06/07/2022
BIG WIN!!!
BIG NIGHT AT CITY COUNCIL: Last night, City Council passed many important items! Here are just some of them:
• Approved a new funding agreement with the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to continue marketing Rockford as a tourism destination for people through the Midwest and the country.
• Approved a development agreement and lease with Think Big to create a small business incubator for minority and women owned businesses at 1311 N. Main Street.
• Approved a funding agreement for $134,080 for the African-American Resource Center at Booker for capital improvements.
• Approved a funding agreement for $50,000 for the Northwest Rockford Neighbors, Inc., to establish youth programing to help with crime reduction and violence prevention.
• Approved a funding agreement for $50,000 for Community Life Center to establish youth programing to help with crime reduction and violence prevention.
• Approved a seasonal liquor license for West Rock Wake Park.
• Approved renewal agreements for two Strong Houses in distressed neighborhoods. The houses put programs into neighborhoods that provide educational opportunities and activities, reduce childhood poverty and build hope for neighborhood families.
• Approved a $50,000 REGROW Grant to Comprehensive Community Solutions – Alpha Project for youth programming to include mentoring, educational support, fitness, life skills and community engagement. (REGROW grants are funded by the 3% local tax on cannabis sales.)
• Approved a $50,000 REGROW Grant to 815 Alive, Inc., for the Toolbox/Renegade Football Team to help provide youth engagement and mentorship programming through athletics.
• Approved a $50,000 REGROW Grant to New Genres Art Space and Fairground Boys and Girls Club for a Digital Fairground, an afterschool program utilizing computer graphic design to bring accessibility to creative technologies for youth.
• Approved an amendment to our 2020 Comprehensive Plan to include the Auburn Street Corridor Study, which will bring much needed construction work to this west side corridor.
• Approved additional gunshot detection and license plate reader cameras – doubling the amount currently in our community. The combination of gunshot detection and license plate reader cameras will help officers locate vehicles leaving the area of alerts.
• Approved the acceptance of an Illinois Department of Human Services Homeless Prevention grant for $487,000. Eligible clients will receive a direct vendor payment for their landlord, electric and/or heating bill.
• Approved the acceptance of a $1.8 million grant from the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board to continue funding the collaboration between the City of Rockford Police Department, Loves Park Police Department, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and Rosecrance. The collaboration provides a specially trained team to respond to 911 calls involving a mental health or substance use crisis, as well as follow-up services.
• Approved the acceptance of a $2 million grant from the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board to fund the Mobile Integrated Health – Mental Health Program established by Rockford Fire. The program implements innovative dispatching technology, placing a nurse in the 911 Center and adding additional MIH-MHP teams to identify those in need of mental health crisis services.
