The City of Bloomington has seen a number of big projects come to completion or start during Mboka Mwilambwe’s four years as mayor.
Still, Mwilambwe’s opponents say the city has lacked strong leadership in key areas during his tenure.
Mwilambwe, who served on the city council for a decade before being elected mayor in 2021, faces challenges from former state Rep. Dan Brady and first-term city council member Cody Hendricks.
Mwilambwe highlighted several projects he said he’s most proud of, starting with the downtown streetscape which has been approved in concept. He said it took leadership to make that happen.
“The redesign is something that I took the bold step of putting forward as mayor, I think the power of mayor is with the ability to set the agenda,” Mwilambwe said.
Mwilambwe also listed the Bloomington Public Library expansion — which was completed last summer — the O’Neil Aquatic Center opening opening in May 2024 and increased investments in infrastructure as the city’s top accomplishments during his four years.
Mwilambwe, an administrator at Illinois State University’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Access [OEOA], credits the success of those and other projects partly on his ability to bring people together.
“I think what I am most proud of is, for one, my ability to collaborate with people,” Mwilambwe said.
Hendricks, who teaches government at Olympia High School, west of Bloomington-Normal, believes there’s been a lack of leadership from the mayor’s office on several key issues, including the housing shortage and concerns about budget cuts and marginalized communities coming from the federal government.
Hendricks, who is midway through a four-year term on the council, said he would work with McLean County government and state lawmakers [he’s been endorsed by Democratic state Rep. Sharon Chung], to build a united front to help the city “resist some of the backlash that may come from D.C.”
“I don’t see that collaboration as much right now between the mayor’s office and the state and federal government and that’s something that would be really crucial and important to me in this role,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks, who previously served on the Pekin City Council before moving to Bloomington, acknowledged his full-time teaching job would limit his access during the day, but said the role of mayor needs to be accessible beyond the wealthy and retired.
“Whenever I do anything, I’m not going to do it halfway, I’m going to do it all the way. Will I be able to go to every 11 o’clock ribbon cutting on a Tuesday? Probably not,” Hendricks said, adding the school principal and superintendent have given him the flexibility he would need to serve as mayor.
Brady, who previously served as McLean County coroner and later served 11 terms as a Republican state representative serving much of Bloomington-Normal, also criticized Mwilambwe for the city’s response to its odd-smelling and tasting water.
“You need somebody that’s going to lead, especially on this issue,” Brady said at a WGLT candidate forum on March 4. Brady called for greater transparency from the city, public hearings and a blending of water sources [Lakes Bloomington and Evergreen], among other considerations.
The city has since taken several steps to improve its water quality [city officials have assured the water was, and is, safe], including the addition of new treatments intended to filter out compounds that have contributed to its musty taste and smell.
Brady, a funeral home operator who ran unsuccessfully for Illinois Secretary of State in 2022, has made public safety a focus of his campaign. He referenced a shooting that happened on his street in 2023.
“Violence, in particular gun violence, is anywhere in this city. Any side, east, west, south, north,” Brady said.
Brady said he helped bring Bloomington police and neighborhood residents together to discuss proactive steps to reduce crime, such as improved lighting at a neighborhood park.
“The point was that we contacted the city where I felt you should have been hearing from the city after you have a shooting on your street, so I would like to see more of that,” Brady said.
Brady said he’d like to see Bloomington police be better able to utilize units that specifically work to get guns and drugs off the streets and “not leaving that to patrol.”
Brady has been endorsed by the Bloomington Police Officers Benevolent Association Unit 21, Bloomington Fire Fighters Local 49, the McLean County Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee [PAC], Responsible Cities and the Realtors PAC.
In addition to Chung, Hendricks has also been endorsed by the Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly and Democratic McLean County Board member Lea Cline.
Mwilambwe has no notable group endorsements as the typically conservative-leaning groups in this nonpartisan race have chosen Brady and more progressive-leaning endorsers are siding with Hendricks. The incumbent is hoping there are enough voters left over who are willing to give him four more years.
School sales tax
The candidates for Bloomington mayor have somewhat varied stances on the proposed 1% sales tax that would fund public schools across McLean County.
Brady told a WGLT reporter at a candidate forum on Saturday he would not publicly say whether he supports the tax.
“The reality of a sales tax increase needs to lie with the voters,” Brady said.
When pressed at a WGLT candidate forum earlier this month, Brady declined to answer, saying he was still studying the issue.
“I haven’t done by homework on it,” Brady said at the forum. “One of the things I did in Springfield [as a state legislator], I tried to research things before I made a vote. And before I make a vote as a citizen, I am going to try to research things more.”
Mwilambwe indicated support for the sales tax, adding the community benefits from a strong school system.
“If we do not [support our schools], I don’t think we are able to attract some of the larger companies we have been able to attract [companies] like Rivian and Ferrero because most people want to be able to send their kids to very good schools,” Mwilambwe said.
Hendricks, the Olympia High School teacher, said the sales tax would support more than just the community he serves.
“I know I’m running for mayor of Bloomington, but I think about our region, our regional partners in those smaller schools are really going to see some benefits to this, especially when it comes to maintenance and resources for the school,” Hendricks said.
Early voting continues. Election day is April 1.
WGLT student reporter Ben Howell contributed to this report.
