Centralia Interim City Manager Forrest Langenfeld (at the head of the table) answers questions during an afternoon coffee get-together at the Centralia Chamber of Commerce office. Photo by Tyler Perkins.
Centralia Interim City Manager Forrest Langenfeld told a Thursday afternoon Coffee at the Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce developing a qualified workforce is at the top of the city’s needs.
While he wants to return the city’s economic development efforts back to the way it was a number of years ago, Langenfeld says the city needs a larger base of qualified workers to even meet the needs of existing industries.
“I’m not talking about just $10-15 an hour jobs in the food industry or retail. We have one manufacturer that I have spoken to that has openings with expansion planned for our facility but it’s kept being pushed back because they cannot fill all the open positions. And this starts from $20-30 per hour.”
Langenfeld says another company is looking at moving six to eight workers to Centralia, but available housing is another concern. He notes one developer is currently planning to build two spec housing in Centralia.
Langenfeld hopes to begin addressing the concerns with a job fair that will be held as soon as late May that would feature available jobs, training programs available through Kaskaskia College and needed housing development. There will be a video completed of major highlights that will be taken on the road.
Langenfeld says once the Illinois Housing Development Authority completes a master plan of Centralia housing, the city will get extra points in seeking grants to improve the city’s housing. He said to expect the city to apply for a lot of grants for everything that will help the community. Langenfeld says two will be submitted this summer. They include one for housing and another for public facilities that could pay for the half-million-dollar cost of replacing the raw water line to Carlyle Lake.
Langenfeld says the city will receive $1.5-million in COVID relief funding from the federal government that can be used to pay for public safety salaries during the pandemic as well as for infrastructure improvements.
He’s hoping the funds will help the city rebuild its reserves that were run down during the renovation and move of city hall. That will also help him address the city’s poor bond rating.
Langenfeld noted the city is currently working with Ameren on additional street lighting. Among the areas addressed will be the 100 block of North Maple where residents have been concerned about recent crimes.
Langenfeld is unsure how long his tenure as interim city manager will last, but says he’ll remain involved in helping the city as a private citizen.
