Our Daily Show! With CJ Nasello Ft. Alderman Meehan, Trustee Lombardi, and More!
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GODFREY - Craig Lombardi, a Village Trustee in Godfrey, believes everyone in town is firing on all cylinders.
Lombardi recently stopped by “Our Daily Show” with CJ Nasello to talk about his work as a trustee and the village’s plans for gaming, the rec center and more. He says Godfrey is moving in a positive direction and he hopes to secure another term as trustee so he can continue to help the community grow.
“Godfrey has a lot of good things going on right now,” he said. “The trustees, we work very hard, and the mayor. We try to make Godfrey as great as it can be.”
Lombardi commended Director of Economic Development Jim Mager for his recent “40 Under 40” study, wherein he spoke with young people and families about what they want to see in Godfrey. Lombardi said the village’s growth has been “marginal” since 2010, and he is eager to have more conversations about what the town needs to thrive.
While he said he doesn’t necessarily want to see Godfrey become as big as nearby Edwardsville, he would welcome more businesses, a hotel, and a growing population.
“Godfrey is a phenomenal place to live. There’s no ifs, ands or buts. But if you don’t have a plan for what you’re going to do going forward in the future?” he said. “What I’m saying is, if you’re going to continue to have and want this to survive — and I actually say survive — then you’re going to have to figure out a way to get these younger families in here.”
As part of this goal, Lombardi is pleased to see the rec center gaining more attention. He said he brought this plan to the village two years ago and he is glad it is moving forward.
“I think if we can do this sports complex in a great way, I just think that would be a huge thing for Godfrey,” he said. “I’m excited about this, and if we do it right and we partner with Lewis and Clark, Godfrey will be phenomenal.”
Meanwhile, he gave a special shoutout to Mike Fisher and Sarah Woodman, who have been closely following questions about gaming in Godfrey. These two trustees have done a lot of research.
Lombardi said the village decided two years ago that they didn’t want more gaming in town. While he explained that the Board of Trustees is currently “still working on a lot of things,” he noted that they are “trying to figure out everything” regarding gaming and how to move forward.
No matter which side of an issue you’re on, Lombardi added that he wants to hear from you. He encourages everyone in Godfrey to get involved and attend their meetings, or you can stream the meetings on RiverBender.com.
He emphasized that he works hard to make sure Godfrey continues to grow and thrive. He, like the other trustees and village leaders, wants what’s best for his hometown.
“No matter if it’s good for me or bad for me, I do what the best for Godfrey is. And trust me, I’ve run into several things where it’s not really what’s conducive to me. But that is the fun part of being a trustee, is doing the work,” he said. “Be involved. Don’t complain if you’re not involved. If you want to complain and you’re involved, please do. We're here to make Godfrey the best. The mayor wants that and I know all the trustees want that. But I do hope next April that people vote again for me because I love doing this and I love Godfrey. I always have.”
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