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 Over the last several weeks there has been much
discussion about the sign, beginning with concerns raised by the
Illinois Route 66 Association. The Association was led to believe
the sign was being neglected or discarded as it was stored outside
in the elements at the city’s landscape waste facility. The
Association approached the city asking that the sign be given to
them. They would in turn take it to Pontiac, restore it, and display
it at the Route 66 Museum in that town.
After that discussion had taken place at a city council meeting,
Tami Goodrich came forward and said that the agreement between
former Mayor Keith Snyder and her family had included the
stipulation that the sign stay in Lincoln. If the city could not
take care of the sign, it was to be returned to her family. At that
meeting, she said that she was not concerned about how the sign was
being temporarily stored, but she was concerned that the city might
be inclined to give it away. She said her family was prepared to
help keep the sign in Lincoln. She told the council that there was
nothing in writing to this effect, but she would work with Johnson
to get something put on paper.
At the same time, Andi Hake of the Logan County Alliance was in
attendance at that meeting. She spoke up saying that the Tourism
Bureau was interested in helping keep the sign in Lincoln, and would
also work with the city in whatever way they could.
This week, Johnson told the Tourism Council that for the city to
take ownership of the sign, it was going to be complicated, and he
wondered if the Tourism Bureau could help. In discussing a written
agreement with the Goodrich’s, Johnson said the family wanted the
sign returned to them if the city was not able to care for it.
However, Johnson said because of state laws regarding disposal of
property; the city could not enter into a contract that specified
such a condition. In addition, he said the current city council
could not enter a binding agreement that would force future councils
to comply.
Johnson said he would like for the Tourism Bureau to consider taking
the sign, but that the city would still work with Tourism in helping
to get the sign restored and placed somewhere in the city. He would
encourage Tourism, the Illinois Route 66 Association and the city to
enter into more dialogue to get the sign refurbished.
Bob Goodrich spoke saying the family had been sitting on the
sidelines watching the process, but they were now interested in
taking a more active role in the process.
Andi Hake said that the discussion between the city and tourism had
begun with a conversation between Johnson and herself. The first
question had been, would the Tourism Bureau be interested in owning
the sign. Hake said her immediate reaction was “no.” However, in
considering the position the city is in regarding the ownership and
possible disposal, she felt like it was in the best interest of
everyone if Tourism did get involved.
 Hake said her suggestion would be for the Bureau to take the sign
for a period of time. She explained that the Bureau could own the
sign, and lead in raising the funds to refurbish it. If that were
accomplished, the restoration could be done, and a location found
for the sign in Lincoln. Then, the Bureau would turn the ownership
over to the city for maintaining the sign.
Hake said her desire to handle the sign in this manner stemmed from
the Bureau’s experience in being the owner of the Railsplitter
Covered Wagon. Council member Shawn Taylor asked her to elaborate on
this.
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 Tourism Director Maggie McMurtrey explained the
situation with the wagon. She said that Brad Matthews of Matthews
Construction had a crew out to the wagon to put the canopy back on
for the summer. While there they discovered vandalism to the wagon.
She said the book in Lincoln’s hand had been written on with a
permanent marker. The door to the wagon been had been nearly torn
from his hinges by someone trying to get inside, and the split rail
fencing had been broken. The Tourism Bureau will have to absorb the
cost of making the repairs from the acts of vandalism. In addition,
she said, the Bureau is responsible for the general maintenance of
the landscape as well as the wagon.
McMurtrey was asked if the wagon was insured.
It is insured, and the insurance coverage paid for the wagon repair when it fell
over, last year. However, the vandalism was not going to cost enough to make it
worthwhile to file a claim.
Hake said no free tourist attraction is ever truly free, and this is why, she
doesn’t think the Tourism Bureau should take permanent ownership of another
attraction.
The question also came up, where is the Tropics sign now, and is it being
protected. McMurtrey said the sign is still at the city landscape waste
facility. She said that it has been covered with a tarp, and the edges of the
tarp have been weighted down with sandbags.
It was suggested that the Council appoint a committee to investigate the options
for the sign. Hake said she’d suggest that the committee have representation
from the City, the Bureau, the Illinois Route 66 Association, and the
Goodrich’s. She commented that the Route 66 Association had been very concerned
and upset about how the sign was being treated. She felt that including them in
the process now would help repair the relationship between Lincoln and the
Association.
Tourism Council Chairman Jean Bruner-Jachino said that the bureau needed to
establish a step-by-step process for this project. She wondered what that first
step should be. The discussion that followed led to a motion that the City and
the Bureau work together to draft an agreement regarding the sign. The agreement
should be a three-way document between the Bureau, City, and the Goodrich’s.
Hake suggested the agreement have an expiration date so to speak. She said there
should be a point in time when the three parties would evaluate the progress of
the restoration and determine whether to continue moving forward or return the
sign to the Goodrich’s.
It was recommended that McMurtrey work with Johnson on drafting an agreement and
ask city attorney Blinn Bates to review the draft. The draft will specify that
the Tourism Bureau will take temporary possession for the purpose of restoring
it. The sign will then be turned back over to the city.
Other steps will include taking bids for the restoration of the sign that
includes restoration of the neon lighting, a costly venture. The city had
acquired two estimates on the restoration, but new bids will be taken. Neither
the Bureau nor the City has a budget for the restoration, so another step will
be fundraising to pay for the restoration.
[Nila Smith]
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