By Steven Spencer
The Calhoun Growth Association will be meeting with local mayors and governmental boards in the coming weeks to determine their key priorities and align them with the goals of the growth association.
Attendance to the meetings is encouraged by the CGA to help show support for the initiative.
“Please continue efforts to engage additional business owners and community leaders in CGA,” Mary Louise Helbig said in an email. “Once we complete meetings with mayors/boards and get their feedback on top priorities we will schedule a strategic planning meeting for January to draft our goals and priorities of 2023.”
On Tuesday, the CGA held a meeting at 10:30 a.m. at the Bank of Calhoun and another meeting with the mayors of Brussels, Batchtown and Hardin at 7 p.m. at Batchtown Village Hall.
On Monday, Dec. 5, the CGA will be meeting with the Kampsville board at 6 p.m. at Kampsville Village Hall.
Meetings with the County Commissioners, Farm Bureau, Illinois Rural Electric and Illinois Water are in the works for sometime in the following months.
In a previous meeting Helbig said there’s a community strategic plan that includes several needs in the county such as access, infrastructure, and sustainability, and the growth association would work towards addressing those needs.
Access needs included ferry services, renovations, improvement and mitigation. Infrastructure needs included major improvements such as Winfield Dam and Joe Page Bridge, water and fiber deployment. Sustainability needs included ambulance and fire service equipment, schools, healthcare, tourism and attractions.
“The fundamental thought is that increasing our tax base through business and population growth, we’ll support in reinvesting in our community in critical infrastructure needs, so roads, ferries, health services, education, the schools and jobs,” Helbig said.
