Dennis Ralph Cooper for City Council 2023

Policy Positions

• Cannabis Dispensaries: Mostly Approves. I previously wrote 'Cooper says he would vote yes for cannabis dispensaries "unless I'm shown a better option", and that he has voted yes for dispensaries in the past.' Cooper has been consistent in supporting medical dispensaries, but has been more timid about his support for recreational dispensaries. In a City Council Forum, he said he is "not totally sold on" a recreational facility but says that council needs to "open up and really look at a medical facility"
• Supports FLOCK Cameras which scan license plates, saying they have helped Decatur PD solve some major crimes.
• Public Safety: He advocates for "hard sentences" and no plea-deals for gun crimes, and says we need to open up & talk about changing gun laws, despite it being a divisive political issue.

Goals / Priorities

• Top 3 Priorities: Safety, Jobs, & Accountability
• Transparency
• Continue with revitalization, tearing down defunct structures and repairing livable ones
• Put families in repaired structures, in part to bring in more tax dollars.
• Advocates for Decatur buses to help seniors, disabled people, and low income people get to medical appointments.
• Extend transit transit service to Decatur Airport
• Very focused on increasing City revenue
• Look "out of the box" to figure out what to do with vacant lots, to get people those lands for free & improve them to bring in tax dollars and make the neighborhoods "look well".
• He says we need to continue to improve our police departments
• Support economic development and improvement
• Get kids (starting with 8th graders) into trades
• Bring in military recruiting, in part to prevent crimes, by making sure kids aren't idle
• Develop and build new careers for people
• Collaborate with area agencies
• Improve our School Districts, improve our streets, and ensure that we have good paying jobs for people who come here.
• Says we need to "try to get the tax base down".
• Represent the African American Community, but he says he also wants to represent people of all races and ages in Decatur.

Current Roles / Jobs

• City Council Member, appointed August 30, 2021 to fill Rodney walker's vacancy.
• Member of the Concerned Community Citizen’s Group
• Member of American Correctional Association
• "lifetime member of the Church of the Living God, Pillar Ground of Truth. He serves as the Director of Finance, holds a National position as National Treasurer, Summit Team Member, member of the local Deacon’s Board, works with the Youth Training Union Department and Drama Ministry."

Past Government Work / Actions

• Supported neighborhood revitalization in Johns Hill neighborhood, Jasper Street Pilot Project, Downtown area improvements.
• Supported demolition of 100+ unsafe houses.
• Supported "several thousands of dollars in the rehab of" vacant homes that can be rehabbed and sold.
• "Allocated $6M in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding for home rehabilitation projects."
• Approved small business Food Truck permits to operate anywhere in the city, including dowtown.
• Approved thousands of dollars to install 100 Flock Cameras "throughout the city to assist police in identifying vehicles involved in major crimes."
• Supported renaming of downtown park to Preston Jackson Park, a "National recognized and acclaimed African American and native of Decatur Artist"
• Approved installation of 40 new boat ramps & anticipates 40 more in 2023.
• Supported Sunday bus service

Past Roles / Jobs

• Illinois Department of Corrections - 32 year career, starting in entry level & working up to Chief of Staff/Chief of Community Outreach and Special Assistant to the Director.
• Deputy Sheriff (Court Security Officer) Kane County Sheriff Department in Batavia, Illinois
• Previously worked with Surgical Specialists of Central Illinois, S.C.
• ADM - Worked part time as a Sensory Specialist
• Past member of Caring Black Men
• Past President of the Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice

Education

• "Attended Oakland Grade School, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, and Stephen Decatur High School"
• Associate’s Degree in General Studies from Lake Land Community College, earned in May 1972
• Associate's Degree in Science, Lake Land, 1972
• Attended Illinois State University 1972-1974
• Attended Governor State University, University Park, Illinois in 1990
• Attended Chicago State University, Chicago, Illinois in 1992

Personal History

• "Born and raised in Decatur"
• "Dennis and Virginia have been married 15 years and have a blended family of five children- Michele, Alicia, Cornel, Candace and Shawnn, and nine grandchildren."

Endorsed By

• Central Illinois PAC
• Macon County Democrats
• Decatur Labor & Trades Assembly

Statements / Quotes / Additional Info

• He says our municipal elections have more impact on our daily lives than national elections.
• He's worked with a diverse variety of people, and says he has a vast background equipping him to help the city face its problems.
• I previously wrote about the City Council Forum: Dennis Cooper seems to call out the others, saying we need to "be transparent and admit we have a problem," and saying "Every city has it, but we got it in Decatur and we need to talk about our problems, in Decatur, and how to solve it.". He advocates for the community to "see something, say something", for the State's Attorney to give no plea deals and hand out "hard sentence[s]" for gun crimes, and that we need to open up and talk about changing the gun laws even though it is a divisive political issue.
• Very focused on increasing City revenue and supports cannabis dispensaries because of that.

These quotes come from WAND's article Dennis Cooper selected as new Decatur city councilman:

• "I feel I've got some things I can offer our city and represent our entire community, and bring some new ideas or some ideas that maybe haven't been explored before, kind of looking outside the box," he said in an interview with WAND News.
• 'Cooper's first order of business, according to his own words, is "the youth of today, but also for tomorrow."' - WAND
• 'Cooper also pledged to be fully transparent with the community. He said he hopes Decatur can eliminate some violence to make the city a better place through communication.'

Sources

• City Council Forum
• Dennis Cooper Interview
• Dennis Cooper Campaign Platform
• Dennis Cooper Bio
• WAND: Dennis Cooper selected as new Decatur city councilman

Dennis was born and raised in Decatur and attended Oakland Grade School, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, and Stephen Decatur High School. He attended Lake Land Community College, earning an Associate’s Degree in General Studies, May 1972; and an Associate’s Degree in Science in 1972. He also attended Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois 1972-1974; Governor State University, University Park, Illinois in 1990 and Chicago State University, Chicago, Illinois in 1992.

He is very active in the community and has been a lifetime member of the Church of the Living God, Pillar Ground of Truth, Temple #2, Decatur, Illinois. He serves as the Director of Finance, holds a National position as National Treasurer, Summit Team Member, member of the local Deacon’s Board, works with the Youth Training Union Department and Drama Ministry. He is a member of the Concerned Community Citizen’s Group and a past member of the Caring Black Men Group. He is a past president of the Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice and a Member of American Correctional Association.

On August 30, 2021 he was appointed to serve on the Decatur City Council and is looking forward to bringing a wealth of experience and ideas to help further grow this community.

Dennis and Virginia have been married 15 years (October) and have a blended family of five children- Michele, Alicia, Cornel, Candace and Shawnn, and nine grandchildren."

• Sent to us by Dennis Cooper