By EDWARD HUSAR
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
Quincy's incumbent first-term mayor announced today he plans to run for re-election in the 2009 municipal elections.
John Spring said he plans to seek the Democratic nomination in the Feb. 24 primary. The general election is April 5. Candidates for municipal office can start filing nominating petitions Monday.
Spring, 60, is the second candidate to announce plans for run for mayor. Dave Bellis, who owns a local construction company, announced his intention last week to seek the Republican nomination.
Spring believes he has done a good job as mayor and hopes voters give him a chance to continue working on the city's behalf for another four-year term.
"I've enjoyed this opportunity to serve," he said. "I consider it a privilege and an honor."
Spring believes his administration has accomplished a lot in the past four years.
"I'm a big proponent of progressiveness, and I think keeping Quincy moving forward is what I'm most proud of," he said. "I've really enjoyed the opportunity to work with people in an inclusive and collaborative way, starting with the City Council. I really feel like we have a great relationship."
Spring believes one of his biggest accomplishments was his role in helping Quincy get a second Amtrak passenger train, which has driven up local ridership numbers significantly. The city also made improvements to the Amtrak depot and expanded the parking lot to accommodate the ridership surge.
"I lobbied awfully hard to get that second train," he said. "One of my goals for the future is for Amtrak is to get the train to St. Louis."
Spring also is proud of his administration's efforts to initiate plans to install hydroelectric plants at three lock and dam locations on the Mississippi River. If this $200 million project moves forward and becomes a reality by 2016, the project not only would provide an alternative source of energy for the community but also serve as a revenue source.
"What a terrific project," Spring said. "This is our future. But for us to achieve this, it's going to require all of us to work together."
Spring also points to his administration's efforts to pump more money into infrastructure improvements in Quincy. He initiated a multi-year plan to set aside $7 million over a four-year period for infrastructure improvements in the seven wards. Spring said $1.52 million in infrastructure enhancements took place this past year alone.
"That's the most money that has ever been put into the seven wards in our community, and we're going to continue to do that," he said.
Another major project involved the $2 million redevelopment of Maine Street from Fourth to 10th. It was financed primarily with federal funds matched with state and local dollars.
Spring is proud of his administration's role in helping with the regional flood-fighting effort this past summer. He said preparations for the flood fight grew out of efforts several years ago to try to help victims of several hurricanes.
Spring said another highlight of his term was the appointment of 25 people to serve on the newly formed Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The commission organized a variety of events this past year to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Quincy's Lincoln-Douglas Debate and is now working on plans to further celebrate Quincy's connections to Lincoln, whose 200th birthday will be celebrated in 2009.
Spring believes he served the community well by encouraging economic development and forming strong working relationships with local, state and federal leaders and by taking an active role in national organizations as the Illinois Municipal League and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
"It's so important to a community to have a mayor that's active," he said.
Spring previously worked 29 years as executive director of the Quincy Notre Dame Foundation. Before that, he taught school in Wentzville, Mo., the Parkway school system in St. Louis and in the Quincy School District.
He grew up in Rock Island and received a bachelor's degree in 1971 from the University of Missouri in St. Louis.
He has been married for 40 years to the former Karen Jansen, a Quincy native. They are the parents of three children -- Stacey, Joshua and Michael -- and have four grandchildren.
-- ehusar@whig.com/221-3378
