City of Pekin City Council met Sept. 8.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The purpose of the meeting was for Council to consider business items and to meet in closed session to discuss 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(11.) Litigation and 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1) Personnel.
Mayor Luft asked for a moment of silence for the passing of Pam Nutter. Condolences were expressed to Council Member Nutter in the loss of his wife.
Council Member Lloyd Orrick led the Pledge of Allegiance. City Clerk, Sue E. McMillan, confirmed all members were present and logged on for electronic voting except Council Member Hilst who was absent. A quorum was declared by Mayor Luft.
| Attendee Name | Organization | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Rick Hilst | City of Pekin | Councilman | Absent | |
| Karen Hohimer | City of Pekin | Councilwoman | Present | |
| Dave Nutter | City of Pekin | Councilman | Present | |
| Becky Cloyd | City of Pekin | Councilwoman | Present | |
| Lloyd Orrick | City of Pekin | Mayor Pro-Tem | Present | |
| John P Abel | City of Pekin | Councilman | Present | |
| Mark Luft | City of Pekin | Mayor | Present |
Motion by Council Member Abel, seconded by Council Member Hohimer that the agenda be approved as presented. On roll call vote all present voted Aye. Motion Carried.
PUBLIC INPUT
Phillip Lippi DMGL LLC, owner of Broadway Farms addressed the Council. He distributed documents to Council regarding issues that had been unresolved in an agreement between the City of Pekin and DMGL, LLC since 2018. Mr. Lippi stated the agreement, which spoke of right-of-way granted to the City to maintain a drainage ditch for the purpose of providing stormwater runoff had not been maintained and resulted in erosion damage. He further voiced concerns of a detention pond and receiving compensation. Mr. Lippi spoke of helping tens of thousands of people in the future with his development on the property. He asked that Council honor the contract.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Abel, seconded by Council Member Hohimer that the Consent Agenda be approve as presented. The following was read and presented by Mayor Luft for consideration of the Consent Agenda items by Omnibus Vote.
5.1. Resolution No. 315-21/22 Appointment of Amy McCoy to Represent City on PACVB Board
| RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: John P Abel, Councilman SECONDER: Karen Hohimer, Councilwoman AYES: Hohimer, Nutter, Cloyd, Orrick, Abel, Luft |
6.1. Resolution No. 316-21/22 Sponsorship of Marigold Festival City Manager Mark Rothert told the Council that the Pekin Marigold Festival Committee was requesting sponsorship assistance from the City in the amount of $6,500. Mr. Rothert stated the Marigold Festival was started in 1973 to honor Senator Everett Dirksen and had become Pekin’s biggest annual festival held the first weekend after Labor Day in September. Activities include carnival, music, festive foods, entertainment, kid events, parade, and Art in the Park with craft vendors that attract exhibitors from five surrounding states. The contribution would be expensed to the Tourism Fund. Council Member Abel spoke in support of the pledge and noted the Marigold Festival successes for the community.
| RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: John P Abel, Councilman SECONDER: Karen Hohimer, Councilwoman AYES: Hohimer, Nutter, Cloyd, Orrick, Abel, Luft |
Fire Chief Trent Reeise presented and requested Council’s approval of a Side Letter Agreement with Pekin Firefighter's Local 524 regarding EMS service levels. The Chief advised that the Fire Department had recognized an
operational need to move the department’s EMS level from the Intermediate life support –ILS (EMT-Intermediate) level of care to the Advanced Life Support-ALS (EMT-Paramedic) level of Emergency medical care. Currently, the State of Illinois Department of Public Health was only training at the Basic and Paramedic levels and seemingly phasing out the Intermediate level. The Chief recommended the change to Pekin’s Fire Department’s EMS level would offer a higher level of service to the community and would allow for even more advanced medical care to be performed by the Pekin Fire Department at emergency incidents. Due to a change in working conditions, a side letter agreement would be necessary with the labor force, Pekin Firefighter Local 524. Council was informed +2% pay incentive for 23 Paramedic licensed fire department employees would equate to $26,067.
