Normal Mayor Chris Koos

Early this spring, the usually warm relationship between Bloomington and Normal iced over as leaders within the two communities were at odds over the fate of a longstanding, cooperative agreement.

In Normal, Mayor Chris Koos has heartily championed the value of Metro Zone, a 30-year-old tax-sharing economic development area that helped fund infrastructure and other shared costs between the two communities.

Over in Bloomington, Mayor Tari Renner received the support of the City Council to unwind the Metro Zone agreement, citing cost-saving efforts as a reason behind the maneuver.

The Metro Zone termination occurred in early March, just a month before the state’s consolidated general election. Koos and Renner each were on the ballot, and each were re-elected to their leadership posts.

With the page turned and fresh terms on the horizon, Koos and

Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner

Renner in recent interviews with the Chronicle each expressed optimism — not only in terms of their specific communities, but in working cooperatively in the future.

“(The Town Council and I) don’t think things are settled with Metro Zone,” Koos said. “But we’re cordial with the city of Bloomington. We realize the importance of regional cooperation.”

Renner offered similar sentiments and said he talks to Koos regularly — oftentimes, multiple times each week. Connect Transit, public safety and 911 emergency infrastructure are a sample of some of the intergovernmental agreements the two communities still have in place.

“We have some of the same issues,” Renner said. “There are still a number of intergovernmental agreements we have in place, and we’re moving them forward.”

Speaking to their specific communities, Koos and Renner each pinpointed a number of issues that are high on their priority lists in the

Downton Bloomington. Metro Zone is a 30-year-old tax-sharing economic development area that helped fund infrastructure and other shared costs between the two communities. (Photo courtesy of visitbloomingtonnormal.org)

upcoming years. The local economy was a common theme interwoven into the mayors’ discussions.

Renner said he is pleased Bloomington’s downtown area has gained traction in recent years and said he plans to continue supporting strategic decisions in the historic heart of the city.

In the years ahead, Renner said the city is committed to working with CBL and Associates, the Chattanooga, Tenn.-based owner of Eastland Mall, and ensuring the retail epicenter changes with evolving consumer tastes.

In the first quarter of this year, word came down Eastland Mall was losing JCPenney and Macy’s, two of its longtime anchor tenants.

“We need to figure out what we’re going to do there,” Renner said. “It’s got to be more of a destination, rather than just a big mall.”

Renner said elements of what happened in Normal, with the revamp of the former College Hills Mall, could be a blueprint for future planning at Eastland Mall.

College Hills was “de-malled” more than a decade ago and is now a collection of retailers with exterior entrances under the name the Shoppes at College Hills.

In a big picture sense, Renner said, “Economic development is an ongoing issue. You never really solve it.”

Other issues Renner has on his checklist in this new term include the library expansion, evaluation of the city’s warehouse district and renewal of Bloomington’s sister-city agreement with Cuba.

In his new term, Koos said workforce development is an issue that remains high on his radar. He said he is optimistic about the town’s role in driving employment throughout the region as efforts to breathe new life into the former Mitsubishi plant take form.

“I think it’s going to be a real home run for the community,” Koos said in reference to Rivian Automotive, the Michigan-based electric vehicle startup that has purchased the property and plans to begin operations in the years ahead.

In his new term, Koos said he desires to craft policy that would make the town a “strategic partner” with local schools.

He is concerned about the decrease in state money being funneled into public education at all levels in recent years, Koos said.

“It’s hurting our education system,” Koos said of the state funding.

While the K-12 Unit 5 School District, Illinois State University and other educational institutions are governed separately, Koos said it is in the town’s interest to ensure they remain vibrant for generations to come.

“It’s been shown before that if you don’t invest in your school system, it’s pretty much game over for the community,” he said.