From the City Manager's Desk: |
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City Manager Pamela Reece
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Storms roll in, spirits roll on |
Wow! June has been eventful and ... event-less? An early morning downpour on June 7 resulted in standing water at the event location for our planned Retro Roadside Picnic, and we had to cancel. Electricity and water don't mix!
Thankfully, we can celebrate Route 66 throughout the 2026 event and festival season. Look for Route 66 swag and more at Town of Normal booths at our upcoming events!
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On June 10 and 11, we experienced back to back nights of windy, rainy and stormy weather resulting in downed trees and limbs throughout the community.
The storms also took out power in several neighborhoods and Uptown Normal. For the second time this Spring, we had to close School Street due to downed power lines and tree limbs.
Sadly, we lost a large tree in front of Broadview Mansion along Fell Avenue. Thankfully, the tree did not hit the historic landmark.
I'm proud of the Public Works and Parks crews and public safety staff who respond immediately when severe weather hits.
We will host an open house at Fire Station # 2 to celebrate it's relocation to the intersection of Shepard and Hershey. If you're interested, stop by from 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, June 24, 2406 Shepard Road.
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| Route 66: Detoured by Mother Nature |
A June 7, 2026 rainstorm flooded One Normal Plaza and put a damper on plans for the Town's Route 66 celebration.
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Red oak tree felled on Fell |
A June 11, 2026 storm felled a massive red oak tree in front of the historic Broadview Mansion on Fell Avenue.
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I would be remiss if I didn't recognize the fact we hosted the Summer Games for Illinois Special Olympics last weekend. We celebrate all the athletes and their dedication and commitment!
As a reminder, Town of Normal offices will be closed June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. On July 2, join the City of Bloomington and Town of Normal as we co-host a drone show in honor of the America's 250th celebration. And, there's more fun to be had at our planned Fourth of July celebration!
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The Town of Normal re-launched Notify Normal, the Town’s free mass communication system which sends messages via text, email and phone calls about emergencies, road closures, event information and more.
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Those previously enrolled in Notify Normal need to re-enroll because the former platform provider was unable to share user preferences with the Town.
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To complete registration, disable pop-up blockers for the Notify Normal Member Portal. Some confirmation screens open in a new window and may not appear if pop-ups are blocked. If you see a continuously spinning loading circle and the registration page does not advance, your browser may be blocking a required pop-up window. If a pop-up is blocked, your browser will typically display a notification or icon near the address bar. Select the option to allow pop-ups from this site and restart the registration process.
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Drones as First Responders |
On June 15, the Council authorized the purchase of the Flock Drone as First Responder System (DFR) from Flock Safety. This system will enhance emergency response to the community through improved real-time situational data, increased responder safety and more efficient deployment of public safety resources.
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The Normal Police Department responded to more than 58,000 calls for service in 2025.
- A Drone as First Responder (DFR) program provides personnel with real-time aerial information before arriving on scene. Several Illinois communities employ this technology, including Elk Grove, Oak Brook, Moline and others.
- DFRs provide information about scene conditions, allowing more efficient response and allocation of resources.
- The program will include a transparency portal that publishes public flight information about where and why drones are deployed, while strictly protecting citizen privacy and operational security.
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The Normal Police Department adopted directive #1812 "Unmanned Aerial System and Drone as First Responder" to provide clear, consistent guidance and ensure officers and staff understand expectations, follow applicable laws and perform their responsibilities in a professional and accountable manner.
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On June 15, the Normal Town Council also took the following actions:
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Awarded a contract to for a surface lot expansion project in the College Avenue Parking Deck; this expansion will add 31 spaces on the ground level of the parking structure
- Took several actions to approve changes at 405 W. Northtown, the Church of Christ Subdivision, including vacating easements and rezoning the property which will allow the church to expand its building
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Amended various sections of the Town of Normal Zoning Code related to Battery Energy Storage Systems which allows the Town to appropriately regulate this technology increasingly used to enhance the energy grid and improve energy reliability
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Amended an annexation agreement and approved the final plat of the Infiniti Pointe Subdivison in support of the construction of two 30-unit apartment buildings in the area, about 72 acres at the northwest corner of Parkside Road and West Hovey
- Adopted a resolution supporting the Illinois America250 Commemoration and Commission, recognizing a significant national milestone and encouraging community involvement in commemorative activities
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The Town of Normal collected more than 9,920 cubic yards of brush in April. That's more than all collections in January, February and March combined (6,150 cubic yards)!
The large increase was due to an EF1 tornado that went through Normal April 17 and is a 208% increase compared to March 2026 (3,220 cubic yards).
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Source: Town of Normal Public Works
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Artist Joseph Diaz from Diaz Sign Art puts "cherry on top" and other finishing touches on a newly installed mural at Sprague's Super Service.
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| ICYMI: A Normal Night Out .. In the News! |
On June 5, the Town installed a mural titled "Enjoy a Normal night out" at Sprague's Super Service, 305 E. Pine St. The mural, which gives a nod to two local landmarks, was made possible by a Route 66 Centennial Grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded to Visit BN for multiple projects in McLean County.
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Town of Normal Communications Dept | Normal, IL 61761 US
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