The Citizens Club of Springfield is hosting a policy breakfast on the Sangamon County Project on Friday, January 26 at 8 a.m. at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. A countywide, economic development corporation with an annual $1.5-2 million budget has been proposed, based on a report issued last fall.

Sangamon County government contracted with The Development Consortium, Inc. (TDC) in the fall of 2016 to review and evaluate past and current economic development practices in the Sangamon County region.  The second phase of the project included benchmarking current efforts in other regions, while the third phase involved a review of past economic development and planning studies.

Between Sept 2016 and May 2017, TDC staff interviewed nearly 130 individuals, employees and business leaders, organizations, developers, contractors, educators, unions, government agencies, local and state officials, national and regional site selection consultants, and other interested parties. The Sangamon County Project is the final report, issued in September 2017.

The presenters at the policy breakfast will be J. Craig Coil and Janet Mathis from The Development Consortium, Inc. Coil is a co-founder of The Development Consortium, Inc., and currently serves as Principal and COO. Mathis is also a co-founder and serves as Principal and CEO.

TDC focuses on economic development, site selection, financing, incentive negotiations, Illinois Enterprise Zones, and related activities

The purpose of the Citizens Club of Springfield is to promote public, civic, and cultural welfare, particularly relating to Springfield and its metropolitan area by educating its members and the general public in matters concerning public issues and events.