Growing a Healthy, Resilient, Equitable Urbana
Urbana Municipal Elections
Primary: February 23, 2021 | General: April 6, 2021
It is an honor to serve as Urbana's Mayor
Over the past four years, we erased the budget deficit, rebuilt financial reserves, modernized systems, reorganized departments and strengthened relationships with community partners. We now have a strong foundation upon which to build Urbana's future and, together, we will tackle the challenges that face us.
Public Safety & Policing
Urbana Workshop for Ten Shared Principles-NAACP/Illinois Association of Police Chiefs
Housing Security
Groundbreaking for Pinewood Place to provide twenty-four, one-bedroom units in 4 separate buildings for individuals with special needs
We are working for a healthier, more resilient, and more equitable Urbana.
Second Term Priorities
Pandemic Response & Recovery
We have worked tirelessly to protect the health and well-being of residents and to help the business community adapt to ever-changing conditions.
We will continue to provide essential programs and services, work to reduce spread of the disease and preserve access to the local healthcare system. We will work to expand testing to under-served neighborhoods and support vaccination efforts.
We will maintain our strong relationships with local governments, educational institutions, transit, social service and business organizations to provide a comprehensive support network for our community.
Investment in Public Infrastructure
We have completed the long-overdue Facilities Plan and Space Needs Assessment, the Stormwater Master Plan and Pavement Condition Assessment and have launched the re-write of our Comprehensive Plan. These plans will guide major investment in our public infrastructure over the next four years. Our streets, sidewalks, lighting, stormwater system, fire stations, and city facilities were built by the generations before us. We now need to do the same for the generations that follow.
Human Rights & Equity
We will work with Cunningham Township, the Housing Authority of Champaign County, and community partners to ensure housing security in Urbana and to help establish a year-round family emergency shelter in Urbana-Champaign.
We have established the full-time Human Rights and Equity Officer position to implement the Human Rights Ordinance, support work of the Civilian Police Review Board, prevent discrimination and promote equity in all areas with the assistance of the Human Relations Commission.
Climate Change, Sustainability & Resilience
We will incorporate sustainability and climate resilience policies throughout the Comprehensive Plan and lead by example in construction of new city facilities.
We will encourage construction of healthier, more efficient homes by promoting standards to improve energy efficiency and air quality. We will invest in our urban forest, identify racial/income disparities in street tree-planting practices, and seek to shade more of our streets and sidewalks.
We will support the local food economy, promote community group purchasing programs for solar and geothermal systems, provide residential and commercial recycling, advocate for pesticide-free yards, participate in 100% green Municipal Electric Aggregation, and develop a more logical garbage collection system.
Public Safety, Well-being, & Policing
We will work with the community to redefine public safety and well-being and align policies and practices accordingly. We have adopted the NAACP/Illinois Association of Police Chiefs Ten Shared Principles for policing.
We will revise our Use of Force Policy, invest in more education and training for officers, and develop a model for alternative crisis response.
We will examine police calls for service to identify who is best suited to respond in order to better serve the community, reduce demands on police officers and improve oversight and accountability.
Sound Financial Management
We eliminated a $2.5 million structural budget deficit, rebuilt our emergency reserve fund, restored pension funding to adequate levels, and repaid short-term loans. We are committed to responsible stewardship of tax dollars and excellence in all that we do. We will continue to promote economic development, growth of our community, and inclusive hiring practices.
Comprehensive Plan
The Comprehensive Plan is a blueprint for Urbana’s future. The current plan was published in 2005 and it is time to re-write it. We have expanded the scope of the process to incorporate sustainability and climate change resilience, racial and social equity, and community health and well-being.
