Mount Prospect Village Manager enjoyed receiving his Rotary cookbook AND his Rotary shopping sack for all the groceries he'll need to buy!
 
We had a blast from the past pay us a visit today.  Past Club President Matt Skelly was in the area and joined us for lunch.  Matt was president in 2002-2003 before he moved to Kankakee and then Ottawa.  
 
Dawn Collins, Executive Director of the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce also came to hear MP's Village Manager Mike Cassady's talk.  
 
Mike Cassady is a local guy.  He grew up in Arlington Heights and always wanted knew he wanted to return to the area.  After serving in the Air Force, Mike earned his masters in Public Administration at SIU.  His first job after graduating was with Palatine which was just entering a stretch of phenomenal growth, particularly through annexation.  When Mike started at Palatine, their population was 39,000.  When he left several years later, it was 66,000.  
 
Mike came to Mount Prospect as they were charting their strategic plan.  They identified several top priorities that will occupy most of Mike's energies. He will work to improve outreach to Mount Prospect's diverse communities as well as cooperation with other local agencies.  Central & Main and the Triangle properties are key areas for development and an analysis of critical road intersections will play a part in that development.  
 
Mike reported that the Village expects a $830,000 surplus in 2016.  70% of the $35.8 million in debt the Village holds should be paid off within 10 years.  These promising economic numbers come from strong growth, particularly along Kensington and in Randhurst.  The commercial vacancy rate has dropped from 14% in 2014 to just 3.7% this year!  Recent annexations of over 100 acres will add $50 million in new EAV to the Village, allowing them to spread the tax burden over a larger base.  
 
Mike is off to a solid start and we are excited to look forward to the Village's continued success.