ICON’s mission is to improve the quality of life for Springfield neighborhood residents.
ICON’s Vision
ICON preserves, improves and promotes older neighborhoods, whose residences and businesses reflect a commitment to a safe, attractive, viable, livable environment for residents and entrepreneurs.
ICON supports and partners with community leaders and promotes the election of government leaders who share ICON’s vision and who actively work to enhance the appeal of residential neighborhoods with intentional residential and commercial development.
ICON Issues, Beliefs & Advocacy
Foundation: Facts, not Fallacy | Professional City Leadership | Responsible Property Ownership
A Clean Springfield | Neighborhood-appropriate Zoning / Smart Economic Development
Healthy Neighborhoods
Foundation: Facts, not Fallacy
ICON supports neighborhood and City leaders who have a vision for Springfield.
We partner with like-minded organizations to make a difference in Springfield.
We use research, advocacy and action to further our mission and beliefs.
Six Votes for Vision on the City Council Equals Change
Professional City Leadership
Issue: City leaders need to be challenged to be open to innovative ideas for community growth and development by employing professionally trained city managers and planners.
ICON believes in proactive, transparent, efficient government, not just reacting to the same old problems.
Advocacy: A City Planner could identify strategic initiatives, with incentives to encourage development within City limits using existing infrastructure, and work with City leaders to coordinate other initiatives specific to Springfield. A City Manager would ensure continuity and professional expertise in managing a multi-million dollar budget.
Responsible Property Ownership
Issue: Inconsistent and lax enforcement of current environmental and civil ordinances for property owners.
ICON believes good property owners, good landlords and all of Springfield benefit when property is maintained according to City code and problem property owners are held accountable.
Advocacy: To resolve long-term issues with problem and absentee property owners, the City needs to consistently and proactively enforce problem property laws, efficiently and legally foreclose on problem properties, and register non-owner occupied properties to provide a point of contact for complaints and legal action.
A Clean Springfield
Issue: Thousands of residential properties don’t have garbage service and taxpayers pay for picking up garbage for these “garbage scofflaws”. The City of Springfield incurs costs for landfill space and infrastructure maintenance as garbage trucks travel alleys and streets, and much trash can be recycled.
ICON believes that City government is responsible for the health of all residents by removing garbage and waste from all areas of the City regularly, proactively, and efficiently AND that recycling is key to reducing costs and keeping the City cleaner.
Advocacy: Private waste haulers should collect from every residential property in the City and be accountable for specific consistent levels of service. Reduce the mess at home, cut recycling time, and pay for one less garbage can with single stream recycling. Move payment for garbage service to monthly CWLP bills. Recycling fees are paid via CWLP billing ensures all Springfield residents share the costs and benefits of yard waste & branch pickups, recycling, hazardous waste collections and large item pickups.
Neighborhood-appropriate Zoning / Smart Economic Development
Issue: Zoning action inconsistent with the residential character of a neighborhood damages the long-term stability and property values of neighborhoods.
ICON believes in consistent zoning that preserves the character and property values of residential neighborhoods with neighborhood-appropriate commercial areas that provide benefits for residents.
Advocacy: Citizens must be vigilant, understand zoning, and intervene early and consistently in zoning issues. Neighborhoods that want resident-attractive assets and more control over development in their neighborhoods should be encouraged and supported to create neighborhood plans to be incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan.
Healthy Neighborhoods
Issue: The current complaint-driven process in which neighborhood leaders are required to work across City departments to address various problems within their neighborhoods – often for the same property – is difficult to understand, time-consuming, and prevents efficient and proactive resolution to problems.
ICON believes volunteer neighborhood leaders who are working diligently to clean up and revitalize their neighborhoods deserve the support of the City of Springfield and that neighborhood leaders deserve input to decisions that impact their quality of life and property values.
Advocacy: All Springfield residents deserve to live in a safe, healthy, attractive neighborhood.