RANTOUL — The election for Rantoul’s mayor is April 1. Incumbent Charles Smith is facing off against District 5 Village Trustee Samuel Hall III.
IPM News interviewed Smith and Hall about their qualifications for the job and their goals for the village. They spoke about supporting the local economy, rebuilding village infrastructure and taking input from residents.
Mayoral hopefuls prioritizing economic development
Hall said he’s campaigning with a focus on supporting both big and small businesses. His goals include developing Rantoul’s workforce to help create new employment opportunities for residents.
“My plan is to really kind of grow the small business sector, not forgetting what we need out west with some of the bigger storefronts,” Hall said.
He said as mayor, he’d partner with other local communities to host workshops for business owners and entrepreneurs.
Smith said his administration has supported the community by securing nearly $2.9 million in small business loans, noting in a Facebook post that he has put the village in a “solid financial position.” He said there’s still more work to be done to further develop the village’s economy.
Smith said he remains committed to the Illinois Autonomous and Connected Track, a project that would establish a research and testing location for “autonomous and multimodal transportation” in Rantoul.
“We’ve been working on (I-ACT) for almost 10 years, and providing the whole program is in place, I would like to see that brought to fruition, and the construction start on that facility,” Smith said.
Candidates differ on the state of community engagement
Hall said his administration plans to expand efforts to engage with community members.
He added that he and his team would develop an open door policy for the mayor’s office and seek community feedback for the Board of Trustees and village staff.
Smith said the village already offers civic engagement opportunities. He said officials host a study session every month where residents can give public comment and feedback on items listed on the agenda.
Shared interest in improving infrastructure
Smith said Rantoul has seen growth in recent years. That development, he added, means the village’s electric and water systems are in need of a facelift.
Hall said he shares Smith’s desire to improve Rantoul’s infrastructure, but he emphasized the need to resurface the village’s roads.
He said the current strategy of patching flaws in local streets has been inadequate.
Both cite experience as qualification for mayor
Smith said his work in the mayoral seat for the past 12 years speaks for itself.
“I am working this job on a full time basis, and so I’m totally dedicated to it,” Smith said.
Smith said his accomplishments include the opening of the Rantoul Family Sports Complex that attracts nearly 1.1 million visitors annually.
He also cited investments such as partnerships with Maverick Piping and Buzzard Pipe Organ Builders.
Hall, a resident of Rantoul for over two decades, said his experience as CEO of NIA Incorporated and setting policy in his trustee seat pushed him to run for mayor.
“My experience, not just from what I’ve experienced as a trustee, but my experience in my professional life as manager, founder and chief operating officer, and a handful of other experiences that I’ve had have just led me to to say, ‘Well, it’s time to lead Rantoul,’” Hall said.