Breaking News ... Danielle Chynoweth, City Council Member from Ward 2 and Mayor Pro Tem, who has served for the past 7 years, is stepping down from Council. Here is a copy of the letter sent from Ms. Chynoweth to the Mayor and Council Members today:

Dear Mayor Prussing and Urbana City Council Members,

Please accept this letter announcing my resignation from Urbana City Council.

After much consideration and attempts to schedule my professional life around council commitments, I have concluded that, with greatly increased travel and professional commitments, I will not be in a position to adequately serve Ward 2 residents.

Through my business, OJC Technologies, I have taken on the role of Development Director for Patch Adams. This new role will require me to travel extensively in the next year as we gather support to build a Health Care Teaching Center and Free Clinic in West Virginia. This is just one part of the growth in business we are experiencing at OJC. Other new contracts will be taking me out of the country as well.

These changes involve exciting professional opportunities as well as benefits for downtown Urbana. OJC Technologies, a company of 18 staff members (and growing), will be expanding into an office space in the former Busey Hall/Princess Theater on Main Street. This will allow OJC to grow, and for the Independent Media Center, which housed OJC for the past three years, to provide expanded services for artists and non-profits in the downtown post office building it owns.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you all and am proud of what we have accomplished together:
• Urbana’s new Public Arts Program, along with the gallery incentive program, will support and grow the arts and culture throughout Urbana.
• A Citizen Review Board of Police now provides independent review of citizen complaints.
• Business on Philo Road is expanding and beautification efforts are underway.
• Our new Rental Registration program protects tenant safety and levels the playing field for landlords.
• City Hall is more diverse in terms of gender and race than it has ever been in history.
• The firefighters have a contract that respects their contribution to this community.
• Urbana is installing bike lanes and paths throughout the city.
• The City of Urbana has sponsored two affordable homes that use passive solar to reduce energy costs by up to 75% and will soon be home to an entire affordable green neighborhood that will set a new standard for energy efficiency.
• Urbana Public Television has grown to hundreds of members and efforts are underway to establish a stand-alone public access television station where non-profits, churches, and residents can have a local voice.
• We have exciting plans for Boneyard Creek developments including a park and performance space by the creek that will greatly enhance downtown Urbana.
I am also proud of accomplishments with the previous council. We expanded the library, passed a living wage ordinance, passed an anti-war resolution which we hand delivered to Congress, and acknowledged the relationships of gay, lesbian, and non-married straight couples with our Domestic Partner Registry. And we consistently supported the growth and proliferation of local businesses that keep our tax dollars local.

Of the all changes, the one I am most proud of is the blossoming of citizen participation in government. Many council meetings are well attended because citizens see that their input has impact.

I am honored and blessed to have been able to serve Urbana for the past seven years. I thank everyone who has challenged me and supported me through these years. Although I am stepping down, I have every intention to stay in the community and continue to work to improve it, whether that be through holding a future elected position or in another role in our community. I wish you all the very best.

Sincerely,

Danielle Chynoweth
412 W. Illinois St.
Lovely Urbana, Illinois