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ABOUT US
Rantoul Residents for Representation was formed in March 2018 by citizens that are highly motivated to educate our community. Accountability in any form of leadership is required to make progress. A transition to districts will allow the citizens to make a more meaningful impact with their voices in our community and local government. Currently, trustees live in Northern and Western neighborhoods in Rantoul. This leaves the Southeastern and Southern areas (formerly Chanute AFB) with no attention or representation on our Village Board.
Currently, when a citizen has a concern there are 2 options:
1) Spend a considerable amount of time doing your own research and reach out to all elected trustees or Mayor, hoping they respond.
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2) Attend the monthly Study Session or Village Board Meeting after trimming your issues to fit the prescribed timeline of 3 minutes to speak.
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After all that preparation and addressing the Board of Trustees during public participation, no specific individual is held accountable for addressing and finding a solution to the problem (s) brought before them.
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We are left to ask: Who really represents me? Who is listening? Who is accountable?
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This grassroots effort will soon be accepting donations to help us reach our goal to propose a question on the November 2018 ballot (referendum).
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Upcoming Meetings / Events: TBD
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Rantoul Press Guest Commentary March 16, 2018 Written by Debbra Sweat
In reading Kenny Chumbley’s opinion in the Dec. 5 Rantoul Press, his article was insightful and made you think. He stated, “We don’t need more reforms; we need regeneration. If there’s typhoid in the well, painting the pump doesn’t change that. If lava boils in Vesuvius’ belly, planting flowers on its slopes won’t save Pompeii.”
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He hit the nail on the head! The continual problem is the tunnel vision of our leadership thinking outsiders can “fix” Rantoul. Painting water towers, beautifying our main thoroughfares is not reform. Regeneration is not bringing in industry/jobs which don’t pay sustainable living wages where individuals can care for themselves, their families, maintain a standard of living or afford homes.
Since 2013, our administration has paid nearly $1 million village dollars to bring in outside “expert” consultants to tell us what we need under the guise of “Rantoul Tomorrow.” This money spent on consultant salaries, advertising, miscellaneous expenses etc. they thought would enhance Rantoul’s economy could have been used to better benefit the community and citizens.
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What have the citizens/community yielded from this? This year marks the 25th anniversary of the closing of Chanute Air Force Base. Ask yourself, how much has Rantoul grown? Has our standard of living, our schools, our overall community been enriched or has it depreciated? Tax breaks for new home starts but what about the on-going tax increases for current home owners?
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This clearly is representative of the failure to communicate with and represent the citizens of this community. These outside consultants have been overpaid and allowed to become entrenched in the oversight of our village. They have been permitted to “whitewash” Rantoul and allow the slow erosion of our neighborhoods, schools and citizens.
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Instead of reaching out and asking the majority of residents, they consulted the 5 percent of residents of what they want. They failed to consult the other 95 percent on how we feel or what we think is needed to unify, improve and stabilize our community, as well as what type of industry and growth we want. They put it in the hands of outsiders.
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Rantoul’s mayor and trustees were approached in November regarding an advisory referendum for the spring ballot asking the citizens of Rantoul if an aldermanic form of governance would better represent the citizens. This move could tremendously impact the citizens in moving towards a stronger, more unified and stable community.
Among the benefits would be greater citizen input, efficiency and lead to neighborhood and community stabilization. It was met with skepticism and viewed as, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
Something is broken.
The below is paraphrased from the Preamble to Washington State’s Public Records Act of 1972 RCWs > Title 42 > Chapter 42.56 > Section 42.56.030) and is an example of how a government body should work and who elected officials represent:
“The people of this community do not yield our sovereignty to those who are elected to serve us. We the people delegated this authority, do not give our public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. We insist on remaining informed so we retain control over the instruments we have elected.”
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What is an alderman? An alderman is a person who lives in your neighborhood and is elected by you to represent your area. They will know what is going on in your area, what is needed, be your point of contact for concerns, will meet with your neighborhood regularly, and keep you informed.
An alderman will represent your neighborhood on the village board. Who is your voice now? Who represents your neighborhood now?
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Our problems are within. If Rantoul is going to progress, our leadership needs to stop, reassess and let the people of Rantoul speak and decide.
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The greatest component of communication is the ability to listen. I hope my words give you food for thought and the soul and will help inspire and awaken you.
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Thomas Jefferson said, “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people there is liberty.”
Debbra Sweat is interim president of Concerned Citizens of Rantoul.
