Rantoul Mayor Samuel Hall took office more than 100 days ago. He defeated the former incumbent, Chuck Smith, by a margin of 34 votes during the April 1 election.
Hall has been reflecting on that narrow victory, emphasizing that he’s been focused on listening to the community in the time since then.
“That just shows that I still have work to do, because it’s 49% of folks that didn’t vote for me,” he said in an interview with IPM News. “And so I just have to, have to figure out what, where I missed with them and and how I can fill their wants, their needs.”
Hall is Rantoul’s first Black mayor, and the town’s first new mayor in over a decade.
In his first few months, he said he has been working to create a foundation for future development in Rantoul while making the village more accessible to residents.
In an address Tuesday night, Hall said he’s been holding listening sessions, strengthening community relationships and working to build a long-term vision for Rantoul.
“Growth is possible in every single corner of Rantoul, and with the right partnerships, we’re going to make it happen,” he said.
Hall discussed a number of goals for the village. Those include improving roads and infrastructure, attracting new businesses and modernizing its approach to communication.
Hall said as part of a push for greater transparency, he wants to make village materials available in multiple languages. He also said Rantoul will create a more user-friendly website with an artificial intelligence tool to allow residents ask questions in different languages.
According to American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau, around 22% of the village’s population is Hispanic.
“The real work lies ahead,” Hall said. “Continue to listen, strengthening trust and turning good ideas into real results. I’m confident that by working together, we’ll build a stronger, more inclusive and more prosperous Rantoul.”
Hall also mentioned several other initiatives he plans to launch — including a youth council to take more input from young people and a community safety program to give first responders resources to help residents who may face “communication or cognitive challenges.”
IPM’s Patricia Bradford sat down with the new mayor to learn more about his plans for the village and discuss how he has been adjusting to the new role.
PATRICIA BRADFORD: You not only made history as Rantoul’s newest mayor in over a decade, but you’re also the village’s first Black mayor. What has that meant to you personally, and then for the community?
SAMUEL HALL: Oh wow, yeah, that’s that I get asked that a lot.
BRADFORD: Of course, I’m sure that’s your first, question.
HALL: Yeah, right, the very first question. And it means a lot. It means a lot to me to be the first, as you say, not just the first mayor in 12 years, but the first Black mayor ever. And it’s humbling, right? It’s humbling. I have a great sense of pride, responsibility, but then I just hope that, and my plan over my term — and I plan on doing multiple terms — over my term, is to make sure that youth and young adults and old adults, you know, just understand the power of having a goal, building a team that that’s going to help support that goal and having that faith in God and just going after it. So yeah, I could go on with that answer for long time, but I’ll leave it there.
BRADFORD: So what were not only some of your top priorities, but then even some of the top concerns from village residents as you step into office?
HALL: Sure, sure. So my priorities are much what, what the village residents have shared with me, right? So transparency, right? And yet, that’s that may be an overused word, but what it means for us is that in making decisions or coming up with ideas. It shouldn’t just be the the leaders of the government, right? Our residents are, are so diverse, right? And many of them have so many expertise and so many experiences that are going to help, when we put it all together, it’s just going to make Rantoul the best place ever. So that’s one. Infrastructure is a big priority, and it has been. And so as I — my eight years on the board, we often, I often try to look at how we could, you know, repair streets and patch holes. Our electrical system, you know, with the influx of business and what we want our housing landscape to be, we really need more power, electrical power. And so being able to support our Public Works department in upgrading our electrical system throughout town has really been important. And then, of course, economic development is another priority. And you know, we’re seeing growth throughout the village. There’s not a day that doesn’t go by that my staff and I are talking with with potential businesses to come and set up shop in Rantoul.
BRADFORD: What type of businesses?
HALL: Oh, well, we actually have some right on the edge. We can’t announce them, but, we’re looking at everything from hotels to restaurants to grocery stores, gas stations, that’s a huge need, too. And so while it appears that a lot of priority [has] been put on the west side of town, where our Sports Complex is, and Starbucks and those things, but really we’re trying to, I’m trying to get businesses throughout town. east side, north side, west and everywhere.
BRADFORD: And so what has kind of been like, the response now?
HALL: Oh boy, yeah. So I put out a call. So we have to, one of my tasks after, after being sworn in in May, was to fill, refill or reappoint committee members. And there’s about, I’d say, about about eight committees that are actively working as an advisory for the village. And so my call out to the community was just overwhelming with the response. I mean, there’s so many people who want to, who want to get involved and have a say and just help, help make Rantoul, like I said, the best place ever. So that’s one. Yeah, I offer listening sessions, right? Where community can just come in and share their thoughts, their ideas, their wants, their wishes, their concerns, right? And I just listen. I just listen. I have someone take notes, and we take that back to staff, and we kind of work through some of those ideas.
BRADFORD: And how have you worked through them, how [has] that kind of reflected back in the community?
HALL: Well, one is youth council. I think we were talking about that earlier. We’re going to have, I’m starting a youth council, because oftentimes we hear that the youth, one, youth don’t have much to do. Two, that they want to be involved … civically engaged, I guess I should say. And so putting together youth council where select high school and eighth graders will meet with me, work with me once a month, and shadow me, talk about ideas or issues that are going to come before our village board so that we have their input on matters that are important.
BRADFORD: So you mentioned that you were on the Board of Trustees for the village. I do want to ask, what kind of got you interested in local government?
