The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce hosted it's annual lunch on Tuesday. Carbondale Mayor Carolyn Harvey and her staff gave their annual state of the city presentation.
The theme of this year's presentation was Saluki's Build here. Mayor Harvey says the city and the university are intertwined, "With nearly 150 Saluki-owned businesses currently in Carbondale, and with the vision of the Saluki Build Here initiative, we know that number will quickly grow."
City Manager Stan Reno is finishing his first year in the role. He's a Carbondale high school and SIU graduate. He says Saluki alumni do more than come to Carbondale to go to school and study, "They stay, they work, and they help build Carbondale."
Ashley Gibson the City's Community Development Planner discussed the ways the city has worked to tackle issues of livability. She highlighted the work done to make street improvements, expand the city's trail system, and provide curb appeal, down payment, and single family conversion grants allowing people to put down roots and revitalize neighborhoods.
The city also conducted 4000 rental housing inspections during the previous year, ", "Ensuring that the homes our residents live in are safe, healthy, and well-maintained.This work protects renters and strengthens the integrity of our neighborhoods."
In addition to livability the city has worked on improving the economic strength of the city. Steven Mitchell, the city's economic development director says they partnered with the city of Marion and Veteran's Airport to promote daily flights to Chicago increasing accessibility for businesses, visitors, and students. The city has also been able to use 250 thousand dollars into a million dollars of investments.
To take advantage of this growth, they've secured a grant to pursue a marketing plan for 2026. Mitchell explains the goal, "Finally, telling Carbondale's story in a way that matches the grit, creativity, and energy we see here every single day."
Reno says the city's accomplishments are the outcome of mutual support, "It's clear to me that Salukis really do build Carbondale. Our strength doesn't come just from the projects we complete. It comes from the people who step forward with pride to serve, to help their neighbors, and to invest in this place that we all call home."
