If you look up the term “public servant” you will find, in certain dictionaries, a simple definition of “a government official.” That is just nebulous enough to encompass a large swath of elected and appointed people in government. Their quality may vary. It’s one reason why we have elections. When we find a good public servant, it’s hard to let them go. Such is the case with Champaign City Council member Vic McIntosh.
Vic’s last official day as a public servant will be May 31st, though his final city council meeting occurred on Tuesday, May 24th. Regrettably, I was unable to attend the meeting and say my public farewell to him along with our council colleagues. This column will serve as my goodbye to Vic, and as a reminder to readers about what Champaign is losing with his departure.
Before becoming a council member, Vic McIntosh served his country in the United States Armed Forces. Following that, he worked for the State of Illinois for over twenty years. His first run at Champaign City Council proved unsuccessful, but, with Vic’s typical determination, he tried again and won, finding his niche representing the people of District 3.
The truth is that, while council member McIntosh was elected by the voters of District 3, and served them well, he truly represented all the citizens of the city of Champaign. Earlier this month, he was publicly thanked by a member of the public for his involvement in the West Washington St. Watershed project, which is not in his district. This reminded me of a meeting I was at a few years ago, while serving on the Champaign County Board, about the old YMCA facility in central Champaign. Again, this wasn’t in Vic’s council district, but there he was, at the meeting and engaged with members of the public who were concerned about what the relocation of the YMCA could portend for their neighborhood.
There are probably lots of stories folks have of when Vic was there to represent them. And he did so much to help the community during his time (over a decade) on city council. The Garden Hills neighborhood in northwest Champaign is in district 3, and council member McIntosh has done his best to represent it. Whether it’s including the area in an enterprise zone, or talking with landlords about what improvements can be made to their properties, Vic has been engaged in providing the neighborhood with some TLC.
Vic has focused on improvements to infrastructure during his tenure of elected office. From pushing for the need for street lights, to guiding an improvement to Bradley Ave. to, most recently, quietly spearheading an initiative to tackle the city’s backlog of improvements to its arterial roadways, council member McIntosh hasn’t just had ideas about what to do, but has doggedly worked with fellow council members, city staff and the citizens of Champaign to find ways to make things happen.
On a personal level, serving alongside Vic this past year has been a pleasure. I wasn’t sure what to expect from him after I was elected. We’re not close in age, background, or politics, but it soon became clear that I need not have worried. The Champaign City Council functions on a non-partisan basis. Sure, those of us who serve on it have our political leanings, but Vic was someone who made it clear to me from the get-go that we’re here to serve the people of Champaign, and not partisan interests.
True to his word, Vic showed me, through action and through words, what it means to be a great city council member. He could have taken the differences that we had and decided to use it as an excuse not to work together, but instead he proved to be a wonderful mentor, imparting his years of council knowledge in a quiet, yet effective way. Vic knows how to give advice without sounding pompous, which isn’t always easy to do. And, always, his thoughts and suggestions came from a place of common good for the people of Champaign.
In truth, what we are losing upon the resignation of Vic McIntosh is a good, hard working advocate for the citizenry of Champaign. I could rattle-off all of the things Vic has done for the community, but it really comes down to goals, effort, time and work of the man who has devoted nearly twelve years to serving the people of his district, and of the city of Champaign. Not only is Vic McIntosh a solid public servant, but he is what one would call a good and decent man. His presence on the Champaign City Council will be missed.