Author brings ideas for success to Mahomet

MAHOMET – Mahomet may be able to spark economic development by tapping University of Illinois resources and drawing on young people who grew up in Mahomet and want to return, an expert on small-town development says.

About 100 Mahomet residents showed up at Grace Church on Tuesday evening to hear "Boomtown" author Jack Schultz talk about how the village can attract businesses and achieve success.

Schultz, an Effingham native, is author of "Boomtown USA – the 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns." The Mahomet Taxpayer and Business Coalition sponsored his visit, one of more than 220 he has made in 41 states to help small towns improve their economic development plans.

"Change is happening in Mahomet, and it has been for years," said Mahomet Mayor Deb Braunig. Its population has nearly quintupled from 1,365 in 1990 to 5,714 today.

But the growth has been all residential, said Lee Jessup, a representative from the Mahomet Taxpayer and Business Coalition.

"We need to figure out a way to kick-start the commercial side," Jessup said. "We're not looking for a Wal-Mart or anything big. We're looking for some small six-, eight- or 10-person businesses to revitalize the town."

Schultz talked to the Mahomet group about many towns that had done just that.

"I'm really impressed with the houses and schools and forest preserves in this town," Schultz said. "The great turnout shows the spirit of your town and the vision of the community."

Schultz described the growing popularity of Mahomet and other towns he called "agurbs," which are towns far enough from major metropolitan areas not to be suburbs but large enough to attract people looking to get away from the big cities.

From 2001 to 2005, one-third of the new jobs created were located in such towns, Schultz said.

"People are attracted to the quality of life in places like this," he said. "And with fewer and fewer restrictions on transportation, people are living where they want to live."

Schultz said each town takes a different approach to growth. Officials in Leavenworth, a town of 1,000 in Washington state, decided to convert their town to a Bavarian village, despite economic development experts advising against it. The town doubled its population, and its chamber of commerce now has 500 members.

Mahomet officials could take their own unique approach by using resources from the University of Illinois, Schultz said.

"You really have a great brain-pool of both people who went to the university and young people who came from here but have since moved on to Chicago or New York," he said. "There are probably plenty of those people who have a soft spot in their heart for Mahomet and you could encourage them to come home and start a business here."

The Boomtown Boot Camp program, which Schultz and his Community Project Coordinator Megan Beeler proposed, would involve gathering 15 to 20 community members from the village board, school board, county board, chamber of commerce and other local organizations to share and coordinate their visions for the town's future.

"There are a lot of strategic action plans out there, but a lot of them sit there and collect dust," Beeler said. "We would be there to make sure that the plan was actually implemented and working for the town."

Tuscola recently participated in the boot camp, and Beeler said the biggest noticeable difference in the town was the new influx of volunteerism and community spirit.

Jim Fialkowski, president of the Mahomet Chamber of Commerce, said he thought most community members were looking forward to the changes and new businesses being proposed by Schultz and the coalition.

"People are getting tired of the tax base issues," Fialkowski said. "The residential taxes are supporting everything, and it would be nice to take a little of the load off."

The Mahomet Taxpayer and Business Coalition has scheduled a follow-up public meeting for 7 p.m. Aug. 15 in Grace Church to further discuss investing in the boot camp and other economic development concerns.

Braunig said it's important that the future growth of Mahomet is beneficial to all involved.

"We just want to make sure we are directing it in a positive way, a way that maintains the character of the town but still offers opportunities to our children and grandchildren," Braunig said.

For more information on the Boomtown USA project, visit www.boomtowninstitute.com.

Maureen Wilkey for The News-Gazette

Posted on August 2, 2006