Seniors age 65 and older who live in an owner-occupied home in Pekin are eligible for a $1.50 reduction on their monthly solid waste collection bill.
The Pekin City Council approved the discount this week, but not without pushback and "no" votes from council members Rick Hilst and Jake Fletcher.
"I get it. It's a good gesture to help our senior citizens," Hilst said. "But I don't feel that age should be the determining factor for someone to get a reduction in their bill."
Hilst said there are a lot of seniors in the city who can afford to pay what they're paying now for solid waste collection — Mayor Mary Burress and Karen Hohimer each voted in favor of the discount but said they won't take it — while other residents under 65 with low or moderate incomes could use the break.
Fletcher said if the solid waste fund has a surplus, that money should be divided between the approximately 11,800 residents who have solid waste accounts.
So how much will the discount cost the city?
If 2,700 households receive the discount, the annual cost to the city would be about $49,000 in reduced revenue, according to City Manager John Dossey. That dollar figure climbs to $67,000 annually if the total is 3,700 households, and $81,000 for 4,500 households.
Dossey said based on U.S. Census data, between 2,700-3,700 residences are eligible to apply for the discount. About 2,800 households in the city receive the senior homestead property tax exemption, according to the Tazewell County Assessor's Office.
Applicants must go to City Hall and complete the discount forms. They also must present a government-issued photo identification to verify age and eligibility.
The discount won't kick in until the next billing after the paperwork is completed.
Dossey said city staff came up with the discount idea "following recent operational changes in the city's solid waste and recycling program."
The council also approved the use of 96-gallon totes for recycling collection.
Residents have the option of using the larger tote either in place of or in addition to their 64-gallon recycling tote starting this month because of the city's switch from weekly collection to once every two weeks.
A free 96-gallon tote is available through the end of May by calling City Hall.
Information on appointees
Burress recommended appointments to 11 city boards, commissions and committees and all were approved unanimously by the council.
However, Hilst and Fletcher expressed concerns about council members not knowing the backgrounds of appointees before they vote on approval, how people can apply for a position, and how they would know a position was open.
Dossey and Burress agreed to look into the concerns and make improvements.
Also this week, the council approved:
- Appointing Peg Phillips as mayor pro-tem and John Abel as first alternate mayor pro-tem, mainly ceremonial positions. The mayor pro-tem fills in when the mayor is unable to attend a council meeting or city event;
- A contract Renewing a nearly $62,500 contract with McDaniels Marketing. The Pekin company promotes city events and activities, and hosts and maintains the DiscoverPekin.com website. Fletcher and Hilst voted against the renewal;
- Increasing the number of Economic Development Advisory Committee members from seven to nine to make it easier for the committee to have a quorum of five members for any meeting;
- Establishing the term of office for members of the city's boards, commissions and committees from the first council meeting in May of the year they were appointed to the first council meeting in May the following year.
