From the City Manager's Desk: |
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City Manager Pamela Reece
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| Happy Holidays & Happy New Year! |
This is our last issue of 2025. This year has gone by quickly! As we head into a brand new year, I wish for every member of our community much joy, peace and prosperity.
While the Town's official annual report comes out in early 2026, we've prepared a brief "Normal Wrapped" summary for you, a la Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora (or whatever your listening pleasure). My hats off to the Town of Normal folks who make this progress possible!
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Check out the information below for holiday happenings through the end of the year and a view of birds at Underwood Park! Stay warm, be safe and enjoy the holidays!
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Holiday collection reminder |
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Household garbage and recycling are collected on all holidays, except Christmas.
In 2025, garbage and recycling normally collected on Christmas (Thursday) will be collected on the next regular business day (Friday).
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Normal Wrapped - 2025 edition |
Because highlights deserve to be celebrated.
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Track 1: “We Did That.”
This year, our community turned plans into progress:
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- College Avenue & Landmark Drive intersection improvements - lane striping for this effort will be done when we get a couple of cooperative weather days
- Fairview Skate Park "Back on Board" - this updated amenity re-opened in July
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Fire Station #2 - this new facility is slated to open in January and will enhance response times on the northeast side, balancing coverage across the community
- Improved water service - Eliminated all Town-owned lead and galvanized water services in the community, reducing the total number in Normal to 25 (all privately owned); also completed Hovey & Delaine water main improvements
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Illinois Art Station (IAS) - the Town accepted this donation in the Spring, adding IAS to the Cultural Arts Department programming serving families and children
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Track 2: “People > Everything.”
It wasn’t just projects — it was people.
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- 30 - the median age of attendees at Make Music Normal, a free, all-ages music festival that drew 10,720 to Uptown Normal in 2025
- 3,570 - the largest number of patrons ever to take in a movie at the Normal Theater in October, demonstrating our community's love for Spooky Season
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22,000 - the number of people in Uptown Normal during Sweet Corn Circus
- 78,800 - the number of visitors to Champion Fields
- 297,600-plus - an estimated number of people served through programming from Children's Discovery Museum, Illinois Art Station, Normal Theater, Normal Public Library and Parks & Recreation
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320,000 - the estimated number of items community members checked out at Normal Public Library in 2025
- 692,400 - number of people visiting Uptown Normal from Jan. 1 to Dec. 11
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Top lyric: “We’re glad you’re here.”
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Track 3: “Community Wins.”
Because great things happen when we work together:
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Genre: Feel-good, high-energy, hometown pride.
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Track 4: “Powered by People.”
Normal enjoyed some significant people power:
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Track 5: “On Repeat Next Year.”
Because we’re just getting started. Plans for 2026 include:
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- Continued investment in roads and infrastructure
- A new look for the second floor of the Children's Discovery Museum
- Parks improvements
- Much, much more!
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Soundtrack: Optimism with a steady beat.
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Final note:
No ads. No skip button. Just community progress worth celebrating. Thanks for being part of Normal's story. We can’t wait for next year.
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On Dec. 8, the Normal Town Council took the following actions:
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- Authorized the 2025 Property Tax Levy of $15,707,210 to be collected in FY2026-27 in support of Town retirement obligations and the Normal Public Library operations. The levy is 4.78% higher than the amount levied last year.
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Authorized abatement of the 2025 Property Taxes for Debt Services. This actions supports the Town's tradition of funding debt service from other general fund revenue streams and avoiding the collection of property taxes for debt service.
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This year, the Town of Normal became the 11th city in Illinois (and the first downstate) to be designated a Bird City Illinois community.
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Snow? No problem. Robins brave the winter in Bird City Illinois |
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| Check out this American robin in mid-flight as it grabs a berry from a hackberry tree at Underwood Park!
Native plants such as the hackberry provide critical nutrition for our winter resident birds. The prairie at Underwood Park also offers nutritious seeds to other birds like the dark-eyed junco and white-throated sparrow.
Kudos to our Parks and Rec Department for restoring natural habitat across town! It’s just one of many reasons why we are a designated Bird City in Illinois!
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Consider adding bird-friendly landscaping like native berry bushes, evergreens and seed-bearing plants to your yard. Small changes, like leaving leaf litter for insects or providing fresh, unfrozen water, create a welcoming habitat and make life a little easier for robins and other winter birds calling Normal home.
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| Give the environment a gift |
Place cardboard in your recycling cart |
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Got big cardboard boxes from holiday deliveries or weekend projects? Before you set them out, break them down and slide them into your recycling cart.
When cardboard is left on the curb, it isn't collected for recycling and instead heads straight to the landfill. That's a waste we can easily avoid. Flattening boxes keeps recyclable materials in circulation and supports the Town's commitment to sustainability. Thanks for helping us give cardboard a second life!
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Too much cardboard? Take it to a recycling drop-off location: |
- Jewel Osco, 901 S. Cottage Ave.
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Walmart, 300 Greenbriar Dr.
- Crossroads Center, 464 Wylie Dr.
- Heartland Community College (Lot K), 1500 W. Raab Rd.
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