By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Connect Transit and recreational cannabis were among the talking points Thursday during the McLean County Chamber of Commerce “State of BN” discussion.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos said the Connect Transit working group should deliver its recommendations for the transit system sometime in January. Renner said the transit board could be more diverse.

“We have people of color, east siders, west siders, millennials, people in their 20s. We’ve diversified our boards and commissions, but that doesn’t mean every single one of them is diversified,” Renner said.

Meantime, both local governments are preparing for recreational marijuana, which becomes legal Jan. 1 in Illinois. Normal’s council has already set its guidelines to allow cannabis-related businesses. The Bloomington City Council will discuss recreational weed at its meeting on Dec. 16.

Normal City Manager Pam Reece and Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason were asked to recap their first years on the job. Reece said both communities continue to work together and with others around McLean County.  Gleason said it has been a year of change.

“I’m trying to install this attitude and philosophy within the organization of ‘can do,’ especially when we’re talking about economic development and opportunities,” said Gleason.

City leaders also discussed federal funding for the underpass project in Uptown Normal and preparing for the 2020 Census.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]