HALL: Oh, wow, wow. So I was on the board for eight years. Prior to that, I served as a Police and Fire Commissioner for about six years. I think what got me involved is, that’s a really good question. I think what got me involved is just the want to do something for my community, and specifically, and maybe even a little selfishly, for my family, my children in particular, right? Seeing that, you know, my dad always talked about, you know, ‘if you’re gonna, if you’re gonna complain about something, you should have a solution, with that complaint, right?’ And while I’m not a big complainer — at least not to the public, my son may say different — but I’m not, having thoughts in ways that I think that … would make life better, more efficient for residents in Rantoul, is why I joined the ranks of public office and civil service.
BRADFORD: So not only were you [on the] board of trustees, but you also been a resident of the village for 25 years. When you were running, you won 51% of the voters, they slid your way. I do want to know, how have you kind of been accepted, not only by the community, but how maybe even have you approached building trust with the community?
HALL: I believe in being visible. I guess I’ll answer that way. And so as mayor, you know, in gaining trust, right, for people to open up and share or, vote for me again when that time comes, just being visible and open to listen. And listen with intent to to understand, not to respond or defend, right, but listen to understand and help. So for me, trust comes from listening to a person trying to put myself in that person’s shoes and see if we can work together. I’m so gracious for the amount of votes I got, and it was a nail-biter till April 15. And so I remember telling my wife, and I’m sure my my oldest son was, was there too, is that, you know, that just shows that I still have work to do, because it’s 49% of folks that didn’t vote for me. And so I just have to, have to figure out what, where I missed with them and and how I can fill their wants, their needs.
BRADFORD: How do you feel they’ve responded to you in your first 100 days, or over 100 days now?
HALL: A little bit over, um, it’s been great. I mean, it’s, it’s humbling, right? When people you know, ‘Hey Mayor Hall,’ or you know ‘Your Honor’, or you know ‘Mr. President,’ you know, that’s all,
BRADFORD: It’s humbling?
HALL: It’s humbling. I’m a shy little boy from Chicago, and never thought that I would, I would be, you know, the president of a village … So it’s, it’s humbling. People have been so helpful, right? Staff on one have been, you know, I get briefed on on items every day almost. The public has, like I said, it’s been so gracious. I’m still in the honeymoon phase is what I is what I tell people. And so shortly, that that’s going to come to the end, and you know, you’ll see that, that, yeah, I’m the right guy for the job.
BRADFORD: You mentioned several construction and development projects that are potentially happening in Rantoul. Specifically the downtown street construction. I want to know a little bit more about the new public plaza. Can you give us an update, maybe, on what’s happening there, a timeline as to where that’s at?
HALL: Yeah, this is a big project. This is about a $5 million dollar project, maybe some change. And it’s going well. It’s slated to be completed by Thanksgiving, with the minor, you know, planting things that you would do in the spring. But all the heavy lifting and so forth will be done. So everything from water mains to new sewer lines to new concrete with stamp designs, new stairway. It’s more, it is [American Disabilities Act] accessible. It’s going to be great. There’ll be a theater and a sitting area. So when we have our Freedom Fridays and those live bands, or maybe we just have a pop-up concert on a Thursday, you know, throwing that out there? Um, it’s going to be fantastic. The businesses are doing great. There some, along with this downtown streetscape project, some of them are putting in new windows, and, you know, taking time to this, this opportunity to kind of upgrade their look as well, and so forth. So I’m excited. I’m excited … so everything will be done by Thanksgiving, and then in the spring, we’ll do the planting of the flowers and the other green spaces.
BRADFORD: Okay, well, still on the conversation of development, there’s redevelopment … well, I want to know, are there any other redevelopment plans, specifically at the former Chanute Air Force Base, or what’s the plan there?
HALL: Sure. So great news is that of 99% of the buildings on base are occupied, either privately owned or leased. And this is the first time in probably 30 years that Rantoul could have said that. The latest development, so Maverick Piping. It’s a piping manufacturer of large PVC and other types of pipes. So they, they’ve been in Rantoul, oh, I want to say three years now, three, four years. And so they’re starting an expansion. They’ve already completed their, you know, slab work. And so they’re expanding so that that’s good. Their building is in a hangar, one of the old Air Force hangars, and so right next to it, they’re building another, another space. Also on base, they just broke ground I want to say, two weeks ago. We’re going to have a Buzard Organ Builders. So it’s an organ manufacturer. It’s so cool. And Mr. Buzard is just a great guy. So that started our — we have a movie production studio or company on base, and they’re looking to expand. We’re just, we’re working with them to find the appropriate places. Those are the ones on base that jump out to me at this time.
BRADFORD: So you’re past your first 100 days. Have there been any changes in the way you communicate with the community?
HALL: I’m definitely more accessible, not in the office. So that’s number one, and I think that’s a huge one, right … we’re planning — we’re going to do it in October, a strategic planning session, and that’s where we’ll get our village board as well as our department heads together. And we’re going to plan the next five years: where we want to be, what we want to have, right? And so it’s time — we haven’t had a planning session in years, so it’s time to do that, and why not do it now with new leadership? Right? Those are just some of the things.
BRADFORD: So then, how are you measuring success or progress for this next year?
HALL: So I want to have, or I will have, you know, a boardroom that is conducive to persons who don’t speak English. All right? So that’s one that, again, goes to transparency and getting more people involved. We would have finished our first year of youth council, and those folks will be off and running with a great understanding … I really want, I really am pushing for another grocery store and another gas station. So those are some highlights. One thing that I didn’t mention before is housing. We’re working on a housing program, a workforce program, that would help put some of the housing that is not in use now … Some of them need a new roof, some needs new plumbing, you know, sorts of things. So we’ll have an apprenticeship program. Hopefully we’ll be able to launch it by spring or into the summer, and it’ll be for Rantoul young adults who want to learn the trades. So it’ll serve two needs: one, the employment needs of Rantoul residents but then also put some homes back into our housing stock, because we need more homes.