Summary of Champaign County First Advocacy in Washington, D.C.

This past week, Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin traveled to Washington with Champaign County First (CC1) to advocate for a number of  projects that have regional economic impact. Over a two day period, the 20 person group had meetings with various officials and agencies focused on nine projects. The annual CC1 trip is coordinated by the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.   

2024 projects:

• Continue HTEM 3D  mapping of the Mahomet Aquifer
• Florida Avenue Reconstruction to Complete Street in Urbana
• IFAB Tech Hub
• Champaign Co. African American Heritage Trail
• Addressing concerns with the Bradley Avenue Canadian National RR crossing
• MTD Hydrogen Station Expansion for zero-emission buses
• Parkland Way Road Reconstruction
• Improved Passenger rail service
• High Speed Rail

Meetings with agencies and elected officials:

• US Department of Transportation: Office of  Intergovernmental Affairs
• Federal Railway Association: Office of Railroad Development
• Amtrak
• State of Illinois Federal Affairs office
• Representative Mary Miller
• Representative Robin Kelly
• Representative Nikki Budzinski
• Representative Darin Lahood
• Senator Dick Durbin
• Senator Tammy Duckworth
• Mayor Chris Koos, Normal IL; Amtrak Board Member

Local delegates:

The local delegates that attended this year are: Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor, Urbana;Tim Bannon, Director, Willard Airport; Jayne DeLuce, President, Experience C-U; Deb Feinen, Mayor, Champaign; Bob Flider, Community and Government Relations, UIUC; Dominque Gilbert , President, CC Environmental Stewards; Susan Monte, Exec. Director, CC Environmental Stewards; Madeline Herrman, Director of Public Policy,  Chamber County Chamber of Commerce; Laura Weis, President and CEO,  Champaign County Chamber of Commerce; Bruce Knight, Planning and Development, City of Champaign; Will Kyles, Deputy Mayor, City of Champaign; Carly McCrory-Mckay, Exec Director, CC Economic Corporation; Ashlee McLaughlin, External Affairs, CU MTD; Marc Miller, Deputy Director, Prairie Research Institute; Kisa Mwakanyamale-Gilkie, PhD, Prairie Research Institute; Sara Sandquist, Exec. Director, Champaign Park District; Stephanie Stuart,  PhD and VP, Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation, Parkland College; Dalitso Sulamoyo, PhD and  CEO, CC RPC; Kate Swinford, Central IL Regional Leader, Lochmueller Group; and Christopher Walton, CAO, Village of Savoy.