With a newly elected Mayor who followed through on promises of infrastructure maintenance in the summer of 2013, the Village of Mahomet Board of Trustees and staff spent much of Nov. and Dec. focused on strategic planning which will guide projects, spending and roles within the Village over the next three to five years.
Planning sessions were guided by Shirley Stellbrink of Learning Alliance Company. The Village developed a similar plan in 2010.
“Bringing somebody in helped bring out some things from board members and staff that you might now have gotten if our administrator facilitated the discussion,” Mayor Patrick Brown said. “That leaves the Village staff free to be truly part of that process instead of having to run the process.”
During the first session, the group looked to bridge the gap in communication between the board and staff so both parties will work to “preserve, protect and enhance the community’s quality of life.”
The group will go into fiscal year 2014 with a focus on fiscal responsibility, proactive economic growth and community enhancements.
“All of the board members are very disciplined,” Brown said.
With large equipment purchases in Oct. and Jan., Brown said it may have appeared that the board was digging a hole the Village cannot afford.
“All of that equipment would have come to us individually instead of in a group,” he said. “We looked at our policy of replacing every eight years, miles or hours and pieces of equipment that we don’t have which will help us provide better service to the community, and we purchased all of them at once. Nothing on that list is something we did not need or wasn’t due for replacement. We bought them on an eight-year lease payment, so we’re actually paying less, but getting more equipment.”
The Village also purchased the R&S facility for $1.1M at the end of the year. The Village identified nearly $250,000 in additional renovations needed to make the facility fit Village needs. With ongoing discussions circling around erecting a new public transportation building for years, the 20-year-old, 8,000-square-foot R&S facility saved the Village $500,000.
With Lake of the Woods Road overpass under construction, Brown recognizes that the facility may seem out of the way for the Village. He also knows the R&S facility will fulfill many long-term needs such as equipment storage and brush and limb drop-off. With electrical outlets in the parking lot, Brown also envisions the potential for a farmer’s market.
IDOT predicts the Lake of the Road overpass will be complete by July 4.
Equipment and facility purchases alongside several major road construction projects in 2013 helped to build the foundation for plans for growth in the future.
The Village resurfaced and added curb and gutter to Eastwood Drive and Franklin Street, resurfaced State from Division to Dianne Lane and Division Street from 150 to Main during the summer of 2013. Brown said the Village also plans to resurface State St. from Franklin to Division during the summer of 2014.
Oil and Chip and Pug Overlay projects during the summer of 2014 include sections of Barker Rd., Dunbar, East, Hickory, Main, Market, Mitchell, Taylor Drive, Union, West, Willow, Woodglen Drive, Washington and Lincoln Streets.
In 2010, the Economic Development Committee put together a plan to prepare for industrial development at the intersection of Route 150 and Barker Road. The $2.8M widening project was approved in Feb. 2013.
With an Economic Development Program (EDP) grant and Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds, 150 and Barker Road were widened during the summer of 2013. The area also received water and sewer access with Tax Increment Funds (TIF) in hopes of promoting commercial growth on the east side of town.
“Through this project I’ve learned that we’ve never aggressively gone after any business or entity before,” Brown said. “That’s one direction we are going to take. We have a very eager Economic Development Commission in our community. They’ve felt like they lost their purpose or they really aren’t doing anything significant. We’ve relooked at goals, retail gaps, and now that we’ve gone through that process, we need to target commercial business.”
The Village will have to return a $250,000 EDP grant which was contingent upon commercial development along Barker Road. Brown said there have been some nibbles on the property, but nothing has been secured in the process.
“Some people look at that and say, ‘Why did you do that?’” Brown said. “Believe me. I think the board members are saying the same thing. Everyone is disappointed, but the project is still a viable project. It does have the water and sewer, and the road was widened. I think that will help us in the future.”
In the meantime, both Village staff and board are currently re-evaluating subdivision ordinances to promote both commercial and residential growth.
* Check back tomorrow to read how a new subdivision ordinance will promote growth-and how the Village staff has grown to offer better customer service.
