A current member of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission is now seeking a seat on the Normal Town Council.
Rory Roberge said he plans to make mental health one of his main priorities if elected in the 2025 municipal election.
"My concern with mental health and my focus on that aspect of something that could be affected by the town council is because that is such a linchpin for so many other issues we have in the community," he said. "It contributes to public safety, it contributes to homelessness — and in particular with homelessness, they really go hand-in-hand where you see those two issues arise a lot."
In a news release announcing his campaign, Roberge said he also would seek to focus on "lowering the cost of living, providing more economic opportunity for our citizens and making sure our first responders have the resources they need to keep us safe."
A Normal resident since 2018, Roberge was appointed to represent Normal on the McLean County Regional Planning Commission earlier this year. In a campaign social media post, Roberge, a Navy veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, said he transitioned out of the Navy Reserves at the end of 2023.
"To me, it’s impossible to separate leadership from service," he said in the release. "To be a leader means that you serve the people who have trusted you to lead them. Service to your community is, I believe, the best way to give back."
Current town council members whose terms are set to expire in the 2025 municipal election year include Kevin McCarthy, Scott Preston and Chemberly Harris; Harris and fellow town council member Kathleen Lorenz, whose term expires in 2027, are both challenging incumbent Chris Koos in the town's mayoral race.
