Washington City Council

The Hengst Foundation has pulled the plug on its proposal to build and operate a 5,000-seat, $12 million amphitheater on a portion of vacant farmland owned by the city of Washington.

A controversial proposal to build a $12 million, 5,000-seat amphitheater on vacant city property off U.S. Route 24 and Nofsinger Road in Washington is apparently off the table.

The Washington City Council on Monday approved a four-year contract for new Police Chief Jeff Stevens, who had served as interim chief for a month following the retirement of former chief Mike McCoy.

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.

Paula Johnson was appointed Monday to the Washington City Council to fill the seat left vacant by Lilija Stevens, who was elected mayor last month.

Washington joined the grocery sales tax crowd Monday. The City Council voted 6-2 for the city to impose a 1% sales tax on groceries starting Jan. 1 to replace the state's 1% grocery sales tax.

Two Washington businesses were given the go-ahead Monday to have video gaming terminals in their establishments. They are The Peak on Summit, 201 S. Summit Drive, and Blue Ox, 120 N. Wilmor Road.

Officials from the Washington Chamber of Commerce and Discover Peoria each made a pitch Monday to the Washington City Council for continued city funding.

Washington City Council began its discussion about possibly adopting a 1% local grocery tax Monday. An ordinance must be approved and a certified copy of the ordinance sent to the Illinois Department of Revenue by Oct. 1 for a local grocery tax to go into effect Jan. 1.

A legal opinion regarding a possible conflict of interest involving Washington Mayor Gary Manier and the foundation that's proposing to build a $12 million amphitheater in the city will not be released to the public.