Streator makes room on 2025 budget for multiple projects, including pickleball courts

The Streator City Council approved a 2025 budget Wednesday with room for projects, including the construction of pickleball courts, new lights at Bodznick Park and replacing the electrical generator at City Hall.

The proposed general fund expense budget is $13,153,878, an increase of $175,605 over last year’s budget.

Streator City Manager David Plyman said a significant portion of the budget increase is allocated to fulfilling the city’s pension obligations.

According to Plyman, pension contributions have increasingly taken up a larger share of the city’s tax revenue over the years.

He highlighted an estimated $204,000 of the budget increase will go toward funding fire and police department pensions, which are required by law to meet a 90% funding threshold by 2040.

The budget also addressed the city’s waste management system, as the city expects to use reserves from the sewer fund to support ongoing projects.

The sewer fund is expected to operate at a deficit, and staff will rely on fund reserves to help cover the costs.

Plyman also said the city’s contract with Waste Management is set to expire soon, with discussions coming about potential rate increases, noting there might be a need for fee adjustments.

“We will most likely need to adjust rates, but we need to wait until the contract is finalized to better understand the costs,” Plyman said.

In other business, the City Council:

• Approved the purchase and installation of a new return activated sludge pump for Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Approved a resolution appropriating $439,000 of Motor Fuel Tax funds for road way maintenance projects.