Category: City Manager’s Office News

New Mayor Feinen Podcast Features the Downtown Plan Update

In the latest episode of The Mayor Feinen Podcast, Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen sat down with Senior Planner Eric VanBuskirk to discuss the ongoing update to Champaign’s Downtown Plan. With the last plan dating back to 2006, this revision aims to address Champaign’s evolving needs.VanBuskirk shares insights into the extensive community engagement efforts, including surveys […]


LIFT Black History Month

On Monday, February 19, 2025, City Manager Joan Walls, accompanied by Community Relations Manager, Tracy Parsons and Community Relations Specialist, Mikal Washington from the Equity and Engagement Department, attended the LIFT Black History Month event at Neil St. Blues Champaign County Clerk, Aaron Ammons, delivered an informative presentation on the complex process of expungement. This […]


CPD Year in Review Video

Earlier this month, the Champaign Police Department shared their 2024 year-end statistics and accomplishments with our community. To better highlight this information, the Communications Division and Police Department worked collaboratively to write a script, gather visual content, and produce a year-in-review video for residents. The final product told CPD’s great story about recruitment, proactive public […]


Presentations Made to University of Illinois Environmental Leadership Program

On January 17, 2025, Council Member Kathy Shannon and Communications Manager Jeff Hamilton presented at the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of Illinois. Council Member Shannon spoke about her experiences as a City Council member, provided suggestions on how residents can advocate more effectively, and explained how the City’s land use policy can have […]


2025 MLK Jr. Countywide Celebration

On Sunday, January 19, 2025,  the community came together to commemorate the annual Countywide Celebration honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The two-hour event celebrated several remarkable individuals, including students who received scholarships, Pastor E. Shelby for his 40 years of service in organizing and planning the event, and Chancellor Robert J. Jones, recognized […]


City of Champaign Announces Appointment of New Deputy City Manager

Today the City of Champaign announced the appointment of Nancy L. Rabel to serve as the City’s next Deputy City Manager starting December 16, 2024. Rabel has more than 25 years of combined municipal administration and extensive experience serving as an attorney for both public and private entities. She has served the City of Champaign […]


New Episode of Champaign Spotlight Features Public Works Director

Get to know Champaign’s new Public Works Director Terry Lusby, Jr. in the latest episode of Champaign Spotlight! Terry shares insights about his professional journey and provides an overview of the essential services the Public Works Department provides to our community. From maintaining streets to managing city infrastructure, discover how this critically important department keeps Champaign […]


New Episode of The Mayor Feinen Podcast Focuses on CPD Reaccreditation

In the newest installment of her podcast, Mayor Feinen sits down with ILEAP Director/Chief, Jeff Hamer, and CPD’s Lt. Greg Manzana, to discuss the Champaign Police Department’s recent reaccreditation as a Tier 2 department, the highest standard of excellence. In this episode, they talk about: what Tier 2 accreditation means for the Champaign community, how […]