Pekin City Council

The normally routine purchase of a new truck caused a bit of a stir at a Pekin City Council meeting. The 2026 Ford F-550 with a dump body will replace a 2003 dump truck that's in terrible shape.

The clock is running for the developer of a proposed data center in Pekin. City Attorney Jim Vasselli said Monday the city is pressing Western Hospitality Partners to make a decision on the project.

Pekin has operated its own solid waste collection department for more than 20 years. That's not going to change anytime soon, after the city council unanimously rejected a bid from GFL Environmental.

The proposed data center on Pekin's Lutticken Farms property wasn't on the agenda at Monday's council meeting. But it was discussed twice, and it was in the background of two items involving the Lutticken land.

The City of Pekin and its 54-member firefighters union have agreed on a new five-year contract. The Pekin City Council approved the contract Monday. Union ratification is expected this week.

The proposed data center project in Pekin isn't dead. The legal process that would void the contract between the city and developer and result in the data center's demise still must play out.

The transfer of Pekin Community High School bus transportation services from the City of Pekin to District 303 is back on track.

Following Pekin's change from weekly to every-other-week recycling pickup that began as planned March 2, the city intends to roll out steps in the coming weeks that aim to calm those who oppose the switch.

The Pekin City Council is expected to vote on a legal end to its proposed agreement with data center developer Western Hospitality Partners at its next meeting March 23.

Pekin will no longer consider having a data center built in the community. Mayor Mary Burress made the announcement Monday in a statement she read at a city council meeting.