The City of Pekin has operated its own solid waste collection department for more than 20 years. That's not going to change anytime soon.
The Pekin City Council this week unanimously rejected a bid from GFL Environmental, a Canada-based company that acquired Peoria Disposal Company in 2021, to take over solid waste service.
Members turned down GFL's bid, the lone submission in a request for proposals, after expressing concerns about cost, services offered and losing local control.
"We're never going to get better service than we get from our people," said council member Karen Hohimer.
Council member Jake Fletcher said rejecting GFL's bid went against one of his core beliefs as a council member.
"In general, I don't think the city can run anything cheaper than a privately-owned business," he said. "But in this case, this particular company, GFL, has positioned itself to be as close as a monopoly as you will ever see.
"They were going to price us out of the market with no recourse. Now that we've kept service in-house, the seven of us up here can be our recourse."
Fletcher's Striketown Bowl business in North Pekin began being served by GFL in August. He said he's already been subject to a 10% price increase with possible future increases noted on his bill.
Pekin City Manager John Dossey, who studied GFL's proposal, gave council four reasons for rejecting the bid and keeping the city's solid waste department in place:
- Local control;
- The city has competitive pricing that is aligned with regional market rates;
- While there will be very minor cost savings for the city initially, projections show GFL's pricing would exceed the city's rate structure by 2030 and continue to escalate;
- The city provides additional services that GFL does not, including support for nuisance property issues and community clean-up efforts.
While council members gave Pekin's solid waste department a vote of confidence, "we've got to do something about getting the department to operate more efficiently," Fletcher said.
He suggested ending the use of time cards for a more modern system and monitoring truck travel with GPS devices.
Budget narrowly approved
Two items related to the city's 2026-27 fiscal year budget and another regarding a land purchase were approved by 4-3 votes, with Rick Hilst, Dave Nutter and Fletcher in opposition.
The approved deficit budget contains estimates of $106 million in revenue and $114 million in expenditures. Much of the deficit is caused by spending from reserves.
The general fund is expected to receive $43 million in revenues and have $44 million in expenditures.
The approximately $1.2 million deficit in the general fund equals the first annual payment on a $14 million Morton Community Bank loan that was used to purchase the Lutticken Farms property last year.
"This is not a 'crisis' budget," said Finance Director Eric Dubrowski. "It addresses short-term needs. But we need to start addressing long-term issues."
Council member John Abel and Hohimer praised the budget process for its transparency.
Former council candidate Matthew Johnson, speaking during public comment, said the city has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.
"The city might have to limp along for a while, like many families do when things are tight," he said. "We'll survive."
Also approved by the same margin were a 3% cost-of-living increase for the city's non-union employees in the next fiscal year, and the purchase of more than 14 acres of land along Zion Oaks Road for $360,000.
The pay raises will cost the city more than $113,000.
The land purchase is for the future Veterans Drive extension. Council members who opposed the purchase noted the parcel was assessed at $210,000.
$15K for fireworks
Twelve sponsorships totaling nearly $59,000 for community events that will be held during the 2026-27 fiscal year were approved by the council; more than $84,200 was requested.
The highest sponsorship award of $15,000 went to the 76th annual Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce's Honor America Fireworks Show on July 4 at Memorial Stadium.
Sponsorships for $10,000 went to the Tony Fulk Memorial Classic youth soccer tournament and the Pekin Marigold Festival. Sponsorships for $5,000 were awarded to the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament and Pekin Farmers Market.
Nearly $60,000 in sponsorships was awarded last year.
Playhouse must stay in town for five years
The council approved an amendment to a 2024 TIF agreement with Lisa Fuller, owner of Olivia's Playhouse, which releases her from having to pay back a nearly $50,000 renovation grant for her downtown building because she did not remain there for five years.
Fuller is moving her business to a new location in the city. She must stay there for the remainder of the five-year period or face a prorated repayment of the TIF grant.
In other business, the council took the following action:
- Placed on file a quote of nearly $32,700 from BluSky Restoration Contractors of Morton to remove mold and asbestos from a stairwell and in the basement at the Eastside Fire Station on Court Street. The emergency work has been done;
- Approved five low bids totaling $102,000 for the demolition of homes at 201 Cooper Street, 213 Jane Street, 281 Koch Street, 714 N. 4th Street and 1008 S. 3rd Street;
- Approved five low bids totaling about $58,200 for mowing and landscape maintenance at city-owned properties and rights-of-way during the 2026-27 fiscal year. That's about $34,000 less than last year;
- Approved a TIF grant of up to $60,000 over 10 years for Brad Gregurich for his new home at 1620 Grandview Court;
- Approved a settlement agreement with the owner of a home at 1107 South Street that was demolished by the owner after the owner was charged with city code violations. The city placed a $2,100 lien on the home. Under the agreement, the owner will pay the city $2,100 and the city will release the lien.
