One Voice Task Force seeks funding for local projects

Posted on March 8, 2018
Bloomington-Normal’s One Voice Task Force met with Congressman Rodney Davis (pictured) and other legislators this week, seeking funds for local projects. (Photo courtesy Rodney Davis)

By Patrick Baron

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington-Normal’s One Voice Task Force has been in Washington, DC this week to meet with legislators and discuss funding for major projects in the Twin Cities.

Kyle Ham, CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, said one project they are pushing to get funding for is a Connect Transit transfer center in downtown Bloomington. Ham explained a transfer center would be beneficial due to the large amount of people who use the bus service.

“There’s about 2.4 million rides per year in McLean County,” Ham said. “Having a place that people can get on and off of the buses and transfer out of the weather is something we’ve needed for a very long time.”

The Task Force is also pushing to get funding for an underpass in Uptown Normal. Ham told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin the Task Force have been working to convince legislators and agencies that the underpass would bolster the town’s economy in the long run.

“Normal has put all of their ducks in a row to really put together a nice a project that will allow eight additional acres in that Uptown region to have more economic growth and attraction,” Ham explained.

Ham said other projects the Task Force has also been seeking ways to improve Bloomington-Normal’s economic ecosystem for entrepreneurs and gaining custom clearance at Central Illinois Regional Airport due to the number of international businesses that come into town, such as Rivian Automotive and Brandt Industries.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…