Centralia Mayor Herb Williams pointed to progress during the past year but the most critical time is still ahead.
He addressed the future in the annual State of the City Message on Wednesday before a limited audience at the Centralia Elks Lodge due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“I believe that the next four or five years is the most critical time in the history of our city. We must continue to find things to develop our city, monies to progress and get people back to our city that our young and make our city the focus for them and their livelihood. If you are from Centralia, you know Centralia, you love Centralia.”
Williams says that leads to several key issues that need to be addressed.
“Developing jobs in the city and really work on downtown development, improving our workforce so industry can come in and know we have enough people within our region that they can fulfill their need for employees.”
Williams says the city government itself also faces challenges.
“Increase our sources of revenue. We need to be aggressive in finding grants. We need a partnership with state and federal agencies to get more support and money to our community. We need to be working on fiscally sound contracts with the union employees.”
Williams noted the city offers a lot of activities that can be used to draw people to the city. He would also like to see a new downtown activity.
“We can take the Illinois Fine Arts Theater where we can take one or two weekends a month and this become a place where artists, painters and others within our city that they can display their art. Developing and moving downtown Centralia forward.”
Williams noted the city had building permits for over $6.6-million issued for new construction and the completion of the new Dominos Pizza and Verizon Wireless buildings and the expansion of Intermountain Electronics. The Castle Ridge development is now scheduled to hold its first private event on March 27th. He says the city has now received over $1-million in grants to aid in ridding the city of
derelict buildings. 500 code violations were issued last year in an effort to clean-up the city as well as get rid of trash junk and substandard homes.
Williams also noted the progress in the fight against drugs and more cooperation with other police agencies, the expansion of the student resource officer program and the continuation of Shop with a Cop. He cited the improvements at the old city hall including the new police dispatch center, squad room and detective area. Williams said the two new fire trucks purchased last year will help keep down the
city’s fire insurance ratings.
