PEKIN, Ill. (WMBD) — The city of Pekin has approved a budget for its 2024 fiscal year. The nearly $90 million spending plan will go into effect on May 1, 2023.
The council is particularly excited about the chance to continue to develop road construction projects.
The plan is to use $5.5 million to repair Derby Street between 8th and 14th streets, as well as $8 million towards the continuation of Court Street from Hilltop to Stadium. In total, $37 million will be used for capital improvement projects around Pekin.
“We all agree that this must be done. Anybody that drives through Pekin knows that primarily Court Street, but also Derby and a lot of our other side streets, have been neglected for far too long. We are finally the council that is working together to make that happen,” said Pekin Mayor Pro Tem Becky Cloyd.
The budget also includes $10 million for combined sewer overflow projects, with $1.5 million needed for a demolition project near the riverfront.
The budget will fund ten new positions, including an Economic Development Director, a social worker for the police department, and an in-house city attorney. Two new employees will also help complete building inspections, and do so in-house.
“When we had people carrying a job and then they either left the job or were let go, we didn’t have anybody to cross-reference that job and we had to basically start all over. So, I think this is a wise move and it’s going to save the taxpayers a lot of money,” said Cloyd.
The council plans to implement a three-year budget in October. They also plan on discussing the cost of living pay increases for city staff, as well as the recycling program.
