By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – The newest member of the McLean County Board said he wants to bring more transparency to county government.
Josh Barnett of Bloomington was sworn in to fill a District 10 vacancy following Ben Owens’ resignation. Barnett is running unopposed in November after winning the Republican primary in the spring. Barnett believes there’s enough support on the board to move its monthly meetings to evenings to make it easier for the public to attend.
“We are going to spend some time discussing that moving forward over the next few months,” Barnett said. “Hopefully we will be able to see some movement on that within the next year. The wheels of government move slowly as they say, but with diligence and patience we will get there.”
Barnett said he also wants to see county upgrade its website and be more active on social media.
“I think the county has been good with transparency, but I think there are opportunities to improve and make us great,” Barnett said.
Barnett is the fourth appointee to the board in the last year.
The County Board also approved the appointment of Jerry Stokes as County Engineer. He had served as acting engineer since March when Eric Schmitt was named the county’s administrative services director.
Enterprise zone
McLean County is the latest government body to approve an expansion of an enterprise zone to include Destihl’s $14 million brewery which is under construction in north Normal.
The board voted 14-3 to approve expanding the zone which would enable Destihl to get tax breaks on building materials. Illinois’ 96 enterprise zones expired in June. Local officials are reapplying for an extension. The state denied the first request.
Board member Don Cavallini, R-Lexington, said he believes the enterprise zone concept has outlived its usefulness.
“(The state) is giving away money it really can’t afford to give away,” Cavallini said.
CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council Kyle Ham defended the incentive, telling the board that those incentives helped to prevent Destihl from locating elsewhere.
“Destihl is an example of one of those companies that had both other communities from the state of Illinois and other states approaching them about leaving this community.”
Destihl’s planned 47,000-sq. ft. building is expected to be finished early next year and will add 70 jobs.
The zone also includes Bloomington, Normal, Ford County and Gibson City. Bloomington and Normal have already signed off on the expansion.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
