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What's your New Year's resolution for McLean County? Here's what area leaders had to say

Pantagraph - 12/31/2021

Dec. 31—BLOOMINGTON — As the world closes out 2021 and ushers in 2022, many of us are making resolutions for self-improvement in the new year. In McLean County, our community leaders are also reflecting on their goals for the future.

We checked in with area leaders in education, government, business and public safety to find out their hopes and goals for McLean County in the new year.

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"For myself, I would say a personal resolution, as much as I possibly can, is turning off my electronic devices from Saturday evening to Monday morning.

I am looking forward to COVID ending. In a sense, it seems likely that it will never go away, but it would seem at some point the virus is going to mutate to the point where it becomes like a cold or flu virus. People are exhausted from it, and getting back to whatever a post-COVID world looks like, I think people are more than ready for that.

I think our local economy has gotten so strong. We had some issues a few years ago, but things have really started to solidify, raising some new problems of their own, housing, workforce. But, it's made this community an even better place to live."

— Mayor Chris Koos, Normal

"We end 2021 on a high note with so many opportunities for 2022. I'm so proud of city staff as they continue to deliver high quality services to Bloomington residents in these challenging times and still position us for future growth.

"I'm also very proud of our City Council for the leadership they provide their constituents and the community as a whole. We are so fortunate, as a region (city, town and county), to be in the position that we are in, and when we work closely together the wins are even bigger. I expect we will see even more of that in 2022."

Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe

"Obviously we want to recruit. There are several vacancies were looking to fill. A lot of our focus in the upcoming year is on recruitment of new officers.

We're starting a new testing process that will kick off first of the year. We've never had a lateral hiring program for experienced officers form other agencies that are looking to move. It's another tool to help fill vacancies.

Another part is retention of existing staff. We have a lot of great people here and I know it's been a rough couple of years. There have been a lot of different changes, from the pandemic to police reform.

Certainly, just doing what we can to support current staff that we have, sworn and non-sworn. Also, looking to expand our training opportunities. There's a lot of state mandates, but we want to expand our internal training. We have a lot of qualified instructors, and people with a lot of experience and knowledge in our department. We hope to better leverage that in the upcoming year.

We're looking to hire an intervention specialist to help work with and bridge between social service agencies involving mental health and our department. We've certainly seen an increase in that over the years. That will help us plug in a little better with existing resources."

Normal Police Chief Rick Bleichner

"Ensure a healthy and safe workforce of public servants at the Bloomington Police Department. We will work to expand officer resiliency and safety training and provide tools our employees can use to enhance their safety, preparedness and well-being. Additional supervisory training is also on the forefront.

Enhance the Bloomington Police Department's ability to attract diverse and qualified talent to serve as police officers, telecommunicators and support staff. This agency is only as good as those who serve in various capacities. We will strive to ensure equity, fairness and inclusion throughout the agency to be an attractive place to work.

Increase community engagement to continuously build trust and partnerships, which will have a direct impact on increasing community safety and holding those who engage in violent conduct accountable. Providing an empathetic and professional policing service will be a focal point.

Reduce crime and the fear of crime throughout the city, but especially in areas with a high density of crime. We will provide better technology and tools to assist our staff and communities in this effort.

Reduce traffic crashes with additional education, better collaboration for engineering enhancements, and focused enforcement."

Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington

"To meet our staffing levels and continue our effort in hiring qualified people. And also to meet the requirements in the new Safe-T Act. Some of the things go into effect next year. We're going to be putting our body camera system into use one year ahead of time, so we'll be concentrating on that. Also, just to continue our high-level professional service and community outreach."

McLean County Sheriff Jon Sandage

"One new year's resolution I always try to have is be a better communicator from one year to the next.

With COVID, it's been very challenging. During COVID, we had to cancel staff meetings, and tried to limit gatherings. I feel bad that I don't get out to fire stations and sub stations as often as I used to. It's just kind of changed the way we all do business. We're looking at different ways to be a better communicator and have small groups and use emails.

It's just not with the (Normal) Fire Department, it's all of our other agencies we work so closely with. Everybody from ISU to Red Cross to Bloomington Fire, and other departments, because they had a lot people working from home, and it was hard to get a meeting together.

We're all getting much better at it than we ever were in the beginning. It was challenging at best just to get the technology to work. It's sure been nice to have some in-person meetings over the summer.

Now with the new variant, what that's going to mean, I think people are taking time to wait after the holidays. I think we're going to probably, shortly after the first of the year, have to reevaluate all of that and see where we're at."

Normal Fire Chief Mick Humer

"1. To continue to support and provide leadership to our health department and Emergency Management Agency as they provide services and help to those suffering through the pandemic.

2. Work to follow through with the Fairview Building project and assist the McLean County Nursing Home as it continues to provide services for our county's aging citizens.

3. Help lead the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council to implement the revised Mental Health Action plan and see it through to its fruition.

4. Work to improve and expand our Animal Control Shelter facility and its programs.

5. Help the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Mclean County Re-entry Council to coordinate efforts to address prisoner re-entry and reduce recidivism.

