Four years ago Keith Snyder promised to do three things if elected Mayor: Energize Economic Development, Elevate Community Pride, and Engage the Future.
“The City accomplished a lot in those three areas,” Snyder says, “because we have planned and worked together to make progress and overcome revenue shortages and other challenges.”
Here is a partial list of his accomplishments in each area–
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.
- Leased City-owned land behind Wal-Mart to the Lincoln Futbol Club for development into a soccer complex that will host thousands of soccer players and spectators each year.
- 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.
- In the process of working with the Illinois Department of Transportation to use federal funds to acquire and renovate the historic downtown Lincoln Depot.
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.
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,” Snyder stated, “only through working hard and working together. 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.”
But what does the future hold for Lincoln? With Keith Snyder as Mayor the future is bright with possibilities. We’ll reach those possibilities with these further steps…
The steps forward are clear, and a proven leader is key to making these things a reality.
On Tuesday, February 26th, Re-Elect Keith Snyder Mayor