The Village of St. Joseph Board of Trustees saw the final draft of a five-year strategic plan focusing on development and community enhancement for the next five years.
The final draft was formulated after planning sessions over a two-week period with Village staff, Mayor, board members and representatives from a few community-based organizations. The group set out to set clear priorities, implementation schedules, and regular reporting systems. Participants were encouraged to visualize the future of St. Joseph and identify key goals, priorities, champions for each goal, and a desired timeframe for completion.
The sessions culminated in the creation of the following mission statement for the Village: “A Village where people come for the schools, staying for community and friends.”
The group identified six goals:
Housing Development: Strategies to encourage and support the construction of new residential units, including a senior living community and a residential property owners’ renovation incentive program. Implementation scheduled between 2023-2026.
Infrastructure Improvements: This includes the construction of the Sewer Plant Improvement Project, preparation of Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) for road repair and storm-water projects, and infrastructure impact analysis for growth projects. Implementation to begin in 2023.
Community Growth-Related Activities: Goals include creating a Community Development Department and implementing growth policies and a North I-74 growth plan for commercial/industrial development. Scheduled for implementation from 2023 to 2025.
Commercial, Office, and Industrial Development: Plans to actively pursue, incentivize and support commercial and industrial developments in various parts of the Village, including constructing an Industrial Park or Office Park. Timeline set for 2023 to 2025.
Community-Building Programs: Focus on enhancing public safety policies, promoting Village information through text alerts, incorporating QR Code promotional systems, and improving parking and traffic control practices. Scheduled for 2023 to 2026.
Park Facility Improvements and Recreation Programming: This includes the creation of a Village Parks and Recreation Department, implementing a tax referendum to support Village parks, constructing sports facility improvements, and exploring the creation of a Parks District. The implementation is set for 2024 to 2027.
Participants agreed on the importance of regularly updating the Mayor, Village Board of Trustees, and the Community on progress. Scheduled reporting will occur every three to six months, depending on the goal.
The Village Board also heard from James Arndt of Arndt Municipal Support, LLC. The Village has worked with Arndt since 2022.
Arndt Municipal Solutions has outlined a series of initiatives that are tailored to St. Joseph’s specific needs and growth objectives:
Active Recruitment of Retailers: Targeting both franchisees and corporate retailers identified by the Village, Arndt Municipal Solutions plans to actively recruit businesses that align with the community’s character and commercial needs.
Introduction to National and Regional Developers: By leveraging its extensive network, the firm will introduce St. Joseph to developers and retailers on both a national and regional level, soliciting their investment in the local community.
I-74 Corridor Development: A strategic plan to assemble land along the I-74 corridor is a key part of the growth blueprint.
Quality of Life Enhancements: Recognizing the importance of healthcare accessibility, Arndt Municipal Solutions will focus on the recruitment of medical facilities to the area.
Marketing and Online Presence: To bolster St. Joseph’s image and reach, the development of marketing materials and a dedicated webpage will be undertaken to project an attractive presentation of the Village’s offerings to potential investors, businesses, and residents.
Collaboration with Government Officials and Consultants: A synergistic approach to development will include working closely with State, County, and Village Officials, as well as specialized consultants. Together, they will develop Economic Development (ED) tools, such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF), Enterprise Zones (EZ), Business Districts (BD), and more.
