2020/09/28 - Mayor's Column: Appointment to the IML Board of Directors
“AN OPEN DOOR TO O’FALLON”
A WEEKLY NOTE FROM MAYOR HERB ROACH
During the last three and half years, it has been my pleasure and honor to serve and represent our city by using my 40+ years of management and fiscal experience and to share with others all of the good work that our council, staff , citizens and businesses community have accomplished and what we are going to accomplish going forward.
A little over a year ago, I had the good fortune to be selected as one of the delegations that went to Washington D.C. to make a presentation to 25 Japanese manufacturers that are interested in having operations in the American Midwest (I was the only mayor invited). Then, we were able to help host ten of them here in O’Fallon about five months later. This then resulted in me being selected by the Japanese manufacturers and government as one of three to be invited to tour their manufacturing facilities in Japan (date is on hold due to COVID).
Over the past year, I have had several cities from across the state contact me about how we are producing and managing the growth that we are having and how we are managing our finances so well especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these mayors and others from across the state of Illinois have now nominated me to serve on the board of trustees of the Illinois Municipal League (IML). My nomination has now been voted on and approved by the board of trustees and I will have the honor to serve as O’Fallon’s representative on the IML board of directors. I look forward to being able to work with municipal officials from across the state of Illinois and to learn about additional ways we can advance our city and be able to work with the other cities to improve the state of Illinois for all of us.
The IML is the statewide organization that represents local communities throughout Illinois. The IML is made up of 1,298 municipalities from across the state. Its membership covers cities with over 2.5 million (Chicago) to communities as small as 37 (Wenonah). The IML helps to formulate and give feedback on both state and federal legislation that impacts local municipalities.
I also wanted to share with you that the mayors of Southwestern Illinois nominated me to be one of three representatives of municipalities to serve as one of the trustees to oversee the new consolidated Illinois Firemen’s Pension Fund. This fund covers firemen from communities across the state (except Chicago). The fund will have approximately$ 6.4 billion to manage.
My nomination has now been supported by the IML board of directors and will now be sent for a vote of all municipalities and rural fire districts. If elected, I will be the only representative on this new statewide pension board from south of Peoria.
Again, it will be my honor to represent O’Fallon and Southern Illinois and to utilize my business and financial experience, which includes over 30 years of developing and managing retirement programs. I hope to make sure that the program is managed properly and efficiently which should help save all Illinois communities money and see that the pensions are paid properly to those eligible.
I will do my best to represent our city and all of you in these two areas of responsibility.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open (virtually, at least)!