McLean County

County to open new mental health triage center       

Plans to open a new mental health triage center under the auspices of McLean County government are in motion, following a recent announcement.

The new offering will be in unoccupied space at the Fairview campus, 200 W. Front St., Bloomington, and is expected to open this spring.

The center’s planned opening was announced when the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council met Friday, Dec. 14. County-level leaders, including board chairman John McIntyre, have been advocating for more mental health services in recent years.

Illinois agency gives Chestnut Health Systems grant        

Chestnut Health Systems, a Bloomington-based agency, has received a $284,100 grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services’ Division of Substance Abuse and Recovery.

The infusion of funding, according to Chestnut representatives, will go toward collaborative efforts with other community-based organizations dedicated to helping people work toward recovery solutions. A portion of the funding also is slated to go toward training programs.

The loss of four major department stores has resulted in a drop in the assessed value of Eastland Mall in Bloomington.

Bloomington

Eastland Mall’s assessed value drops significantly

Eastland Mall’s assessed value has declined to $34.4 million, based on a settlement reached last week between the McLean County Board of Review and CBL Properties, the Tennessee-based firm that owns most of the enclosed shopping center.

The drop represents a $16.3 million loss in valuation from the 2017 assessment of $50.7 million. Eastland Mall in the past two years has weathered a series of tenant losses, though some have been offset by new additions to the roster.

In the past two years, the mall has shed four of its five traditional department store anchors. The sole department store anchor, heading into 2019, is Kohl’s.

Commission rules candidate can stay on ballot          

Julie Emig, who is running for a contested Ward 4 aldermanic seat on the Bloomington City Council, will remain on the spring election ballot, based on a ruling Monday, Dec. 10, from the Bloomington Election Commission.

Resident Regina Noland filed a challenge on Emig’s eligibility on the ballot with the commission, alleging portions of her filing paperwork was not completed correctly. Emig is running against Don Frank or the Ward 4 seat on the council.   

A breeding pair of southern tamandua, also known as the lesser anteater, are the newest residents at Miller Park Zoo.

Pair of Southern Tamandua join Miller Park Zoo           

A breeding pair of southern tamandua, also known as the lesser anteater, recently joined the Miller Park Zoo’s collection.

The tamanduas can be viewed inside MPZ’s tropical rainforest. The addition of the tamanduas is a milestone for MPZ, which has never featured an animal in the specific sub-species.

“We are really excited to get a breeding pair of these fascinating animals,” MPZ Director Jay Tetzloff said in a statement. “Our education department is also going to be able to utilize them as ambassador animals, which will be great for our classes and camps.”

Normal

Unit 5 board increasing tax levy 9.21 percent    

Taxes in the Normal-based Unit 5 School District will increase 9.21 percent in the coming year based on a decision from the School Board on Wednesday, Dec. 12.

After months of planning, the board adopted a levy of nearly $121 million. Administrators cited several reasons for the levy increase, including a budget shortfall that occurred earlier this year. Based on numbers crunched in the district, a resident with a home valued at $175,000 would pay $199.62 more in taxes for Unit 5’s line item of the tax bill in year-over-year comparisons.

Officials consider raising mayor’s annual salary    

Compensation for the top election official in the town of Normal could increase 78 percent, based on a recent proposal. A proposal has been floated to increase the annual pay for the mayor’s post $14,000 annually, from the current rate of $18,000 annually to $32,000 annually.

The proposal, if adopted in its draft form, would begin in May 2021, when incumbent Mayor Chris Koos completes his current term.

The last time the Normal mayor’s salary was adjusted was in 2009, when it was bumped up from the prior annual rate of $10,000.

National organization recognizes town as bike friendly    

The League of American Bicyclists has recognized the town of Normal as a bicycle friendly community by giving the community a bronze-level bicycle friendly community award. Normal was one of 51 towns and cities in 27 states to receive the award, which was given Friday, Dec. 7. Honorees are recognized for leadership and investment in infrastructure, education efforts and outreach.

In a statement, league executive director Bill Nesper said honorees reflect “vision and dedication that have transformed local landscapes to ensure bicycling is a viable option for transportation.”

–McLean County News Briefs–