incentive agreement with Peoria-based JPG Commercial Real Estate, which plans to develop vacant land in front of Menards on Court Street. One change is the land is now open to any retail outlet, not just a food and beverage retailer. However, it cannot be the location for a liquor store, video gaming cafe, or smoke/vape shop;
- Approving TIF funding of up to $30,000 for DCTA Properties to renovate a vacant, dilapidated home at 114 Edds Street. The home will be a rental property;
- Postponing for the second time a decision on releasing Lisa Fuller, owner of Olivia's Playhouse, from a requirement that she pay back a nearly $50,000 TIF grant she received about 1 1/2 years ago for building renovations because she's leaving her downtown location before being there for five years. Fuller is moving to a larger location in the city on North 11th Street;
- Approving payments totaling about $121,700 in South Industrial Park TIF District surplus revenue to taxing bodies in the district.
