Dec. 10—MORRISON — The Morrison City Council has learned the city will receive a $100,000 state grant that can be used on an infrastructure project of its choosing.
Morrison City Administrator Brian Melton told the council Monday night that with the help of state Rep. Brad Fritts, R-Dixon, the city will be receiving the grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for general infrastructure improvements.
The council’s next step is to decide how it wants to spend the money. Melton’s suggestion is to put the money toward construction of a pickleball court in Waterworks Park by resurfacing the tennis courts that are now there and adding lights, benches and electricity. The spot could be used for the winter park as well, Melton said.
“There’s a lot of things there at that location that favor the winter park with the hill and everything and it’s a park that we haven’t put anything in in a very long time and I think it’s a park that we could rejuvenate and bring back to life, do something good there, do something good for our community and do something for this high demand we now know as pickleball,” Melton said.
The council will discuss possible plans at a future meeting.
The announcement came the same night the council unanimously approved accepting a completed strategic plan that has been in the works over the past year.
The city in November 2023 decided to partner with Northern Illinois University’s Center for Governmental Studies to create the strategic plan. Council members were split at that time on whether the city should enter into an agreement to create the plan — with council members Vernon Tervelt, Gregory Kruse and Harvey Zuidema voting against creating a strategic plan, and council members Todd Schlegel, Sidonna Mahaffey and Matthew Tichler voting to support it. Council members Josh West and Kevin Bruckner were absent from that meeting. Morrison Mayor Scott Vandermyde was called on to break the 3-3 tie; he voted to proceed with the strategic plan.
With results of the plan in hand Monday night, Vandermyde said they indicate the council’s top priorities are in line with what the city’s residents want to focus on, specifically bringing in a code enforcement officer, upgrading U.S. 30, providing more housing options and enhancing city parks.
“It’s nice to see the things that bubbled up were the things we were thinking about anyway,” Vandermyde said. “I think this plan supports the direction we were going and I’m very pleased to see that we’ve got a document that says, ‘Yeah, this is what you wanted and this is what the council is doing,’ and to put it out for the public is going to be good for the community.”
The strategic planning process included collecting internal and external feedback, focus groups with community members and staff, interviews with the City Council and administrative leadership, and a community-wide resident survey. Themes emerging from the feedback were shared at the city’s strategic planning leadership workshop in August, according to the strategic plan.
The findings were used to assist workshop participants in making decisions related to crafting a strategic vision and future direction for the city as an organization and community. Ultimately, workshop participants created strategic goals focusing on where the city wants to go as an organization in both the short and long term, the plan states.
The report lists four key areas that are considered to be strategic priorities. According to the report, they are:
Economic growth and development: The plan’s results state that Morrison’s rich history lends itself to successful business and industrial districts. Continued focus on revitalization and rehabilitation of downtown historic buildings will be important in achieving Morrison’s economic and community development goals, including creating jobs, increasing tourism dollars and recruiting new businesses that will complement and diversify the city’s current business mix. The city can focus on areas of growth and expansion by employing or improving tools such as façade grant programs, rehabilitation assistance, talent pipeline partnerships with vocational schools, and other incentives to recruit and retain businesses.
Organizational and infrastructure enhancements: Proactively planning along with strategic investments in the city’s water and fiber infrastructure are essential to ensuring city facilities are sustainable and can accommodate potential growth. Additionally, diversifying the housing stock is crucial to meeting the needs of both current and potential residents across various stages of life. Exploring housing needs, availability, and future developments will enable the city to adapt to, and plan for, changes in population, demographics, and tourism, positioning the community for long-term success, according to the report.
Community character and engagement: Community engagement and effective governance is vitally important for communities of all sizes. Whether it is listening to the needs of residents and businesses, delivering a cohesive message, or promoting the city’s events and activities, clear communication and active engagement are high priorities for city staff and elected officials, the report states. Highlighting what makes Morrison unique to current and potential residents, businesses, and tourists is essential for successful marketing and branding of the community. Moreover, community engagement enhances transparency, which is fundamental to effective governance, according to the report.
Parks and recreation: Long-term planning and investment in recreational assets such as the Morrison Sports Complex, walking paths, and/or a kayak launch, will continue to be a draw for residents and tourism dollars. The opportunity also exists for generational programming through partnerships with the city’s schools to support the use of aquatic recreation, exploring a park district co-op, or encouraging Morrison residents and leadership to become certified as a “Tree City USA,” the report states.
Melton said the plan will help provide guidance to the council for at least the next five years.
“This is very beneficial for our community for a number of different reasons,” Melton said. “I am excited about this finally coming before you for your consideration and action so that we can get to work on it.”
Melton said he will put the entire strategic plan and survey results on the city’s social media platforms and website.