Former Normal mayor to address council on Metro Zone

Posted on March 6, 2017

Bloomington and Normal forged the Metro Zone agreement in 1986 to help land the now-closed Mitsubishi Motors plant. (WJBC file photo)

By Eric Stock

NORMAL – Former Normal mayor Paul Harmon will address the current town council on Monday about the now-canceled Metro Zone tax-sharing agreement with Bloomington.

Normal Town Council member Kevin McCarthy told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin and Patti Penn the two cities need to bring this dispute to a resolution.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Patti’s interview with McCarthy on WJBC.

“Normal never left the negotiating table,” McCarthy said. “We are still sitting there. (Bloomington) Mayor (Tari) Renner said in his public comments that the door is open. I hope he means that.”

Harmon was mayor when the Twin Cities agreed to the deal. Bloomington unilaterally canceled the three-decades old agreement last week, which has led to a public dispute between the two mayors. Normal will discuss its response at tonight’s meeting.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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