THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: Demolition continues at the former Quaker Oats plant on East Voorhees Street in Danville
DANVILLE — Last year, Vermilion Advantage President and CEO Mike Marron, Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. and others went to Washington, D.C., on Vermilion Advantage’s first sponsored annual lobbying trip.
More resource lobbying trips are being planned this year to Washington, D.C., and Springfield to talk to Congress members and state legislators, and Vermilion Advantage has a new Advocacy Committee.
Marron gave an economic development update at a Step Up Vermilion County meeting on Friday
He also reported that the economic development organization also has received federal funding for studying the East Voorhees Street corridor where the former Quaker Oats plant continues being demolished.
“So, 2025 is off to a really, really big start for Vermilion Advantage,” Marron said.
He said they have some really good initiatives going.
“It’s a great job to run economic development in the most wonderful county in the world, Vermilion County, Illinois,” Marron said, receiving a roomful of applause and sentiments of agreement.
He said Vermilion Advantage received notice a couple weeks ago that it has received a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant for a redevelopment plan and to hire a consultant to evaluate the East Voorhees Street corridor out to Lynch Road. The plan will evaluate the infrastructure in that area, the local and regional economy and the strengths and weaknesses of the local workforce.
They applied for the grant in September. The total project is $100,000, with $80,000 from the federal government, $10,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and $10,000 from Vermilion Advantage.
Marron said all that information will be gathered to come up with a plan “of what industry are we likely to be successful in attracting here in Danville to build a new facility and do some industrial redevelopment right here in this area.”
The idea is that once that’s figured out in what they can be successful in attracting, they can develop an infrastructure-upgrades plan and recruit a new big employer to build a new facility here, he said.
“It’s a really long, lengthy process. The progress is going to be measured in years,” Marron said.
There is a lot of uncertainty too for this federally-funded grant due to a possible federal funding freeze.
Extensive efforts have continued in workforce development including with county schools and Danville Area Community College. A new workforce education director position has been created at Vermilion Advantage but hasn’t been filled yet.
In addition, Marron said Vermilion Advantage’s other more recently added position is to run the Vermilion County Trustee program for tax-delinquent properties that they took over from the county. Mike Levin, Vermilion County trustee director, has already been working to get some property to Hoopeston to redevelop in its downtown area.
Marron said Vermilion Advantage’s new Advocacy Committee has been created to step up their lobbying efforts and bring resources back to Vermilion County from Springfield and Washington, D.C.
Those on the committee include Rick Elkin with Heartland Properties, Tyler Zindars with Zindars Property Management, Shanon McMasters from First Financial Bank, Danville Metal Stamping’s Gardner Peck, Danville Area Community College Foundation’s Tonya Hill and Ross Darby with Trigard. They all are executive directors or directors on the Vermilion Advantage board.
Next month, the committee will meet with local leaders to create a legislative priority agenda to ask state and federal elected officials for needed resources.
A March visit to Springfield already is planned, and another trip to Washington, D.C., will occur this year.
“We’re going to need outside resources … I think it’s a good solid plan that we have in place, but it’s going to take a long time to get it done, and it’s going to take a lot of outside resources to help us,” Marron added.
Marron also said Vermilion Advantage is launching a podcast and is stepping up its social media presence to highlight events and the area.
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