The Town of Normal has a new budget.
The town council on Monday approved an operating and capital investment budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The $233.5 million budget represents a 10% increase over last year. Kathleen Lorenz was the only "no" vote. Rory Roberge was not present.
“I’m not even sure what our strategic priorities are, because we don’t have an updated strategic plan,” said Lorenz. “I can’t support this budget, and I can’t support it in content and I can’t support it in process.”
The budget includes a $100,000 allocation to the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, despite criticism from Mayor Chris Koos following the departure of CEO Patrick Hoban.
“I continue to believe that a strong EDC is very valuable for the community, and so I'm hopeful that will contribute that full $100,000 to the EDC,” said council member Andy Byers.
Koos said there was consideration of splitting the funding — $50,000 now and $50,000 later — but “I think it would be prudent of us to just sit with that $100,000 until we see what the executive committee and the board of Economic Development Council come forward with,” regarding a new director and new direction.
The council also approved a pause of the 10-year intergovernmental agreement related to sales tax sharing that includes Bloomington and McLean County.
The pause comes at the request of the cities as the three bodies continue to discuss how to spend money raised from a 1% sales tax instituted in 2016 for mental health and public safety purposes. Since that time, the county has amassed $21 million in unspent funds, prompting Bloomington and Normal to question the parameters of agreement.
The vote was unanimous. The 90-day pause will be in effect from April 1 through June 30.
Street work
Also Monday, the council appropriated $1.5 million in Motor Fuel Tax [MFT] funds for street resurfacing. Notable street segments to be resurfaced include Erin and Arlington Drive, Highpoint Road, Jacobssen Drive and Susan Drive between Fort Jesse Road and Sam’s Club.
A preliminary list of street segments as part of the general street resurfacing project to be approved at a later date also was included in the council packet.
Highlights included work on College Avenue, Willow Street, Eastview Drive and several roads connected to Godfrey Drive. Planned work includes milling and resurfacing, sidewalk and ADA accessibility improvements, curb and gutter repair and drainage repair. Street resurfacing is expected to begin in the spring with expected completion in the fall, or in spring 2027.
Appointments
The town council also approved the appointment of Jerry Schreck to the building board of appeals. Schreck worked as an engineer and surveyor in Bloomington shortly after graduating from the University of Illinois in 2001. He is filling Rick Boser’s seat with a term expiring March 2030.
Reappointments for eight members of the building board of appeals, three members of the Bloomington-Normal Asahikawa Sister Cities Committee, three of the Uptown design review commission, two of the historic preservation commission and one of the zoning board of the appeals also were approved.
Other business
In other action, the council:
- Authorized executing an intergovernmental agreement between Normal, Bloomington, the county and the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District to continue the administration and implementation of a stormwater outreach and education program. This is part of a storm water management plan put in place in 2003 that includes public education and outreach. Three-year intergovernmental agreements allow for equal and joint funding for the Ecology Action Center; $47,159 was included in the budget, with funding obligations increasing annually by either 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.
- Authorized the filing of the annual action plan of the Community Development Block Grant [CDBG]. The expected $451,114 in grant funding would be used on homeless outreach and prevention, youth services, home ownership assistance, single-family owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, sidewalk improvements, tree removals, regional housing initiatives and general program administration.
- Approved a $33,790 purchase of a Ford Transit van for facilities management. It replaces a 2015 Ford F250; a van was chosen to diversify the fleet with a vehicle that has more interior space for tool storage.
