One local lawmaker has quite a transition to tackle going from the Illinois House of Representatives to the Illinois Senate.
Senator-elect Chapin Rose is using the next six weeks until he takes over in his new position to familiarize himself with a new district. Rose explains in preparing to make the switch from representing about 105,000 residents in five counties in the House to about 218,000 in the ten counties he will be representing in the new 51st Senate District, the time of transition includes meeting new district officials and residents.
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The new 51st Senate District includes all of Shelby, Moultrie, Douglas, DeWitt, & Piatt Counties, while also covering portions of Macon, McLean, Champaign, Edgar, and Vermilion Counties. Since the November 6th election, Rep. Rose has focused on the “Route 51 Corridor” from Bloomington to Decatur and Mclean, DeWitt, and Macon Counties. While he still has several stops scheduled in the coming month, Rep. Rose says he has already talked with local officials including the McLean County Farm Bureau, Village of Heyworth, Heyworth School District, Village of Clinton, Clinton School District, Dr. John Warner Hospital in Clinton, Maroa-Forsyth School District, Blue Ridge School District, Village of LeRoy, LeRoy School District, Argenta-Oreana School District along with numerous mayors throughout the new district.
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The Senator-Elect explains he will be putting together an advisory board where he will ask officials from the various areas of his new district to serve on so he can get a balanced perspective. He explains since his district is so large, he wants to make sure he is informed of the many issues happening everywhere, not just where he may be at a given time.
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It is very important to Rose that local leaders and citizens can ‘put a face with the name,’ when they need something. He is also focusing right now on meeting and getting to know the folks in the area’s he doesn’t currently represent, but will in another month.
