The Village Board approved the creation of three new firefighter positions and gave its OK to set about hiring them at its May 7 meeting as Peoria Heights transitions to a full-time department. The vote was 5-1 with Trustee Elizabeth Khazzam in dissent.
Starting pay is $65,000 with full benefits. Applications are being accepted now (https://www.peoriaheights.org/intheknow/2023/6/29/employment-opportunity-fire-chief-x4x2s).
Fire Chief Dan Decker updated the Board on the current status of local fire service, which is busy for a community of Peoria Heights’ size with some 1,300 emergency calls annually. The department is manned by 18 volunteers, five of whom live in the Village. Most of the rest live within 2.5 miles. “Many members stay overnight … just to make sure there is coverage,” said Decker, who noted that he has been impressed by their dedication and training.
Many of the volunteers are young, plucked out of Illinois Central College’s fire science program, but some are unlikely to stay long as they’re lured away by full-time firefighting jobs. The department’s stipend program has been helpful as a retention tool, compensating two people per day, said Decker.
While the manpower situation is not ideal, the chief said he’s reconciled himself to staying within the budget and not coming back to the Village Board for more resources anytime in the near future. The chief said he is committed to having at least two local firefighters going out on calls at all times.
Trustees Matt Wigginton and Elizabeth Khazzam both commented on the Village’s tight budget situation. “We are pretty tapped out,” said Wigginton. “I’m going to hold you to what you said, chief.”
In other business:
The Board amended its agreement with developers Dave Williams and Laurie Pearl to build housing on five properties the Village sold to Williams Brothers Construction inn 2019.
The couple now will have three more years, until April 30, 2027, to construct single-family homes or duplexes on vacant properties at 4804 N. Ellen Ct., 723 E. Division Ave., 1105 E. Duryea Ave., 5012 N. Best St. and 618 E. Sciota Ave.
Five years ago, the properties were sold to Williams Brothers for $26,200 on the condition that building would begin in the year to follow. Between COVID and other issues, that never happened, and the agreement expired, giving the Village the option of buying back those properties at a price of $5,000 each -- $25,000 in total -- or renegotiating a new contract.
The developers have since purchased additional properties that could make for an even bigger residential project. New housing is a top priority of Village administration.
The Village Board unanimously entered into a contract with R.A. Cullinan & Son of Tremont to provide sealcoating on Village streets for $108,930, ultimately rejecting a lower bid of just over $84,000 from Porter Brothers of Rock Falls.
Generally, municipal governments are inclined to accept the lowest price but in this case, the Board concluded that Porter had exceeded its capacity as a company to guarantee performance of the work according to Illinois Department of Transportation guidelines, had been misleading about that, and therefore did not qualify as a responsible bidder.
Peoria Heights has long enjoyed a positive relationship with Cullinan, while Porter has not worked in the Village before.
“They just bit off more than they could chew,” said Trustee Jeff Goett.
The sealcoating completion date is Aug. 31. The work is being paid for with Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) funds. The Board also approved a $35,670 bid from Midstate Asphalt of Eureka to provide spray patching services.
The Board approved the creation of a new Class A-1 liquor license, which will be granted to Happenstance Events Rental. The latter wishes to run a mobile bar out of the Pabst parking lot, for now, thought it could be move around to other locations such as Tower Park in the future. Happenstance has a brick-and-mortar location in the Village at the Pabst building. “I think they’ll fit right in,” said Mayor Michael Phelan.
The Board set aside the dates of Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 6-7 for use of Tower Park by the Kringle Market, as well as Aug. 17 for the Peoria Heights Congregational Church and its annual Christian music event.
Trustees reappointed Greg Walters to the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners, Greg Fletcher to the Police Pension Board, and Floyd Wombacher and Mickey O’Neil to the Zoning and Planning Commission.
The Board approved a license for Peoria Pedicab LLC to operate its pedal taxi service in the Village.
The Board announced that the next round of “ice pigging” to clear sediment from Village water pipes will begin the week of July 8 and cover the neighborhoods south of Lake Avenue.