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City Council Biography
Dan McDowell
Ward 3 Councilmember
Alderman McDowell has lived in Granite City for the past 38 years. He came to be an alderman in 2001 when he was appointed by Mayor Ron Selph to fill a vacancy in the Council. He was then re-elected in 2003 and 2007. Since becoming a member of the City Council, Mr. McDowell has been appointed as chairman for the Planning & Zoning Committee. He is also a member of the Downtown Rehabilitation, Wastewater Treatment, Negotiation and Finance Committees. For the last 28 years, Councilman McDowell has been an employee of Gateway Regional Medical Center (formerly St. Elizabeth Hospital). He is currently the head of the Pulmonary Services Department, which consists of Respiratory Therapy, the Cardiovascular Lab, the Sleep Disorders Center and EEG/EMG/Nerve Conduction. He has received his Bachelor’s of Science in Education from Southeastern Missouri State University, his elementary certification from SIUE and a certificate in Respiratory Technology from SWIC.
Alderman McDowell is currently a member at Third Baptist Church of Granite City. He is a former board member of the American Red Cross, the Granite City Rotary Club and Solid Granite, where he had the distinct pleasure of being part of the impetus behind the redevelopment of what is now Nameoki Commons. Outside of work and his many extracurricular activities, he enjoys reading, playing basketball and ping pong.
Among all of Dan’s accomplishments, he considers his greatest accomplishments to be his two daughters, Dani and Allyson, and his son Seth. None of whom would have been possible had he not had the good sense to marry a Granite City girl, his lovely wife Rhonda, 38 years ago.
As one of the Ward 3 Aldermen, Mr. McDowell’s three most important issues are as follows:
1. Downtown Redevelopment:
As a member of the Downtown Rehab Committee Mr. McDowell feels fortunate to be a part of what he believes will be a major redevelopment in the Downtown area.
The Downtown Rehab Committee, working closely with the Mayor, City Council and Economic Development Director, is aggressively working to promote revitalization.
The City has rezoned the area as a Planned Unit Development to protect and encourage development.
We are using Downtown TIF or Tax Increment Financing funds which can only be expended in the downtown area, to redo Niedringhaus Avenue with a Streetscape Project.
We have purchased the old YMCA and are considering the possibility of developing it into a Civic Center.
We have purchased the old ELK's building and have already received inquiries from developers interested in putting a business there.
We have entered into an agreement with a Youth Organization to establish a practice facility in the old Press Record building which would also be used as a Youth Center.
The City is placing cameras in the Downtown area to promote safety and has established a greater police presence.
All these activities are not going to magically transform the downtown overnight but they will go a long way to stopping and reversing the blight and neglect thus setting the stage for a rebirth of our downtown.
2. Restoration of City infrastructure (streets & sewers):
Just as you cannot go for years without repairing holes in your roof or changing the oil in your car, the streets and sewers cannot be expected to be in very good shape after years of neglect.
The Mayor, Public Works Director and City Engineer in conjunction with the City Council have targeted the worst streets and sewers and committed the necessary funding to bring them back up to where they need to be.
3. Senior Housing:
We are an aging society and one measure of how well society takes care of its own is what we do for the elderly.
The City is promoting replacement of some of its public housing with newer facilities designated specifically for the elderly and at the same time is encouraging developers to consider building assisted living centers.
Councilman McDowell is up for re-election in 2011.