Image courtesy of the Town of Normal
NORMAL, Ill. – The Normal Town Council approved an amendment to Municipal Manager Pamela Reece’s employment agreement, a decision that passed with only one dissenting vote from council member Kathleen Lorenz.
Lorenz explained her opposition by pointing to the disparity between Reece’s raise and what other employees receive.
“I will be voting no because of the amount,” Lorenz said. “I believe it’s excessive in light of the fact that our employees are tied to CPI index cost of living increase, which I looked up, is around 3%. Our collective bargaining units bargained, I think most recently, for a package over four years that roughly estimates around 4% each year. I believe that 4.8% is excessive for the CEO of an organization to have such a greater amount than the rest of the organization.”
The resolution passed with all other council members voting in favor.
During the public comment period, two speakers urged the town to reconsider the planned relocation of Fire Station 2, currently located on College Avenue. Both speakers emphasized concerns about response times and the potential risk to nearby neighborhoods.
Normal resident Erik Hall, who lives just blocks from the station, said the firehouse has long been central to the neighborhood’s safety and identity.
“This firehouse has been a meaningful part of our neighborhood’s safety and identity for decades,” Hall said. “This firehouse has provided something that won’t show up on a map or a study, peace of mind. Knowing that in an emergency, trained professionals are seconds, not miles away, has mattered to every family here.”
Hall argued that relocating the station could lengthen response times for current nearby residents.
“Improving service in one area while reducing it in another isn’t progress. It’s simply shifting the risk,” Hall said. “Change may be necessary, but it should never come at the cost of public safety.”
Hall called for full transparency from the council, urging the town to publicly release the data used to justify the relocation.
“If this decision is truly based on data, then that data should be easily visible for all to see,” Hall said. “The Firefighters Union has released its response time to study to the public. The town needs to do the same. Show the data used to make this decision, put it side-by-side with the union study so residents can see the two studies and clearly make informed conclusions on the needs and impacts.”
The second public speaker, Pastor Trevor Gearhart, delivered an emotional account of surviving a massive heart attack seven weeks ago, an event he says he lived through only because of Station 2’s proximity.
“A police officer was on scene in just a matter of seconds, and a crew from Fire Station 2’s current location on College Avenue reached me just over two minutes later,” Gearhart said. “If not for the skill and the quick actions of the rescuers from Station 2, I wouldn’t be sitting here in front of you today.”
He urged the council to reconsider any plan that would close or move the station.
“I shudder to think about the what-ifs,” Gearhart said. “What if the station on College Avenue wasn’t even there? I genuinely believe our community would have lost a pastor, a dad, a husband and a friend to so many of the terrific people in our community. I strongly urge you, as a citizen of a city I love, to reconsider your plan to close the College Avenue Fire Station. The location is a crucial hub to several population centers in our community, and it is a high-traffic area,” Gearhart continued.
The Normal Town Council meets every first and third Monday of each month. The next meeting will take place Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. on the fourth floor of Normal City Hall.