Larry Rennels is running for re-election. He is currently on the Charleston City Council.

What relevant former jobs have you held?

I have a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology. I worked for Motorola Inc. for eleven years designing and managing the design of pagers and two-way radios.

I returned to my hometown of Charleston in 1980 to join the television and appliance business that my father started in 1959. I have served on the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and I served as the president of the board in 1998. I am a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and have held several leadership roles at the church. I am currently the vice-president of the congregation. I served on the seven county Community Youth Service Board. I served as a member of the Telecommunications Technical Advisory Commission on East – West Trade to the U.S. Department of Commerce. I currently serve on the EIU External Relations Committee and I am finishing my first four-year term on the Charleston City Council.

Why are you qualified to be on the City Council?

I love Charleston and I want to do whatever I can do to make it a better place to live. I enjoy being involved and helping people. My engineering and business background give me the experience to make sound business decisions.

What minor changes would you like to make to the city?

I have a difficult time identifying “minor” issues. To me, if something is important enough to be addressed then I address it. When one of the issues that I have been addressing is resolved and I am ready to address the next issue, I prioritize the issues at that time.

What major changes would you like to make to the city?

The next major project for the City of Charleston is a new water treatment plant. The Federal regulations concerning water are changing and the current plant cannot meet the new standards. In addition, Charleston water has a taste and odor problem for many years and this new water treatment plant must correct this problem. This next City Council will be required to plan and finance the new water treatment plant.

What is something you would like to see the city build on?

Charleston and the surrounding area are rich in Lincoln history. I would like to make Charleston more of a tourist stop than it has been in the past. Many people visit Lincoln Log Cabin State Park each year. I would like to see more of these visitors spend some time and money in Charleston. The new Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum and the murals on the walls of several of the downtown buildings are the beginnings of this effort.

What is something that definitely needs to be changed immediately?

I believe that we have addresses pressing issues as they have been identified and I am not aware of any specific unidentified issue.

There is a comprehensive plan and a five-year plan of work in place to address the issues that have been identified.

One thing you would like people to know about you …

I am an honest caring person who is always available to the residents of Charleston to discuss anything that is on their mind. I give 110 % to my work as a member of the City Council and I always approach every decision or vote by asking the question, “What is in the best interest of all of the residents of Charleston?”

What are your feelings on the following issues?

Widening 4th Street …

I believe that the replacement of the bridge on 4th Street and the repair of 4th Street are important projects that must be completed. I feel that the nature of the 4th Street neighborhood does not lend itself to a 30 ft. wide street. I will work to find a way to get a waiver from the State of Illinois to allow motor fuel tax funds to be used for the repairs without widening the street to their specified 30-ft. I also feel that the sidewalk on the west side should be repaired and no sidewalk should be added to the east side.

Bar entry age …

I feel that since the Illinois State law says that the minimum age for consumption and purchase of alcohol is 21, the entry age should be the same. The state legislature is the only body which has the authority to change this law. Since I have sworn to enforce the laws of the State of Illinois, I feel that making the entry age lower than the legal consumption and purchase age would make it much more difficult for the bar owners, the bartenders and the police to enforce the law.

Condition of the city …

I think that there are many areas of the city that need to have private property cleaned up and fixed up. I believe that much progress has been made in the past few years and with the new unified development code that is being considered, we will be able to make much more progress. The City’s infrastructure is being updated and repaired in an orderly manner per the five-year plan of work that has been developed by the City Council and the City Staff. Unfortunately it takes time to complete the job. Not everything can be done at once.

The relationship between the city and the university …

I believe that the relationship between the city and the university is very good. There is always room for improvement, but I feel that the External Relations Committee which was created about two years ago continues to provide the opportunity to address concerns as they arise and continues to allow the relationship to improve. I have participated in every one of the External Relations Committee meetings and if re-elected I will continue to participate.

Bringing big corporations to the city …

Walmart has been in Charleston since the mid 1980’s. The Super Walmart in Mattoon was drawing a large number of Charleston residents along with the sales tax revenue to Mattoon. I feel that the opening of the new Super Walmart in Charleston helped alleviate this situation without placing anymore undue strain on the smaller local businesses. The new development, which Walmart started on the East Side of town, will grow and provide new retail space for more new smaller businesses. As a small businessman myself I have learned how to compete with the large chain stores and I do not fear them. I would like to see more family type restaurants in Charleston and I believe that a 24-hour restaurant would be a very good addition.