Rantoul Press Guest Commentary March 27, 2018 Written By Michael Schlosser
I contend that Debbra Sweat’s idea of Rantoul changing to an aldermanic form of government deserves serious consideration, as there are several benefits that would likely arise from this change for our village. We have to ask ourselves some important questions. Firstly, are the voices of all citizens in our village being heard? If not, why, and whose voices are being muted? Finally, will an aldermanic form of government give voice to those who are not heard or do not speak up?
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Let’s tackle this by analyzing one question at a time. Based on the number of people that vote, the number of people who contact our village leaders, and the number of people who attend board meetings, I think it is safe to say that the voices of all citizens in our village are not being heard. Many of the citizens I speak with express the opinion that even if they did speak, it is unlikely they would be taken seriously. I often hear the expression, “what good would that do?” Some are simply not comfortable speaking up, and instead of blaming these citizens for their reticence, we should be proactive and reach out to all citizens.
As in most communities, it is usually those who are disadvantaged, oppressed, and marginalized who have no voice and thus no power. Since the inception of our country, wealth has equaled the power to make change. This greatly affects Rantoul’s low income and disproportionately impacts racial minority communities.
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We need to improve the quality of life for all citizens, and a step in the right direction would be to find proactive methods of ensuring the concerns of all citizens are heard. Perhaps the aldermanic form of government would be a step in the right direction. This is not to say that our current board members are not concerned with all citizens, but because of the aforementioned reasoning, things do not seem to be working. If Rantoul were broken up into wards represented by an alderman in each area, it seems more likely that citizens will come forward with their concerns, thus giving them voice. Further, the alderman will be more invested in his or her particular area and neighborhood.
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I ask that at the minimum, the board should analyze this possibility. I don’t believe in change just for the sake of changing, as “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, knowing the citizens of Rantoul and understanding the issues many face on a daily basis, perhaps there are elements that need to be fixed. While there is no guarantee that an aldermanic government will fix the problems, we should at least seize the opportunity to make proactive changes that could set us in the right direction. Improving the lives of all citizens will improve the vitality of our community, which in turn improves our economy, education, and opportunities.
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The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King Jr.
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Michael Schlosser is a resident of Rantoul.
Rantoul Press Guest Commentary April 3, 2018 Written By Debra Rawlings
When I first read about the idea to switch Rantoul village government from at-large representation to aldermanic representation, my response was neutral.
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Then I thought back to the years I covered the village board as a Rantoul Press reporter. From time to time trustees raised concerns about difficulties connecting with the people they represented.
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It is an important question. Under the at-large form of government, each trustee represents the entire community. How does an individual trustee learn about the concerns and needs of 13,000 people?
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A past effort involved organizing a public event held at Rantoul Township High School. Trustees were seated two by two at separate stations where they held private conversations with one resident or family at a time.
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It was a creative and good-faith effort, but limited by time, by residents’ awareness of the event and willingness to participate. I do not remember how many residents were served, but it was a very small percentage of the population. The effectiveness of the format is probably best judged by the fact that it has not been continued.
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Aldermanic government offers a direct connection to residents. Under the aldermanic system, the community is divided into districts. Each district is represented by aldermen elected directly from the district by the residents of the district.
Because aldermen represent a smaller slice of the population, they are more likely to know residents in their district.
Because aldermen live within the district they represent, they are also more likely to be familiar with neighborhood issues. It is neighborhood issues that are tied into a vision for steering the community as a whole.
Because aldermen are elected from a district, they are directly accountable to district residents. Residents can signal their feelings about the representation they have received by the way they vote in the next election.
I have become convinced that aldermanic government would be a more accessible, approachable and accountable government. I believe that an alderman elected from my neighborhood, familiar with and focused on my neighborhood, would be more likely to have my best interests at heart.
Debra Rawlings is a Rantoul resident.
New organization to work for change in Rantoul's form of government April 10, 2018
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By Rantoul Press — A Rantoul Residents for Representation group has been formed with establishment of an aldermanic form of government one of its main goals and the placement of a referendum on the November ballot asking the public’s opinion.
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Following is a question-and-answer session with Mike Schlosser of the group.
How long has the group been in existence and please talk about its goals?
“The group is in its infancy. It sort of grew out of the Concerned Citizens of Rantoul because this became a major topic of concern for many of our citizens. I guess the Rantoul Residents for Representation was officially organized about a month ago.
“Our overall goal is to improve the quality of life for all Rantoul residents. Many of us living in Rantoul have a great quality of life. Unfortunately there are way too many residents whose quality of life is not great.
“We need to focus on our citizens who are living in poor neighborhoods. As in most communities, it is usually those who are disadvantaged, oppressed and marginalized who have no voice and thus no power. Since the inception of our country, wealth has equaled the power to make change. This greatly affects Rantoul’s low-income and disproportionately impacts racial minority communities.
