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Council approves amended Springfield Project contract, adding $75,000 for East Side planning after heated debate
Summary
The City Council approved an amended contract with the Springfield Project that adds $75,000 to previously authorized funding for a strategic economic development plan, directing funds toward East Side priorities including an entrepreneurial food court; the amendment prompted a wide-ranging debate about funding sources and past vetoes.
Mayor Misty Buscher and the council voted on an amended ordinance authorizing a multi-year contract with Springfield Project to support a comprehensive strategic plan for economic development in Springfield.
The ordinance originally authorized an annual payment of $50,000; Alderman Gregory introduced Amendment 1 to add $75,000, bringing the additional funding described in council discussion to $125,000 in total allocations tied to planning and implementation. The council debated the amendment's timing, funding source and program priorities before approving the amendment and the ordinance as amended. The amended ordinance passed by voice vote with nine voting yes and one voting present.
Supporters said the extra funding is aimed at producing actionable plans for historically underserved neighborhoods on the city's East Side and at connecting small business owners to opportunities. "This organization has proven to be good stewards of the city's funding," Alderman Gregory said, urging colleagues to back the amendment and to push for concrete projects such as an entrepreneurial outdoor food court and vacancy remediation on South Grand.
Dominic Watson of Springfield Project told the council the organization already works in the targeted neighborhoods and sees the amendment as a way to move from shelfed studies to implementation. "We are already doing this work," Watson said, adding the group has partners including Southern Illinois University to support community-engaged planning.
Opponents and cautious members pressed for clarity on where the $75,000 would come from and whether the organization had capacity to deliver additional work on an accelerated schedule. The council clarified funding lines during debate and amended the amendment to specify $75,000 from account 107-BMGTD-CNBSD-1218 (a local distributor/cannabis-related line) and $50,000 from account 001-111-DEVLD-1232, and to list eligible activities including entrepreneur-focused programming and violence prevention-related supports.
Council members discussed prior actions, including earlier votes and a mayoral veto tied to related funding. Several members urged the work be focused on measurable outputs. "There have been a lot of studies that have sat on the shelf — this is about creating an action plan," Watson said.
The ordinance as amended directs the specified funding to expanded strategic planning, services and implementation efforts that focus on Southtown and East Side neighborhoods and lists the entrepreneurial food court among example activities. The council approved the amended ordinance following voice votes on the amendment to the amendment and on the amendment itself.
The next procedural step is implementation and contract documentation between the city and Springfield Project; council members and staff discussed follow-up language and appropriation line items to ensure funds are available and properly coded.
