Town of Normal names Mike Matejka Citizen of the Year

Posted on August 4, 2021
Mike Matejka served on the Bloomington City Council from 1989-2007. (WJBC file photo)

 

By WJBC Staff

NORMAL – Mike Matejka has been named the 2021 Citizen of the Year in the Town of Normal. Mayor Chris Koos made the announcement Tuesday night during the town’s appreciation reception.

Matejka moved to Bloomington-Normal to attend Illinois State University. Since then, Matejka has served as a community leader, volunteer, and social justice advocate.

“If I had to choose one word to describe Mike Matejka, I would choose the word community,” said Mayor Koos. “Few others believe in and invest in our community as much as Mike. He consistently steps forward to help, contribute, offer ideas and leadership. More importantly, Mike listens to community needs and then works to raise awareness, motivating others to create solutions.”

He retired in 2021 from the Great Plains Laborers District Council where he served as Governmental Affairs Director, covering 12,000 union laborers in Central Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. For more than 40 years he edited the local Grand Prairie Union News.

In addition to his role with Not in Our Town, Matejka is an active board member of the McLean County Historical Society, the Illinois Labor History Society, and the Community Advisory Board for Easterseals Central Illinois.

Matejka also served for nearly two decades on the Bloomington City Council.

Matejka has been recognized by many other organizations, including:

  • Illinois State University Homan Grabill Peace Award (2017)
  • Illinois State University Burton Mercier Alumni Community Service Award (2013)
  • McLean County League of Women Voters Citizen of the Year (2012)
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, Bloomington Human Relations Commission (2009)
  • Robert G. Gibson Award, Illinois AFL-CIO Community Service Award (2008)
  • Illinois Eye Bank Watson Gailey Award for supporting organ and tissue donation (2007)
  • Illinois Humanities Council Studs Terkel Award (2003)
  • More than 30 communications awards from the International Labor Communications Association for specific written pieces, photographs and scripts

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