Godfrey Plans ‘Under 40 Focus Group’ Event

Village of Godfrey Board of Trustees: Public Safety, Finance, Board Meetings

GODFREY – Godfrey residents under the age of 40 may have a chance this spring to share their views on how to make the village more attractive to younger individuals and families.

Village officials are planning an “Under 40 Focus Group” event at Bakers & Hale with a tentative date of March 30, 2026, according to a memo from Economic Development Director Jim Mager. A group of up to 25 participants will be selected to participate by invitation and asked a series of open-ended questions meant to guide the Village Board’s future policy decisions.

The renewed call for a focus group of younger residents comes six years after a similar event, known as the “Engage Godfrey: ‘A Different Perspective’ Forum,” was held in 2019 with a higher turnout than expected. The goal of that event was to gain insights from younger residents about how they viewed Godfrey at the time, with several notable takeaways outlined by Mager, who moderated the discussion.

“A younger demographic desires a community that is family-oriented and is focused on things that will support a household that is raising children,” Mager stated in the memo, noting there is “strong support for some type of indoor recreation/entertainment center” within the village.

Mager noted a particularly strong demand among younger residents for “entertainment and leisure activities,” which is driving some to leave Godfrey for other communities with more entertainment offerings.

“There seems to be concern that Godfrey lacks planning and/or the ability to follow through with plans that may have been developed in the past,” Mager added. “The fact that Godfrey lacks a definitive town center is seen as a weakness.”

One major positive aspect of the previous event was the willingness of these younger participants to get involved and “make Godfrey a better community,” including through volunteerism efforts and community improvement events. This demonstrated to Mager that young people are willing to get involved in improving the village if presented with the opportunity.

To that end, the village’s Community Advancement Planning Committee recommended hosting another focus group event for younger residents. Mager recommended village officials attend as “observers” to gain valuable insights from these residents about their vision for Godfrey’s future.

A budget of $2,000 to cover the cost of food and supplies for the next focus group event of up to 25 people was approved unanimously by members of the Finance Committee.

A full recording of the Jan. 6, 2026 Godfrey Finance Committee, Public Safety Committee, and Village Board meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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