History was made Monday in Washington during the city's bicentennial year.
Lilija Stevens, the first female mayor in the city's 200-year history, was sworn in by Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman, a former Washington City Council alderperson.
The swearing in was quickly followed by a standing ovation from the crowd that filled the council meeting room that brought tears to Stevens' eyes.
"It was humbling," she said to media members after running her first City Council meeting as mayor. Stevens had served as an alderperson on the council since 2019.
"I'm looking forward to including the community in our decisions, finally giving them a voice," Stevens said. "As a community member and alderperson, I often felt left out.
"This isn't a criticism of Gary. I just think times were different in the past."
Stevens is replacing Gary Manier as mayor. Manier served for 24 years, longer than any mayor in the city's history.
Manier defeated Stevens in a close race for mayor in 2021. Stevens beat fellow Ward 1 Alderperson Mike Brownfield in the April 1 election by a 55-45% margin.
Manier presided over his final council meeting Monday before the newly elected officials were sworn in by Ackerman and the new council was seated.
The former mayor thanked his family for giving him the opportunity to serve as mayor and for "living under a microscope" for 24 years. Manier said the city is in good hands with the new council and city staff.
Katherine Coyle, district director for U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, presented Manier with a copy of a proclamation honoring Manier that LaHood read on the House floor April 7.
Alderpersons Brett Adams, Brian Butler and Brownfield also departed the council table Monday. Adams and Butler did not run for re-election April 1.
Butler served as an alderperson for 12 years. Brownfield and Adams were each on the council for eight years.
Manier, the outgoing alderpersons and retiring Washington Police Chief Mike McCoy were each presented with a water color painting of Washington's downtown square -- done by Washington artist Amy Werner -- as a gift from city staff.
McCoy, representing the Washington Police Department, presented a plaque to the departing elected officials.
"You've helped create one of the best police departments in the Midwest," McCoy said. "We're fully staffed with a waiting list."
Just after Stevens called the meeting of the new council to order at 7:18 p.m., she read a statement expressing her gratitude to the outgoing elected officials and describing her excitement about working with the new council and building a culture of community-based collaboration.
In addition to the new mayor, the new council has four new alderpersons among its eight members: Todd Sluder and Paula Johnson in Ward 1, Michael Ernst in Ward 2 and Brandon Moss in Ward 3.
Mike McIntyre was re-elected in Ward 4.
Also sworn in Monday by Ackerman were City Clerk Valeri Brod and City Treasurer Carol Crocker, who were re-elected and elected, respectively, on April 1.
In other news from the new council's first meeting Monday:
Interim city administrator, interim police chief named
Council unanimously approved employment agreements for City Engineer Dennis Carr to serve as interim city administrator and Deputy Police Chief Jeff Stevens to serve as the interim police chief.
Washington has been without a city administrator since August, when Jim Snider stepped down and was placed on paid administrative leave until February.
Carr, the city engineer since 2020, and Jon Oliphant, the city's planning and development director, have filled in as de facto city administrators since Snider's departure.
When the new city administrator is hired, he or she will become Washington's sixth since 2015. Snider was brought on board in 2021.
Jeff Stevens (no relation to the mayor) has been with the Washington Police Department for 26 years. After serving mainly as a detective or detective sergeant, he was promoted to deputy chief in 2015 by then-Police Chief Don Volk.
After Volk retired in 2016, Stevens served with interim chiefs Ed Papis and Ted Miller and McCoy.
"As a department, we're in a good place," Stevens said. "We have good people, sworn and civilian. They're smart and they're willing to work.
"Where we go from here is building on our ability to use information and technology to better deliver services.
"That's particularly true with traffic safety. Not just with enforcement, because we can't ticket our way out of problems, but with active participation and coordination of all levels of government."
Carr will be paid an additional $836 bi-weekly. Stevens will receive an additional $685 bi-weekly.
Their employment agreements note that because they'll be doing double-duty, they won't be able to work 40 hours per week at their additional job.
However, they're expected to devote "sufficient time and attention" to that job without "sacrificing the time and attention necessary" of their other job.
New city attorney, new law firm
Washington has a new city attorney and is being represented by a new law firm.
Council unanimously approved the appointment of Mark Walton of the Peoria-based Miller, Hall & Triggs law firm as city attorney. Other attorneys at the firm will assist Walton as needed and serve as assistant city attorneys.
The appointments will continue through May 2026.
The Davis & Campbell law firm of Peoria provided legal assistance the city for the past 11 years.
Committee will plan Memorial Day activities
After learning recently that Manier was in charge of planning the city's Memorial Day parade and ceremony at Glendale Cemetery, Stevens said she decided to form a committee to do that work.
She announced that the committee's first meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the training room at the Washington Police Department.
Information about the committee and event details will be posted on the city's website, http://www.ci.washington.il.us, under "Recent News" and on the city's Facebook page.
Blundy blasts mayoral transition
Alderperson John Blundy was critical of Manier's handling of the mayoral transition.
"The transition has fallen short of what the city deserves," Blundy said in a prepared statement during the final meeting of the former council.
"Our outgoing mayor missed an opportunity to model leadership through a constructive, collaborative handoff. Instead, the incoming mayor was met with resistance rather than respect," Blundy said.
"I've personally observed behavior that struck me as dismissive, and, at times, disrespectful. Leadership -- especially at the local level -- requires integrity, both in the spotlight and behind closed doors."
Blundy said Stevens brings "a renewed energy, clear vision and a spirit of collaboration" to the council.
"I look forward to working alongside her and this council to ensure the future of Washington is defined by professionalism, mutual respect, and a shared focus on delivering for our residents."
Just before Blundy made his statement, Alderperson Bobby Martin III praised Manier and the other departing elected officials, saying the good things Manier has done for the city through the years is amazing.
"They've left the city in a financially healthy position," Martin said.
After hearing several accolades directed at him and Blundy's statement, Manier quipped, "Maybe I should have stepped down a long time ago."
City will spend $903,301 for road work this summer
In other action, the council unanimously approved:
- Low bids totaling $903,301 from Ace in the Hole of Washburn, R.A. Cullinan and Son of Tremont, and American Asphalt Surface Recycling of Orland Park for spray patch, seal coat, fog coat and hot in-place recycling work using motor fuel tax funds.
- Using $356,188 in motor fuel tax funds to reconstruct the Candlewood Bridge.
- Reappointing Brod as city collector, Finance Director Joanie Baxter as interim budget officer, Jeff Stevens to the Liquor Control Commission, Doug Brod to the Police Pension Board and Don Twaddle to the Cemetery Board of Managers.
A revised procurement policy was approved 6-1 by the former council, with Blundy voting no.
The policy requires competitive bidding only in the case of an engineered capital project, and establishes a $20,000 threshold for projects that require council approval, except for small projects like a roof or window replacement that do not involve engineering or complicated specs. The former threshold, established in 2019, was $15,000.
