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 The plan was put together by
Vandewalle & Associates out of
Madison, Wis. The firm specializes in helping communities realize
their potential from a new perspective: the perspective of competing
in a global economy.
With the completed plan now in hand, the next step for the
Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership is to have the plan
approved by the various community partners that will be involved in
putting it into action. This includes the development board and
several other entities, including the city of Lincoln and the Logan
County Board.
Partnership director Joel Smiley was on hand to walk through the
work plan provided by Vandewalle and outline the areas where the
city can and should be involved.
The plan indicates that broadband Internet service is something
the city should continue to pursue. Though one grant was applied for
and not awarded, the city needs to continue seeking out
opportunities for funding for this. Broadband Internet, specifically
fiber-optic Internet, will provide faster services that are needed
by high-tech industries and will make the city more attractive to
these industries. It was also noted that this same service would be
a benefit to businesses that are already here.
Smiley later noted that he is currently working on a unique
opportunity with a broadband provider from the private sector. He
said that he was not ready to give details other than to say there
is something in the works.
The city should continue to invest efforts in the restoration and
development of the Lincoln Developmental Center campus. It was noted
that a grant was submitted that would have helped with this project,
but it was not awarded. Smiley said that once again, the city should
continue to pursue money for a revitalization project.
The plan also calls for the city to develop its own comprehensive
plan similar to what was done by the partnership on a countywide
basis. Again there is grant funding available that can be applied
for. It was suggested that the city go after some of the available
grant funds as soon as early 2011.
Snyder has been working with Main Street Lincoln on a downtown
revitalization project that the master plan has endorsed as very
important for economic growth in the downtown area. The plan calls
for the city and Main Street to continue along that path.
There is also a recommendation that the city become more active
in securing sources of higher education. Smiley said that while the
city has three colleges already, they would be well advised to look
at building relationships with other nearby universities such as the
University of Illinois, Illinois State and Bradley University.
While none of these universities are likely to build new campuses
in Lincoln, there could be an opportunity for them to offer
continuing education classes in another form.
A plan should also be developed to help retain local high school
and college graduates. One means of doing this would be to offer job
opportunities and internships with local businesses. Smiley noted
that the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce is continually
working on this, and the city needs to join them in that effort.
Enticing former residents to return to Logan County is another
goal the plan establishes. Smiley said the idea is to realize that
former residents have left the area to build their successful
businesses. These people should be identified and an effort made to
bring them and their businesses back home to Logan County.
The city is also encouraged to take a hard look at land that is
development-ready and vacant buildings that need to be filled. There
needs to be a plan that would include working with property owners
to make what they have more attractive to potential businesses and
assisting them in connecting with those businesses.
The master plan also calls for the city to get behind wind energy
development in Logan County. Financially there is no great benefit
to the city from the development of wind farms in the county.
However, residual businesses such as warehousing and manufacturing
facilities could come into Lincoln as a result of wind farms. If the
city is vocal in support of wind farms, the area will become more
attractive to wind farm industries.
Along that same line, the master plan encourages the development
of green energy, which would include wind and solar. Smiley said
solar energy could be the next big thing to come along nationally.
If the city were to develop a "green park," it could be very
attractive to eco-friendly businesses.
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Other areas the city is encouraged to get behind in the master
plan are continued involvement in the Peoria-based Economic
Development Council for Central Illinois and the joint Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy for the region, continued support of
the business incubator program, and involvement in a countywide
community gateway plan.
In wrapping up, Smiley said the master plan provides outcome
measures for each action it calls for, and he would encourage the
council to take a look at where they are today, make note of it and
after five years of working with the plan, look back and see how far
they have come.
The mayor commented that the plan is a framework, not a
paint-by-number picture.
"They didn't tell us exactly what the picture is going to look
like, but they gave us a framework. They didn't tell us what color
to put in each spot," Snyder said.
He concluded with, "We can paint the picture that we want."
When the floor was opened for questions and discussion, very few
aldermen spoke up. Those who did were Alderwoman Kathy Horn, who
along with Snyder is a city appointee to the development partnership
board, and Alderwoman Marty Neitzel.
Horn said: "I've heard a lot from different segments of people
who are involved, saying, ‘We don't like, we don't like it.' But
remember, this is a living document. It is what we make of it. If we
don't take what we can, we've wasted all that money. Let's take what
we have and get behind it."
Neitzel added that as she has said in the past, this is something
where communication and working together are going to be key
factors, and if those two items cannot be accomplished, then the
master plan will have been a waste of money. She said that with the
money spent and the plan in hand, she felt like the city needed to
get behind it and try to make it work.
Before the master plan can move into the implementation stage, it
needs to be approved by all the community partners. Smiley said the
partnership has approved it; he's taken it to the tourism bureau and
now the city. He will continue presenting the plan and seeking
endorsement and hopes to be ready by the first of the year to form a
master plan committee that will assist him in overseeing the work to
be done.
Adoption of the plan is on next week's voting agenda. The council
will then decide to accept or reject the plan as presented.
[By NILA SMITH]
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