6. Provide leadership to improve the efficiency of operations, fiscal solvency and encourage civility, cooperation and 'goodwill' among all county board members during the 2022 year committee sessions.

7. Find more time for family as a grandfather, father, husband and be a friend and supporter to all who are in need."

McLean County Board Chair John McIntyre

"The indirect consequences of COVID have left real economic challenges. The great resignation has brought frustration to employers looking for workers, supply chain delays have paused projects and crippled retailers, and a new desperate need for diversified housing is limiting our ability to roll out the welcome mat to new residents and visitors alike.

That aside, for 2022, we've been gifted with an opportunity of resolve and growth! With our sincere thanks to Rivian for their significant investment, there's a current highlight of B-N on the world's stage. Ferrero and Brandt have brought tremendous new development and foreign investment. There's a renewed and thriving spirit in economic development, and more small businesses continue to open. For our communities, there is a bright light ahead and the time is now to move collectively and collaboratively toward it!

Our resolution is to aid in that collaboration and to represent and advocate for large and small businesses, both new and established, working together in partnership to advance the McLean County economy. We are prepared with a robust program of work for our members and stand ready to address and serve the broader community needs and opportunities presented to us. To do this effectively, we invite and encourage businesses of every size to stand with us and be a part of building B-N business in 2022!"

Charlie Moore, president & CEO of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce

"As CEO of our Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, I would like to capitalize on our community's momentum in 2022 and continue the growth of both our organization and the local economy. To do this, we will hire a community marketing manager to help tell B-N's story to retain and attract talent, developers and businesses. We will also select an expert to conduct a housing study to address our rapid influx of new workers. Additionally, we will apply for the coveted Accredited Economic Development Organization designation from the International Economic Development Council.

Our One Voice trip to Washington, D.C., is an annual goal for the EDC. We are planning for another successful in-person trip this March. Another organizational goal for the EDC is to lead our community through a branding initiative. Bloomington-Normal means something different to every citizen, and we need to duplicate our annual efforts in D.C. and speak with One Voice. Additionally, we need a resilient workforce for our economic development flywheel to keep its momentum. A Workforce Development Strategic Plan will keep our talent pipeline as full as our project pipeline."

Patrick Hoban, president & CEO of the Bloomington Normal Economic Development Council

"My resolutions for the coming year are mostly about maintaining optimism, energy and gratitude as the pandemic wears on.

I've become more disciplined about running a few miles every morning on the trail, and that's been wonderful for my sanity in these difficult times.

My husband and I make dinner every night and dine by candlelight with music. We try different dishes and cuisines, and our objective is to be "the best restaurant in town." It's been healthy and fun.

In this coming year, I especially want to be mindful of and grateful for all of those around me who are working so very hard to ensure that we remain safe and are able to continue our mission of education. I am really proud of how our community has come together — and I mean not only the Wesleyan community, but friends and partners in B-N as well.

I'm optimistic about the coming year and how the human spirit will overcome our challenges."

Illinois Wesleyan University President Georgia Nugent

"This year I'm hoping to gain a few seconds on my time so I can outrun a few more students at our Harvest 5K in October, and I'm looking to carve out some more time to travel to see friends and family. And, of course, with every new year it's a personal goal to find every opportunity to support our Heartland Community College students to get educational opportunities to help them thrive and our community grow."

Heartland Community College President Keith Cornille

"Since becoming president of Illinois State University in July 2021, getting to know the people in the university and local communities has been a big priority for me. As I look ahead, my new year's resolution is to explore even more local businesses, restaurants and points of interest around Bloomington-Normal. I look forward to deepening my connections with the people and culture of this community in 2022."

Illinois State University President Terri Goss Kinzy

"Unit 5 remains committed to providing the best education possible, recruiting high-quality staff, demonstrating fiscal responsibility, while providing an environment that respects diversity among all members of our learning community. During 2022, Unit 5 will review and update our strategic plan, which was last updated in October 2016. Strategic planning allows the district to evaluate where we are as a district, identify goals for the future, and to develop a plan on how to achieve the goals. Strategic planning involves participation from various stakeholders throughout the school district and community. The process allows for stakeholders to better understand the district's mission, vision and values while helping to develop goals for the future. The strategic plan will provide a guide to the work that we do as a district. We commit to providing updates to the community, throughout the year, on the progress of the strategic plan and other issues pertinent to Unit 5."

— Dr. Kristen Weikle, superintendent of McLean County Unit 5 schools

"Like many others in our community, I am glad to put 2021 in the rearview mirror. The pandemic, two surgeries, a thyroid cancer diagnosis (caught early with an excellent prognosis) and my own quarantine with a breakthrough case of COVID made this past year a very difficult one for me personally. However, I am excited to turn the page on 2021 as I look forward to a much better 2022. The upcoming year brings a new sense of optimism and possibilities for the future. For my own part, my resolution is to practice a greater sense of kindness to others. Kindness has been in short supply over the past year, and I can certainly do my part to help brighten the day of others. I have a lot to be thankful for, as I have wonderful friends and family who bring happiness to my life each and every day. The least I can do is to be kind to others."

— Dr. Barry Reilly, superintendent of Bloomington District 87 schools

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