‘Mount Prosperous’: Mount Prospect mayor upbeat about village’s future
During his State of the Village address Thursday, Mount Prospect Mayor Paul Hoefert coined a new phrase for the village: “Mount Prosperous.”
It summed up an upbeat speech during the event, presented by the village’s Economic Development Commission at the Old Orchard Country Club.
Hoefert had plenty of reasons for optimism, among them the village board’s decision Tuesday to buy the dormant former Chase Bank building at 111 E. Busse Ave.
“I think everybody in this room knows that this is something that this community has wanted forever,” he said.
But Hoefert outlined several other reasons to be upbeat, among them the village’s healthy financial state. Sales taxes are up 8.8% to $36.7 million. Home rule sales taxes are up 3.3% to $7.5 million.
As a result, he said, “We’re going to continue to reduce our dependency on property taxes to fund our operations.”
He also expects the village’s credit rating to improve.
The mayor pointed to the vibrancy of the downtown, with such residential projects as The Dawson, HQ Residences and Prospect Place. He also noted new businesses and restaurants, including Lady Dahlia Mexican Kitchen, Whiskey Hill Brewery & Kitchen and the Khepri Cafe.
Hoefert lauded what he called the “Randhurst Renaissance,” signified by the opening of such new tenants as Macy’s. He also acknowledged such commercial successes in the Rand Road corridor as Raising Cane’s.
The village’s rapid industrial growth to the south was also mentioned, with such projects as the Seefried Industrial Building at 1305 E. Algonquin Road and the Cloud HQ Campus at 1200 E. Algonquin Road.
Hoefert said the village has shown its commitment to public safety. The police department has 88 sworn officers and is working to hire two more. Also, the fire department has 81 sworn firefighter/paramedics.
He said the village has also improved safety with such public improvements as the Main Street and Busse Avenue pedestrian crossing downtown. It includes a safety island in the middle.
He touched on public works improvements, including one at Levee 37 along the Des Plaines River that took hundreds of residents out of the flood plain.
During Thursday’s ceremony, the Economic Development Commission also honored several businesses and business people — Al’s Shoe Service, Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets, The Kautz Family, Lady Dahlia Mexican Kitchen, Nicholas & Associates and T2 Capital Management.