 "It's been a privilege to serve the people of Lincoln these last
four years, and I'd be honored to have the opportunity to continue
to serve," Snyder said.
Snyder noted that four years ago he stood across the street from
the then-fire-scarred Scully Building to announce his initial
candidacy for municipal office.
"At the time, I compared that building to the city of Lincoln:
one that had a rich and wonderful past, one that had fallen on some
hard times, and one that with a new vision, some new dreams and a
lot of hard work could have a better and brighter future," Snyder
said. "The revitalization of the Scully Building has been completed,
but we still have further work to do in the city we all call home."
Mayor Snyder said that four years ago he promised to do three
things if elected: "Energize Economic Development, Elevate Community
Pride, and Engage the Future."
He provided a partial list of accomplishments in
each area:
(Copy)
Energizing Economic Development:
-
Worked alongside
AFSCME, the Lincoln/Logan Chamber of Commerce, the Economic
Development Partnership, our state legislators, and hundreds of
community members to save Logan Correctional Center and its over
350 jobs and $73 million local economic impact.
-
Fostered a local
environment where over $65 million in commercial development and
improvements have taken place over the last four years in the
City of Lincoln despite a depressed national and state economy.
-
Convened two
economic development summits to bring together all parties
interested in developing and growing our local economy.
-
Established new levels of trust and
cooperation between the City and the Chamber of Commerce, the
Economic Development Partnership, Main Street Lincoln, and the
Logan County Tourism Bureau.
Elevating Community Pride:
-
Re-started the
spring community clean-up program after a long absence.
-
For the first time
in Lincoln's history, used a State-authorized fast track process
to demolish five dilapidated houses that were eyesores and
hazards in local neighborhoods.
-
Started "From the
Ground Up," an all-volunteer effort that has led the following
projects, among others:
-
Beautification of
the downtown square and city neighborhood parks,
-
Established three
community gardens,
-
Repainted and
revitalized two unattractive railroad viaducts, and
-
Planted almost
40,000 red tulips across the community.
-
Established, with
the Lincoln Park District, the Sidewalk Chalk Art event as part
of the Art & Balloon Festival.
-
Held Community
Nights in neighborhood parks.
[[to top of second column |
 Engaging the Future:
-
Worked alongside
the Economic Development Partnership to implement electric
aggregation for the residents and small businesses in Lincoln
securing perhaps the lowest electrical rates in the State and
saving the average household $200/year in electric costs.
-
Secured a $675,000
grant from the State of Illinois to plan for and implement the
redevelopment and revitalization of downtown Lincoln.
-
Secured, with the
assistance of Senator Larry Bomke, $150,000 in State capital
funds to re-roof City Hall and $140,000 in State capital funds
to re-pave the Library parking lot (still waiting for the State
release of those funds).
-
Acquired a
state-of-the-art pumper truck for the Lincoln Fire Department.
-
Added one net
additional police officer and four net additional vehicles to
the Lincoln Police Department.
-
Created a high
speed rail committee that assessed the impact and issued the
only set of comprehensive community recommendations for high
speed rail for any community between Chicago and St. Louis.
-
Created, at no
cost to the City, a conceptual plan for development of the APEX
site on the grounds of the former Abraham Lincoln Memorial
Hospital.
-
In the process of
conducting an architectural study of the future facilities needs
of the Fire and Police Departments.
-
In the process of developing, at no
additional cost to the City, a five-year capital improvements
plan that will objectively assess the condition of the City's
infrastructure and plan for the systematic improvement and
maintenance of that infrastructure throughout the community.
"All of these things were accomplished only through working hard
and working together," Snyder said. "The city has been blessed with
a great city council, dedicated city employees, and engaged and
active community members. What we've done these past four years is
only the start of what we can all accomplish together."
Snyder said his focus in a
second term will again be threefold:
projects already under way.
Sustain the
improvements already in place.
Further grow the community and
its economic base.
He promised further position papers on all three initiatives as
the campaign unfolds.
The city's Republican primary will be on Feb. 26, 2013, and the
city's general election on April 2, 2013. In addition to
mayor, the city will elect a city clerk, a city treasurer and
eight aldermen, two each from the recently redistricted four city
wards.
[Text from news release received
from Keith Snyder]
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