Busey of Mahomet Branch manager Cheryl Zindars invited community leaders, including Superintendent of Schools Rick Johnston, Village Administrator Patrick Brown, Acting Mayor Sean Widener, Mahomet Public Library Librarian Lynn Schmidt and Cornbelt Fire Chief John Koeller to lunch at the bank last Thursday to discuss the progress the Village has made over the last couple years and where plans may take the Village in the coming years.
The group began the lunch by talking about how the different entities are working together more efficiently than ever before. In recent years, the Village, School District and Library have worked on projects such as bringing fiber optics to the Village. The groups also noted that communication has improved in recent years.
Koller said that with construction of the new Cornbelt Facility, the school district is alerted as to when large trucks may be coming through the area, which is near Sangamon Elementary. Koller also gave a nod to the Village for working with them by letting the fire department locate equipment at the Village Transportation facility during the Sangamon River Music Festival.
Schmidt talked about the incredible response from the community when the Mahomet Public Library was working on its strategic plan. Over 800 surveys were collected, and the library has made huge initiatives to update the website and social media engagement. Schmidt also said Youth Services Librarian Neal Schlein has really stepped into his role by bringing unique and consistent programming to the library.
The Cornbelt Fire Department, which services residents and businesses west of Mahomet to County Line Road, south to Interstate 72, east to Duncan Road in Champaign and north to 2700N, has begun to erect a seven-bay apparatus station on Franklin Street. The station is scheduled to open mid-August.
Widener and Brown focused on efforts the Village has made to bring businesses into the community over the last year. The Mahomet Economic Development Commission will launch a new site to highlight available property in the area. The Village also believes that the fiber optic network provided by CIRBN, updated roads, infrastructure and the growing population will also draw businesses to the community.
The Mahomet-Seymour School District has also made huge facility changes over the last few years. By purchasing land on the east side of the Village, the District moved Pre-K and kindergarten students to Middletown Prairie Elementary. Within the next two years, first and second grade students will also be moved to a new location on the same property. In 10 years, Mahomet-Seymour Junior High may be moved, also.
The building upgrades, including improvements at Mahomet-Seymour High School and Lincoln Trail Elementary have largely been funded by a one-cent sales tax in Champaign County. Johnston noted that although that change was not supported by a majority of Mahomet voters, the entire school district has benefitted from a tax that you may not even notice when shopping.
Along with commercial property, which will help fund the schools, Village and Cornbelt tax base, Widener and Brown also talked about ways, including motor fuel taxes, which may help the Village fund needed projects that provide services to Village of Mahomet residents.
The Mahomet Public Library is funded 90-percent by residential property taxes and 10-percent by donations or fundraisers.
