Citizens for or against the proposal to change Danville’s form of government had a chance to get their questions answered last night. Some Danville Aldermen who are opposed to the proposal to change to the city manager form of government held a public forum at American Legion Post 210. And Moving Danville Forward – a group in favor of the change – hosted a public forum at the David S. Palmer Arena.
At the American Legion post Nathanial Cunningham…one of the original plaintiffs in a 1987 federal voting rights lawsuit…says the suit was filed to make sure minorities and others had a voice in government….
At the Palmer Arena, Freeport City Manager Lowell Crow said the mayor ‘’is still the face’’ of that community. He told how some jobs came back to Freeport after the community switched to the city manager form of government. Crow said MetLife was originally planning to have 150 employees, but now they have 450.
R. C. McBride, a former Danville resident who is now a city alderman in Normal, also spoke at the event at the Palmer Arena. He says the city council is the board of directors and the city manager acts as the community’s CEO. ”It’s the council’s job to set policy and set the vision for the community,” added McBride.
[Normal Alderman R.C. McBride addresses the crowd at the Palmer Arena in photo. Seated on his left is Freeport City Manager Lowell Crow. In the photo at top, some Danville City Council members and others opposed to the government change address the audience at American Legion Post 210.]
Danville voters will decide on November 6th whether they want to change to a city manager form of government, with aldermen still elected from seven wards.
[Posted by Bill Pickett September 28, 2018.]
