Lincoln welcomes electric vehicle relay and announces plans for a charging station downtown

[June 25, 2014]  LINCOLN - The City of Lincoln today welcomed the 2104 State of Illinois Electric Vehicle Relay to town at the Lincoln Depot. Mayor Keith Snyder was on hand to welcome Eric Heineman, Sustainability Director from the Office of the Governor, and Nathaniel Keener, Sustainability Director from Lewis and Clark Community College who drove one of the electric vehicles belonging to the Governor’s Office.

“We are pleased that the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) planned and organized this EV Road Trip,” said Mayor Snyder. “We’re even more pleased that Lincoln was able to participate and that we were a stop on the route from Springfield to Bloomington.”

Snyder thanked the local Eaton Corporation manufacturing facility for loaning the City a temporary Level 2 charging station that was placed this week at City Hall. “Eaton is a great corporate citizen and we appreciate all they do for our community, including making this charging station available this week,” Snyder said.

In addition to welcoming the Road Trip, the Mayor also announced that the Lincoln Eaton facility will be donating a permanent Level 2 charging station to the City that will be placed at the site of the restored Lincoln Depot. The City submitted a grant application requesting a station to the company’s corporate giving grant program. Eaton supports various community efforts in Lincoln through that program, and the City of Lincoln is grateful for this commitment.

Snyder was joined by the following Eaton personnel in making the announcement: Vladimir Salazar, Plant Manager; Patti Becker, Human Resources Manager; Regina Northcutt, Supply Chain Manager; and Gilbert Gandenberger, Purchasing Manager.

Snyder stated: “We thank Eaton for this commitment and their willingness to support our community. We feel the placement of this station at the restored Lincoln Depot is entirely fitting. For well over a century the people of Lincoln have come here for their transportation needs. With this gift we’ll be enhancing a great experience for both high speed rail customers and electric vehicle drivers.”

[Text received: MAYOR KEITH SNYDER, CITY OF LINCOLN]