Council Member Orrick supported the EMS service level and was told by Chief Reeise that marginal costs would be incurred for supplies for the next level of service and estimate original costs of $150 per unit. Council Member Orrick suggested the City renegotiate the outside fire service agreements to include the EMS service level expenses. Council Members applauded the work put into the achievement for increased service levels of the department and expressed appreciation for putting safety of the community in the forefront.
| RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Karen Hohimer, Councilwoman SECONDER: John P Abel, Councilman AYES: Hohimer, Nutter, Cloyd, Orrick, Abel, Luft |
Council Members were advised by Deputy Fire Chief Tony Rendelman, that as emergency medical calls annually increase due to societal changes and with the advancement of service levels by the City’s Fire Department transitioning to EMT/Paramedic status, the City of Pekin has identified the need to define requirements and standards for ambulance services that operate within the City of Pekin and the areas served by the Pekin Fire Department. The ordinance presented to the Council outlined several key standards of operation that clarifies:
a. Incident command structure on Emergency Medical Service (EMS) incidents;
b. Emergency response requirements;
c. Ambulance service requirements; and
d. Additional requirements regarding training and provision of service.
The intention would be to establish and provide emergency medical response standards and coordination for all responding parties to an incident in the City of Pekin or extra-territorial areas served by the Pekin Fire Department.
| RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Dave Nutter, Councilman SECONDER: Becky Cloyd, Councilwoman AYES: Hohimer, Nutter, Cloyd, Orrick, Abel, Luft |
City Manager Mark Rothert next brought before the Council two Special Use Request that he would recommend in one presentation. He reported Case SU 2021-07 - Riverway Craft Laboratories, LLC (the "Developer") was interested to move its development site location from Enterprise Drive (behind PAL Health) to a new location at 300 Hanna Drive. The subject parcel being south of Hanna Drive and bordered by Fifth Street to the east, Hanna Drive to the north, and a railroad right-of-way to the west, PIN I 0-10-400-006.
The Developer was proposing to purchase approximately 57.654 acres on the west side of the parcel (the "Property"). A plat of survey included a 60-foot permanent drainage easement along the north side of the Property, for the City to continue to maintain the existing drainage ditch.
The Developer intended to construct a cannabis dispensary and cannabis craft grower facility on the Property (the "Development"). Those facilities would be leased to Riverway Craft Laboratories, LLC, which would operate the dispensary and craft grow operations. All operations would be run pursuant to state law. A site plan was distributed. Details of each special use were given.
Craft Grow Facility:
a. Development: The initial construction would include an approximately 19,881 square foot operations building, 2,000 square foot warehouse, a greenhouse and other facilities. The facility would also accommodate a potential infuser building of more than 15,000 square feet.
b. Employment: With the initial construction with the Phase I Greenhouse, it was estimated that the Facility would have 20 employees. With the Phase 2 and Phase 3 Greenhouse, they anticipate that 40 employees would be employed.
Dispensary:
a. Development: 3,500 square foot building.
b. Employment: It was estimated that initially, 8 employees would be employed for the dispensary.
Construction of the initial phase of the Craft Grower Facility was estimated to be completed within 6 to 12 months after approval from the State of Illinois. The construction commencement date of the Dispensary was unknown at this time.
The Developer appeared before the Zoning Board of Appeals at its September 1, 2021 meeting and made Special Use requests to subdivide the subject property. Council was further informed that the Developer desired this location for expansion purposes if the State ever increases its 14,000 sq. ft. max growing limitation.
| RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Becky Cloyd, Councilwoman SECONDER: Lloyd Orrick, Mayor Pro-Tem AYES: Hohimer, Nutter, Cloyd, Orrick, Abel, Luft |
| RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Becky Cloyd, Councilwoman SECONDER: Lloyd Orrick, Mayor Pro-Tem AYES: Hohimer, Nutter, Cloyd, Orrick, Abel, Luft |
Manager Rothert reported to the Council that Mark Peterson was contacted to facilitate a Goal Setting session for the Council in October.
Council Members Orrick and Abel encouraged all to attend the Marigold Festival and support the many not for profit organizations sales, such as the Rotary food tent, that allows the organization to fund charitable donations to the community.
Council Member Nutter expressed sincere appreciation for the many prayers and kind words for his family’s loss.
EXECUTIVE SESSION 5 ILCS 120/2 (C) (11.) LITIGATION
A motion was made by Council Member Orrick seconded by Council Member Hohimer to move into Executive Session to discuss 5 ILCS 120/2 (c) 11. Litigation and 5ILCS 120/2 (c)
1. Personnel at 6:20 PM.
Mayor Luft stated that no action would be taken after Executive Session.
The Council returned to open session and without further action to come, motion was made by Council Member Orrick, seconded by Council Member Abel to adjourn. Motion carried viva voce. Mayor Luft adjourned the meeting at 8:25 P.M.
ADJOURN
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