The Village of Peoria Heights has received recognition for its worker-friendly policies from a regional organization representing local employers and labor.
The Better Built Network’s 2020 “Building a Better Community Award” was presented to the Village Board at its March 16 meeting by Clint Drury, executive director of the West Central Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council – which goes to bat for 17,000 union workers in 13 counties – and Jimmy Dillon, the organization’s assistant director. Representing the management side was Dennis Higdon, executive director of the Greater Peoria Contractors and Suppliers Association.
Better Built is this area’s labor management organization. The groups just wanted to collectively express “our heartfelt gratitude for not forgetting workers at the price of development,” said Dillon. “Too many times that happens.” Indeed, when the organization was accepting nominations for the award, “it was a no-brainer to nominate the Heights for everything that they’ve done in trying to make the Peoria region and the Heights a better place to live and go to work.”
Among the actions that have been cited were the Village Board’s passage of “responsible bidder” and “prevailing wage” measures aimed at reassuring residents that work on all public projects will be done by skilled workers earning a fair income.
A self-described “Heights guy” – he grew up on Terrace Court and was a member of the second graduating class at Peoria Heights High School – Higdon expressed admiration at how the Heights has “reimagined itself” from the days when the Ben Franklin and Velvet Freeze were downtown landmarks.
“It’s really exciting to me ... We’re proud as an industry to be a part of that,” said Higdon. “Thanks so much for supporting ... the people that are paying living wages and offering training programs.
“We’re always on the lookout for new talent,” said Higdon, mentioning ongoing conversations with the local high school regarding a building trades curriculum.
“You guys are doing a great job and should be looked upon by many other towns as a beacon,” said Dillon.
“We’re very, very proud of that award,” said Heights Mayor Michael Phelan.