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Council amends Springfield Project contract to add $75,000, debate centers on East Side investment
Summary
After extended debate about East Side priorities and funding sources, the council approved an amendment adding $75,000 to a contract with Springfield Project for strategic economic‑development planning; funding lines were adjusted to use a cannabis local‑distributor account and an existing development line.
The Springfield City Council on May 19 amended a proposed contract with the Springfield Project to add $75,000 in one‑time funding on top of an existing $50,000 allocation, sending a total of $125,000 to the community development corporation for expanded strategic planning focused on underserved parts of the city.
Alderman Gregory introduced the amendment, saying he had received derogatory letters about the East Side and arguing the city needs a concrete action plan "to do real work" rather than another study. Gregory quoted language from correspondence he received and framed the amendment as an effort to prioritize investment in wards east of the tracks.
Dominic Watson, representing Springfield Project, told the council his organization is a community development corporation already working in the neighborhoods at issue and said the added funds would be used to create an action plan and to convene stakeholders. "We're a community development corporation…that was founded in 1996 to do that work," Watson said, and he noted a partnership with Southern Illinois University’s office of community engagement.
Several aldermen pressed for clarity on funding sources and contract details. Budget director and treasurer staff identified an available local distributor cannabis fund account (107‑BMGTD‑CNBS‑1218) and a development account (001‑111‑DEVLD‑DEVLD‑1232); corporation counsel drafted amendment language during the meeting specifying $75,000 from the cannabis‑fund line and $50,000 from the development line. After voting on an amendment to the amendment (the funding‑line clarification) and then the amendment as amended, the council approved the ordinance as amended (final vote recorded as 9 yes, 0 no, 1 present).
Supporters said the funds would help convert prior studies into implementation steps and assist small businesses on South Grand and other areas; some council members expressed concern about adding unfunded items to the budget without a supplemental appropriation and asked for reporting and accountability language to be added to the contract.
What happens next The council directed staff to finalize contract language reflecting the amended funding and to include allocation and reporting language; the Office of Economic Development and Springfield Project will provide follow‑up on scheduling and deliverables.
Direct quotes - Alderman Gregory: "We have to continue to push back and love every community…This organization has proven to be good stewards of the city's funding." - Dominic Watson: "My goal is…to create an action plan. I think there's a lot of studies that have been done in the past that have kinda sat on the shelf, but there has been no action."
