Guide to Local Politicians
As close knit as the twin cities of Bloomington-Normal are, they are both two separate functioning entities with their own elected officials. The City Council is the group of officials that makes the decisions for the city or town itself. Mayors are the chairman of this council. Alderman are elected to serve on the city council with the mayor. They work to make peoples lives easier in their respective city or town.
"Normal operates under a council/manager form of government. The Town's legislative authority is vested in a seven-member Board of Trustees (council) consisting of the president (mayor) and six Trustees (council members). Under this system, the mayor and council are responsible for enacting local laws, ordinances and resolutions as well as determining overall Town policies. The mayor and council are elected at large in nonpartisan elections and serve four year terms. The mayor and council are considered part-time Town employees."
excerpt from the information page on Normals Website
Bloomington has their city separated into Wards and each Alderman is given a Ward as an area of responsibility.
If you are curious of which alderman is assigned to your area of town, the hyperlink attached to the described Ward has a map that shows where that ward is made up of.
MAYORS
Mayor Tari Reener (Bloomington)
-Tari Renner currently holds the office of Mayor in the city of Bloomington, Illinois. With A very respectable career in politics thus far, Tari’s first term as Mayor of the city was sworn in on May 1, 2013. His history as an elected official includes three terms on the McLean County Board (within the years of 1998 and 2010) while representing District 8.
-For two years starting in 1986 he was the Director of Research for the International City/County Management Association. His specialized interests in research have been on local government policy-making structures and American elections. He holds a Ph.D and a M.A. in Political Science from American University.
-He is currently a Professor of Political Science at Illinois Wesleyan University and was hired as Chair of the department in 1994.
-He was born in Miami Beach, Florida and is the father of his two sons Max and Alex Renner.
Mayor Chris Koos (Normal)
- Chris Koos currently holds the office of Mayor in the Town of Normal, Illinois. He has served the Town of Normal as Mayor since the year 2003(three full terms). In his last election in April of 1013 he won by a margin of 1,000 votes to his closest opponent Victor Connor.
-During his terms, he has accomplished things such as maintaining a AAA credit rating for the Town of Normal. He also played a large hand in the completion of the development in Uptown Normal which he believes is the envy of towns across the nation. He has also put Normal on the map with the endorsement of electric cars. Watch the commercial for the car here.
- He is the proud owner of Vitesse Cycle Shop and Often Running. They are both specialty shops located in Uptown Normal.
ALDERMAN
Alderman(Ward 1) Kevin Lower (City of Bloomington)
-Kevin Lower is the Alderman of Ward 1 in the City of Bloomingotn. He is from the city of Heyworth and graduated from Heyworth High School. He graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He worked as an airline pilot and a flying instructor for many years before working for Anderson Ford where he is currently employed.
- He has been elected precinct committeeman for precinct 18. He was elected as an Alderman April 2013. He currently volunteers as Unit Commissioner for Crossroads District of W.D. Boyce Council, Boy Scouts of America.
- He earned his Eagle Scout award at the age of thirteen.
Alderman(Ward 2) David Sage (City of Bloomington)
-David Sage was elected to the city council in 2007
-He graduated high school from Bloomington High School, and also has his B.A. and M.A. from Illinois State University.
-He has served in a few community organizations such as The Bloomington Planning Commission, Habitat for Humanity, and the Unit 5 Citizens advisory council.
Alderman(Ward 3) Mboka Mwilambwe (City of Bloomington)
-Mboka was appointed to the City Council in March of 2011 to serve out the term of the previous Alderman for Ward 3. Mboka was then elected on April 9, 2013.
-Mboka was born in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo). His father serves in many humanitarian organizations while he was growing up. It is through those experiences with his father that Mboka "Began to appreciate the differences in all human beings and value what those differences can bring to the table".
-Mboka graduated from High School in 1989. He graduated from ISU with a B.A. in Mathematics in 1994.
-Mboka works for ISU and has since 1997.
-Mboka is fluent in three other languages (French, Swahili and Lingala)
Alderman (Ward 4) Judith I. Stearns (Bloomington)
-She went to Franklin High School, which is no longer around. She also attended Illinois Wesleyan University. She also has attended Illinois State University and graduated with honors.
-Judy is President and founder of Cultural District Neighborhood Association.
-She is a board member of McLean County Apartment Association and the Old House Society.
-She was employed for 20 years as an Emergency Department nurse.
