NORMAL – At Monday night’s regular Normal Town Council session in Council Chambers on Uptown Station’s fourth floor, Council members received an update concerning the status of the Town’s 2023 Strategic Plan. Jacob Smith, Town Administrative Analyst, spelled out for Council members the Plan progress.
Smith began his presentation refreshing Council members’ concerning how the process began starting with the Town working with Northern Illinois University’s Center For Governmental Center in 2022 where Council members, Town Staff, and stakeholders helped establish priorities and goals for the Strategic Plan. The Plan became finalized in 2023.
Smith reminded Council members overarching specific goals including Effectiveness, and Community engagement and development. From those core goals, a set of goals under each category were developed for the Town to work from. Among the long-term goals the Town wants to keep watch on would include items like pension fund strategies.
Council members were shown the Town had high, medium, and low priorities which needed to be addressed to achieve certain goals. Under high priority were items such as including Uptown development and implementation of improvements such as completing Fire Station #2; completing the Town having completion of Constitution Trail to extend east and west; and exploring strategies to reach fully funded goals for Town employee pensions.
Longer term priorities the Town has in mind include undertaking zoning review for housing regulations. A low priority the Town is looking at is exploring a possible “one percent” plan which would help designate places for displaying public art.
There are also the possibility of items classified as long term routine goals such as undertaking a zoning review for housing regulations and possibilities.
There are long range goals the Town could be looking into, as well, Smith said. There were a number of such items for this category including, as a high priority, implementing infrastructure solutions for north Normal which would address taking care of roads, sewers, and water in that part of town.
Smith indicated “2025 looks to be an exciting year for a number of projects” for the Town. Among the items he mentioned were: The completion of Normal Fire Station #2, a review of the Town’s fee structure, and an Economic Development Plan.
“I’m very excited to continue to bring updates on this plan,” Smith said.
City Manager Pam Reece asked Smith to go back to a slide which showed, of a total of 28 projects in the works by the Town, at what stage were those projects at. The graphic shown indicated two of 28 have been completed; 15 projects are in progress, seven are ongoing, and four have not been started as yet.
About the projects and the stages they are at, Reece told Council members, “we are going forward and continue to progress, I think.” Reece said Council members had before them on their dais, a current summary of the Strategic Plan which showed the top three goals for each category.
When Council members got their turn to question Smith, Council Member Karyn Smith asked the Town Administrative Analyst what period of time was the Town Strategic Plan addressing. Jacob Smith told the Council member the goals that were looked at stretched looking at Normal as far out as the year 2032.
The computer tool being used by Town staff can be accessed by a number of departments with a specific Town department serving as a lead on an item but allowing other departments to insert or edit as needed, Reece clarified this in an example for Smith by saying, for instance, that zoning will have a lead in handling such related items with assistance as needed by Town legal staff.
Reece said the Town strategic plan includes a number of items directed the Town and identified as goals to move forward on various items including things like a study in investment in infrastructure.
Council Member Kathleen Lorenz asked Administrator Smith if Council will be able to see what progress is being made “in a meaningful way.” Administrator Smith said the program has “attainable data points” which will allow the Town to measure its progress. Reece said the Town will work to condense the progress being made so that Council members can follow along with the progress.
Council Member Kevin McCarthy offered his congratulations on the project. Council Member Chemberly Harris addressed Administrator Smith saying the dashboard concept to using the tool “is home grown which is a difficult thing to manage especially when you’re talking about managing projects.” Harris added it was important for the general public to be able to see it.” She did say she “loves where the project is going.”
Omnibus agenda items approved by the Council included:
• Approval of the minutes of the work session of Jan. 21, 2025.
• Approval of minutes of the Council’s regular meeting held of Jan. 21, 2025.
• Report to receive and file Town of Normal expenditures for payment as of Jan. 21, 2025.
• A resolution authorizing an agreement with Rivian Automotive for the extension of public infrastructure within the NN2 WH subdivision.
• A resolution authorizing a reimbursement agreement with Rivian Automotive for installation of a sanitary sewer main along West College Ave.
• A resolution conditionally approving the final plat for the NN2 WH subdivision (west of Rivian Motorway).