The City of Washington has awarded a $2,500 tourism grant to the all-volunteer committee that's organizing the annual Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony.
Still, more donations are needed from residents and businesses. That's because, as committee co-chair Leri Slonneger told the Washington City Council this week, the committee is bringing in a hero from 9/11 to be the guest speaker.
That hero is U.S. Air Force Major Heather "Lucky" Penney, an F-16 pilot, and she has a compelling 9/11 story.
Penney was serving with the Air National Guard as a first lieutenant on the fateful day, when she and commanding officer Marc Sasseville were ordered into the air to bring down United Airlines Flight 93 as it approached Washington, D.C.
Before the two pilots could get to Flight 93, its crew and passengers overtook the hijackers and caused the plane to crash in a field near Shanksville, Pa.
Penney went on to serve more than two decades in the Air Force and Air National Guard, including deployments to Iraq. A member of the first generation of female U.S fighter pilots, Penney flew the F-16 for about 10 years.
The 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Washington Park is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sept. 6. The ceremony will be moved to Five Points Washington if the weather doesn't cooperate.
To make a donation, contact Slonneger at 1-309-635-0099. David Houseworth is the committee co-chair.
Failed experiment
Washington tested a new pavement maintenance application called "pressure paving" four years ago on Shellback Court and Pine Tree Drive, two rural streets that were in bad shape.
The experiment didn't go very well.
Heavy trucks damaged the pavement on Shellbark while work was being done, said City Engineer Dennis Carr, so pressure paving wasn't done on Pine Tree after the work on Shellbark was completed.
"Since then, Pine Tree has continued to deteriorate, and the pressure paving application on Shellbark hasn't performed well on the pavement damaged by truck traffic," Carr said.
Both roads will be repaired soon. The city council this week approved a not-to-exceed $235,000 contract for Tremont-based United Contractors Midwest [UCM] to do a double-chip seal on Shellbark and Pine Tree.
UCM was the only bidder for the city's motor fuel tax-funded chip seal work this year, so it's already mobilized in the city.
'Let's Talk Washington'
Mayor Lilija Stevens' monthly "Let's Talk Washington" informal discussion session will be from 4-5 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Sunny Side Street restaurant at 1964 Freedom Parkway.
Stevens will be joined by City Administrator Jeff Fiegenschuh, Police Chief Jeff Stevens and Alderperson Jamie Smith.
'We're at the mercy'
In other news from this week's city council meeting, including department heads' reports:
- While the watermain replacement on Bondurant Street next to Washington Community High School has been completed, "We're at the mercy of Tazewell County Asphalt to get the road restored," Carr said. "They told us [last week] that they're three weeks out. We've requested this be done as soon as possible."
- New Communications Coordinator Rachel Plasch's highest priority continues to be updating and improving the city's website, Fiegenschuh said. A significant amount of information currently on the website is outdated, he said.
- A public hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8 before the council meeting to gather input on the city's plan to establish a Business Development District [BDD] roughly bounded by Washington Plaza on the west and Wilmor Road on the east. Revenue from a 0.25% sales tax on purchases within the BDD would be used for building improvements, infrastructure upgrades and streetscape enhancements in the district.
- The council approved multiple changes to the city's zoning code regarding billboards. The changes include requiring approval of a special use and allowing the Washington police and fire departments to post messages in the case of emergencies.
- The council approved spending nearly $18,300 to replace the ceiling on the former police evidence side of the fire-damaged public works storage/police evidence building on Jefferson Street. That brought the total cost for repairs to close to $400,000, all covered by insurance.
- The council approved allocating a not-to-exceed amount of nearly $11,000 in tax increment financing [TIF] money to cover a portion of the cost of roof replacements at 104-106 N. Main Street. A not-to-exceed amount of $50,000 in TIF funds was allocated in December for other work on the historic downtown square building, which was constructed in 1920. Mud Creek Mercantile opened at the site late last year.
- The council is expected to vote Sept. 8 on the city's new strategic plan.
- Chief Stevens was named a founding member of the Central Illinois Child Death Investigation Task Force Board. The task force is funded by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and will operate under the auspices of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System.
