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2019/01/18 - Walter's Blog: Looking Ahead to 2019

Democracy on the Front Lines
City Administrator’s Blog
Walter Denton

 

I previously looked back at the Best of 2018, and today we look forward to 2019. Here is a summary of issues and projects that will command our attention this year:

Economic Development: In the wake of the state government’s financial insolvency, we must focus on economic development to improve our local economy. Destination O’Fallon is a comprehensive economic development strategy to create destinations to attract visitors to O’Fallon and to attract new businesses to locate in O’Fallon to grow the local economy.

Creating destinations:

  • Family Sports Park Expansion: The all-weather baseball and softball fields are complete this will be the first full year for the Sports Park improvements. Nine major soccer tournaments and 27 baseball and softball tournaments are scheduled this year. Tournament participants spend more than $100 per day while they are here, which contributes to the local economy.
  • O’Fallon Station: The downtown pavilion and parking lot are complete and will allow for more festivals and special events in historic downtown O’Fallon.

Attracting Businesses:

  • Marriott Town Place Suites: This new hotel is under construction and will open this spring on Regency Park Drive across from the Hilton Garden Inn and Regency Conference Center.
  • Southview Plaza Redevelopment: This shopping center has been demolished and we are hopeful there will be some redevelopment on the property.
  • Hampton Inn: This new hotel is under construction and should be complete in late 2019.
  • Fairfield Inn: Another new hotel is planned on Central Park Drive next to Gold’s Gym. A sports bar and grill also is planned next to the hotel.
  • Seven Hills Road Senior Living Project: A large senior living complex is planned that will include memory care, assisted living, and independent villas.
  • McKendree MetroRecPlex: A St. Elizabeth’s Hospital rehabilitation center is under construction next to the MetroRecPlex and will open in 2019. The intersection improvements also should be complete this year and construction should begin on a new bank and gas station on the property.
  • St. Elizabeth’s Hospital medical campus: Development continues around the new hospital. A new cancer treatment center should begin construction on Regency Park Drive and a medical office park will break ground behind the Harley-Davidson dealership.
  • Downtown Redevelopment: In addition to O’Fallon Station, downtown O’Fallon continued to revitalize itself with the construction of a new storefront on First Street, the Outdoorsman Lounge expansion, and the renovation of two structures. We are working with downtown merchants to develop new methods to create more events and excitement in downtown O’Fallon.
  • Rieder Road development: The I-64 interchange at Rieder Road opened in 2017, which will provide a new economic development corridor just outside the gates of Scott Air Force Base. Plans are underway to extend a sewer line down to the interchange and we hope to announce a new project in 2019.

Public Infrastructure: 2019 will be another busy year for construction. Here are some highlights:

  • Pavement Management Program: $1.7 million will be spent to repave and repair O’Fallon streets. This is a multi-year project that will address the maintenance of all city streets.
  • Presidential Street stormwater improvements: Phase 4 will include drainage and road improvements through the older part of town. This is funded through the voter-approved Proposition S ½-cent sales tax.
  • Green Mount Road/Central Park Drive Intersection Improvements: Extra turn lanes will be completed on Green Mount Road and Central Park Drive to relieve congestion in that busy area.
  • Holliday Drive Drainage Improvements: There are numerous drainage issues in the Southview Gardens subdivision and this project will address a bottleneck behind Holliday Drive.
  • Simmons Road reconstruction: The road will be widened with curbs and sidewalks from Porter Road to Fairwood Hills.
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements: This is not a glamorous project, but we will spend $3 million this year to upgrade the sewer plant.

Budget: Budget challenges will continue to be the rule for 2019. While the state government approved an annual budget in 2017, there are still significant challenges. O’Fallon’s revenues are solid, but the state government’s deficits bring ongoing uncertainty. The O’Fallon City Council reduced the property tax levy for 2019 for the second year in a row to provide some tax relief.

Elections: Municipal elections are on April 2, and eight City Council seats are open. Six of those vacancies are contested, and there may be seven new aldermen on the City Council in May. While this is exciting to have new ideas and perspectives on the City Council, we will have to work hard to get the new aldermen up to speed on current issues and establishing new priorities.

We live in an attractive and safe community with great neighborhoods, schools, and parks. The best of O’Fallon is yet to come, and we will continue to work hard to provide exceptional services to our residents and to maintain O’Fallon’s superior quality of life.