“We need to hear their voices and concerns. The best way to do that would be to have someone who lives in the same neighborhood represent their concerns and their needs. It doesn’t seem that the current form of government is representing all citizens of Rantoul. This is not necessarily the fault of the mayor or board members. I would like to believe they truly have the best interest of the community in their hearts. However, because each board member represents the entire community, they listen to everyone — that is everyone who is willing to speak up with their concerns.
“Unfortunately, there are many in the community who are not speaking up with their concerns. From the citizens I speak with, they don’t feel it will do any good, don’t know what process to go through, or they are just busy living day to day. We need to become proactive to find out all citizens’ concerns and issues.
“There are too many citizens who are not speaking, not being heard and thus not being represented.
“If Rantoul were broken up into wards or districts, represented by an alderman in each area, it seems more likely that citizens will come forward with their concerns, thus giving them voice. Further, the alderman will be more invested in his or her particular area and neighborhood. The alderman can be proactive in reaching out to the citizens, gaining their trust and finding solutions to their problems.
“In order to reach this overarching goal, we have other goals to get there. We would like to educate the public on the aldermanic form of government, which is why we have a public meeting scheduled for April 14 from 1-3 p.m. at the Rantoul Public Library. Then we would like to see this question posed on the November ballot, asking residents if they would like to make this change to an aldermanic system.
When do you meet?
“We try to meet weekly. We are very devoted to making change in our town and improving the quality of life for everyone.”
Are there other recent examples of Illinois communities switching from a village to a city form of government?
“Not that I am not aware of (off the top of my head). However, there are numerous communities in Illinois which practice this form of government. For example, Paxton, Villa Grove, Urbana, Champaign, Danville, Lincoln, Kankakee and Darien.
“Maybe the aldermanic form of government was not necessary prior to the early 1990s, but when the base closed and began filling up with new residents, it seems necessary to now make the change. Our town almost doubled in square mileage, and yet our board members live in the north/northwest section of Rantoul, leaving the southeast and south Rantoul (former Chanute Air Force Base) with little attention and little representation.
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“It’s time to give representation to every citizen — thus our reason and motivation for creating Rantoul Residents for Representation (RR4R)."
Grassroots organization wants to change Rantoul's form of government April 24, 2018
By Rantoul Press - As the name suggests, the newly formed Rantoul Residents for Representation want better representation in their community by village government.
The group is advocating the switch from a village-trustee to a city-aldermanic form of government.
Its goal is to place a binding referendum on the ballot asking residents to vote for the change.
Under the local village-trustee system, all residents vote for six board members at large — similar to how all residents vote for U.S. senator.
A village president (mayor) and clerk are also elected at large, while the village treasurer is appointed.
Non-elective officers are appointed by the president with advice and consent of the trustees.
Aldermanic-ward system
The aldermanic-ward form has the community broken into wards with one or two aldermen elected per ward. Residents of those wards vote only for the individuals running from their area of the community — similar to how residents vote for U.S. House of Representatives.
Aldermen would serve for four years, with half of them elected every two years.
The mayor serves as the chief executive officer.
The mayor, city clerk and treasurer are elected at large to four-year terms. Other offices are filled by appointment by the mayor with advice and consent of the council. However, the offices may be filled by election by ordinance.
Group fights for equal representation of village residents
Concerned Citizens of Rantoul officer Debbra Sweat, who is also active in Rantoul Residents for Representation, told the village board in December that the issue has been broached because the group believes many of the village’s residents are underrepresented. She said all but one of the six village trustees live north of U.S. 136, leaving the south side of Rantoul will little representation.
Trustee Rich Medlen, who lives in the southwest part of town, is the only trustee who does not live north of U.S. 136.
At a recent RR4R meeting led by Mike Schlosser, it was noted that among the benefits of changing to an aldermanic form of government are that aldermen would be more invested since they live in the area they represent; citizens are more likely to have their voices heard and would be willing to speak; crime issues could be addressed more efficiently; and the quality of life would be improved.
RR4R member Jasmyne Boyce said involvement in the organization will help residents who are interested in becoming more engaged in government processes, learning about community perception, safety, housing and income statistics.
“Historically, we have had low voter registration and participation,” Boyce said. “Our local elections are where an engaged citizenship can make extraordinary impact.”
She said the aldermanic transition will take time and “will require a great deal of public support.”
More information about the group is available on the website https://rtlresidentsforrep.wixsite.com/rr4r
The next meeting of the group is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, at Rantoul Public Library.
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Rantoul, IL 61866