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Illinois Valley

Streator council to vote on police purchases, discuss ambulance fees

Ford Bronco, laptops on agenda; fire department seeks ambulance bids

The city of Streator was awarded a $650,000 Community Development Block Grant to rehabilitate about 10 houses within the city limits. There will be a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at Streator City Hall, 204 S. Bloomington St.

The Streator City Council will vote on several police department purchases, discuss ambulance services, and update regulations on non-highway vehicles when it meets on Wednesday night.

The council is expected to vote on two separate agenda items involving purchases for the police department.

One item would approve the purchase of a 2025 Ford Bronco to replace an older, high-mileage vehicle used by the department’s Community Service Officer. The proposed cost is $26,328.

The council will also consider approving the purchase of 11 new laptops and nine docking stations for Streator police patrol vehicles.

According to city documents, the new laptops would replace older models that are no longer compatible with current software. The total cost of the equipment is estimated at $31,132.

Several discussion items are also on the agenda, including a request from the fire department to seek bids for a future ambulance purchase.

The council will also discuss possible changes to ambulance transport fees, which have not increased since the city began providing services in 2022. Fire officials are recommending modest increases to match rates charged by nearby communities.

Other discussion items include updates on the city’s rental registration program and code enforcement activity, as well as short‑term rentals, e‑bikes and non‑highway vehicles.

At the council’s last meeting, members talked about possible changes to city rules for smaller off‑road vehicles such as golf carts, electric bikes and ATVs so residents could use them more safely on local streets.

Council will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. The meeting is open to the public, except for a closed session at the end.

Bill Freskos

Bill Freskos is a multimedia journalist based in the Illinois Valley. He covers hard news, local government, sports, business enterprise, and politics while contributing to Shaw Local Radio stations for Shaw Media across La Salle, Bureau, and Putnam counties.