A new citizen’s committee hit the ground running during its first official meeting recently. The Moving Jacksonville Forward Citizen’s Committee met for the first time a week ago Thursday in the Commission Room at the Jacksonville Municipal Building.
The committee was formed earlier this year with an aim to provide guidance from area citizens to the City of Jacksonville, Village of South Jacksonville, and Morgan County Commissioners on the direction of blighted properties in the area.
Newly elected Co-Chair and one of the original organizers of the committee, Ben Cox says, the initial primary focus of the committee is working to increase movement involving the Jacksonville Developmental Center.
“There is significant movement there with the governor’s budget proposal for the three hundred million dollars for bringing surplus property back into economic and viable use. In our instance, that money would probably go toward remediating the property- all of the fifty-plus acres and eighteen-plus buildings on that campus.
We hope to have members from Governor Pritzker’s team. Specifically, Deputy Governor Andy Manar who helps with the budget and who has met with the mayor recently. We also would like to have Dr. Charles Riggs and the students from Illinois College who are working with Benton & Associates. And the Community Development Office and Brian Nyberg to kind of make a plan for city infrastructure creating streets, water and sewer to bring in the development to that property once it is remediated.”
Cox says the committee is also thinking ahead for potential issues remediating the JDC grounds could cause after the fact. “We have a homeless issue. There’s a lot of homeless people who live in those buildings currently and where are they going to go, and how can we facilitate possibly an overnight support shelter in town? That’s low barrier that would allow those folks to have a place to go when it’s extremely hot or cold.”
Cox says beyond JDC, the Committee has a number of other properties and areas in mind for consideration. “Norris Hospital, we hope to engage with ownership of that private property. The building on the very back end of AC Humko is in very nasty repair, and it’s kind of problematic for the folks who are developing that site now. So what can we do there?
There are neighborhoods in and around our downtown square. Some are already in redevelopment, but there are others that are problematic. Engaging with the Historic Preservation Commission and the Zoning Board on how we can get those properties back into valued use. Working with the land bank on how do we attract people to those business-like areas and home-like areas, bringing in what I would say median income housing to those areas.”
Cox says he was pleased with both the turnout and interest shown during the first meeting. He says they are still looking for area residents who are willing to jump in and help with the committee. “Everybody is invited to the meetings. We’re searching for people who aren’t involved in any local government or any local entities who want to have their voices heard about this.
Currently, the Moving Jacksonville Forward Citizen’s Committee will be meeting at 6:00 pm on the second and fourth Thursdays through May, then possibly moving to once per month.
Anyone with interest in assisting with the committee or just finding out more information can go to the Moving Jacksonville Forward Facebook page, or contact Co-Chairs Ben Cox or Rob Thomas, or Committee Secretary Larry Meece.