Pekin City Council has tabled a lease agreement for school bus transportation operations between the city and Pekin Community High School. The proposed deal, set to begin July 1, involves the high school leasing the city’s bus department office and parking lot for its estimated 30-35 buses. Council members are seeking revisions to the monetary terms before final approval.
Key Takeaways
- The City of Pekin and Pekin Community High School are negotiating a lease for school bus operations.
- The City Council requested changes to the financial aspects of the agreement.
- Discussions are ongoing, with hopes for approval at upcoming meetings.
- A separate issue regarding changes to recycling pickup schedules was also raised.
School Bus Lease Negotiations
The current three-year agreement, with options for extensions, aims to facilitate the transition of school bus services to the high school. City officials emphasized their role as partners in this transition, aiming for an agreement that is fair to both taxpayers and the school district. City Manager John Dossey stated the goal is to "help with the transition" and ensure the agreement has "the least impact on them."
Council members expressed concerns regarding several financial components of the proposed lease. These include:
- The first-year payment of $95,000.
- A $60 per hour cost for using city mechanics for bus repairs.
- The city supplying fuel and parts at cost plus 5%.
- The splitting of utility costs.
- The sale of recently purchased bus radios to the high school for $1 each.
Council member Jake Fletcher suggested that the city should neither profit nor lose money on the deal. One confirmed change to the agreement is that the bus department office at 1130 Koch Street will continue to serve as a polling place.
City Economic Development Director Josh Wray met with District 303 Superintendent Danielle Owens to discuss the revisions, expressing confidence that an agreement could be reached for approval by both the City Council and the School Board at their next meetings on February 23.
Other City Council Matters
In other business, the council unanimously approved several items:
- Awarding a contract to Lauterbach & Amen for the city’s 2024-25 fiscal year audit, including various components for the city, library, and TIF reports.
- Awarding a contract to Earth Services for the removal of underground aviation fuel storage tanks at the Pekin Municipal Airport, with provisions for potential contaminated soil remediation.
- Rejecting all bids for city-owned property at the intersection of Broadway, 2nd, and 3rd Streets, with staff believing the location is suitable for a small business.
- Authorizing Griffin Reeise Engineering to perform design work for a stormwater pond relocation needed for commercial development.
- Appointing Ron Harlan to the Economic Development Advisory Committee.
Additionally, a proposal to change recycling pickup from weekly to every other week, due to a personnel shortage in the solid waste department, was met with questions from council members and criticism from residents on social media. This change is also slated for discussion at the February 23 council meeting.
