The Peoria Heights Village Board approved the expenditure of more than $229,000 for computer upgrades to its public water system, specifically to controls for its pumps and towers, at its Nov. 19 meeting.
The vote was unanimous though concerns were expressed about not going out for bids prior to approving the work.
“I’m not sure I’m real comfortable with this,” said Mayor Michael Phelan. “My concern’s a level playing field.
“You’re spending $229,000 of public money and not giving everyone an opportunity to bid on it.”
Ultimately, the Village found itself in something of “a jam” given its computer control system’s continuing reliance on an old landline service that AT&T could drop at any time, Public Works Superintendent Chris Chandler explained. Meanwhile, the Village has worked previously with the provider, Missouri-based R.E. Pedrotti Company, which was already up to speed on the system, Chandler said. In addition, going through the bid process could have meant delaying the work by “at least six months,” on a job needing arguably emergency attention, at perhaps double the cost or more, he said.
“Anybody else is going to start from scratch,” said Chandler, adding that Pedrotti’s price is “very reasonable.”
Municipal governments do not have to go out for bid for professional services, though it’s not an uncommon practice to do so anyway. The Village’s water consultant, Woodard and Curran, helped select Pedrotti.
Though the money was not specifically budgeted, the Village has $400,000 available due to lead line replacement being postponed for a year. That should more than cover the cost of these updates, which are part of the Village’s renewed attention to its water infrastructure after many years of previous administration neglect.
In other action or discussion:
The Village Board approved a Business Development District (BDD) grant of nearly $7,000 for Joseph Fritsch and Jam Prospect General Partnership for exterior renovations at 4542 N. Prospect Rd. The now-vacant site previously housed Cayenne, a Mexican restaurant, and will soon contain another eatery by the name of Casa Agave. Its owners, Jose and Nora Leon, currently operate Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill in Peoria’s Metro Centre.
Sales tax-producing businesses in the Business Development District charge an extra 1 percent sales tax, the proceeds of which go into a locally controlled fund that is then available for redistribution for improvements just like these. The money will be spent on a new front window and awning.
Complaints have grown about the Heights’ new waste hauler, GFL Environmental, which purchased the Village’s contract with Elmwood-based G&O Disposal last July.
GFL is a large company with garbage-pickup contracts in about 80 communities, Peoria being the largest, with Washington and Morton among its clients.
“We expected a few bumps in the road when they took over but it’s been unbelievable,” said Village Administrator Dustin Sutton, who encouraged residents upset with their service to make administration aware, through the Village’s online portal and by calling, so that those issues can be brought to the company’s attention and addressed.
With three years left on the Village’s contract with GFL, some trustees questioned what could be done in the interim if service doesn’t improve. Village Attorney Mark Walton said that while contracts can be terminated for failure to meet their terms, in practice that can be a very tall order, as “it has to be pretty egregious for them to be in default.” Meanwhile, litigation is expensive and there needs to be a backup plan in place.
Indeed, there are not a ton of options for other waste haulers, noted Phelan. Doing garbage pickup in-house, meanwhile, can be very cost prohibitive.
“We were very spoiled with G&O,” said Sutton. “They (GFL) are on notice.”
