City, County Officials Say Economic Development Efforts Are Just Beginning, Local/Area Projects Are Starting To Progress
by Fred Arnold, Belleville Telescope
Belleville Mayor Adam Robertson says you can feel the vibe. “People notice when more is going on,” he said.
“They can see the town busier, more traffic and more people moving in or moving back here. They can sense the positive vibe. People are noticing.”
The mayor said growth in the retail, service and industrial sectors has brought Belleville to an all new level.
“Where once there was a downtown full of empty buildings, we are now full,” he said. “People are now starting to ask about upstairs spaces, and what buildings might be coming available.”
Republic County Economic Development Director Jenny Russell said the recently announced addition of DG Market to Belleville is a prime example of how “living rural” does work. She said US36 has become a hot spot for development the last couple of years.
“Dollar General (corporate owners of DG Market) has been part of the community for a long time and continues to refresh as the community evolves,” she said. “The company’s expansion is a nice nod to resident’s continued commitment to shop at home. Shopping at home really makes a difference in the services we can maintain in Republic County.”
Belleville City Councilman James Doyle said following a career in the military, he had the choice to return back to his hometown. It’s a choice he said he has not regretted. Doyle said a growing business district, and off the chart demand for new and available housing to fill hundreds of job openings, are a big driver of Belleville’s resurgence.
“The fight is not over, the work is not done,” he said. “We are eons ahead of where we were as a community when I graduated high school and left town.” But the councilman said he agreed with the mayor.
Things are happening and people are taking notice. “Ten years ago, our park and pool were old, the schools were falling in, and people were leaving town left and right,” Doyle said. “We’ve reversed that. We’re not standing still.”