Calumet City Mayor makes progress on his vision

Thaddeus Jones has been the Mayor of Calumet City since May. Photo provided by Sean Howard
Thaddeus Jones has been the Mayor of Calumet City since May. Photo provided by Sean Howard

Calumet City Mayor makes progress on his vision

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones wants to keep residents in the city at the forefront. Since Jones took office in May, he has been able to erase the budget deficit, cut cost and waste and has increased the
budget. The city also has implemented an afterschool program and an emergency assistance program for residents, as well as assisting businesses in Calumet City.

“All of the funds that were not in the budget, we created programs to make sure that we put Calumet City at the forefront,” Jones said.

Jones is in the process of conducting a forensic audit that in which revealed waste. Jones is committed to being transparent. He said he will cut out programs that are wasteful. Jones said the goal of the audit was accountability and transparency. It has given the administration an opportunity to shine a light on issues that are inherent in the city government.

Calumet City has hired police officers and firefighters. Calumet City held the swearing-in of its first Black woman Police Officer on Thursday, Sept. 30.

Jones’ administration has developed the Shop Calumet City program. The boots on the ground program engages business owners to give their views on Calumet City and what they want to see there. It is part of Jones’ vision to reimagine Calumet City and
get the business community reconnected with the city.

There are roughly 18,000 businesses in Calumet City. Jones wants to sell Calumet City to businesses and encourage them to come there. Jones has sought to reduce the red tape to bring businesses to Calumet City. There are new procedures and new plans to bring businesses to the city.

Jones also has been able to create a partnership with the school districts. The administration has connected with CHAMPS to provide a citywide after school mentoring program. The aim is to ensure
that when students get out of school, they have somewhere safe to go. Calumet City put $250,000 in its budget for an afterschool
program. The goal is to target 1,500 students with the program.

Calumet City has acquired the 39,000 square foot building, located behind Chili’s Restaurant on Torrence Avenue, for their new City Hall. The plan is to move all the city’s departments into one building, and make it handicap accessible. The aim is to house a civic center in the building for use by the residents. Jones believes with its emphasis on technology, the new City Hall, will change the city’s landscape.

Jones addressed the possibility of Calumet City getting a casino. On Oct. 13, Calumet City made a presentation to the Illinois Gaming Board. Part of the presentation includes an entertainment district at the site of the River Oaks Mall.

“We’re not just going to plop down a casino in River Oaks Mall and hope that it works, we’re putting an entertainment destination, that’s going to have effects that will be wide ranging, into Lansing, Indiana,
South Holland and Dolton. We’re going to make sure this project we have will have a regional impact,” Mayor Jones said.

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