The Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council [BNEDC] has three infrastructure projects and one workforce development program earmarked for a request for funding by Congress and federal agencies.
It's part of the annual One Voice trip to Washington to lobby federal officials set for early next month. Economic Development Council head Patrick Hoban acknowledged recently at an EDC presentation that it is not cheap sending 26 people to D.C.
"The dollars work out at the end. I think overall with some of the loans and programs we have brought back over $200 million. For the cost of the trip, I think it's definitely worth doing," said Hoban.
This year's requests include money for a water lift station for McLean County government.
"There are surprisingly still houses that are on septic system within the city limits,” said Hoban.
Funding for the ongoing East Street stormwater drainage basin project in Bloomington is also on the list. The project to increase stormwater retention capacity arose after the flooding of 2021, though flood problems in the low-lying area date at least to the 1930s.
A new airline passenger boarding bridge for the Central Illinois Regional Airport also made this year's priority list. It’s part of CIRA’s overall capital plan.
"A lot of work is going on there, simply because it's aging infrastructure, the same as you see with roads and bridges across the community," said airport director Carl Olson.
The Future Forward Innovation and Workforce Initiative at Illinois State University also makes this year’s list.
“Workforce is very important, along with entrepreneurship,” said Hoban.
The delegation will include city, town and county leaders, labor unions, educational institutions, and business representatives. That diversity is supposed to show federal agencies and lawmakers that the community is united in voicing its top priorities.
