DIXON — The Lee County Board approved the plans to place a monument on the courthouse lawn depicting the founding fathers of the Lincoln Highway. Ron Colson reported that his presentation was the first step of the first monument for the Lincoln Highway Founders Monuments Program.

“Having a historic site is certainly a good starting point,” said Colson. “This monument to the 1919 military convoy will also be replicated at Lincoln Park (Lincoln Highway Terminus) in San Francisco and at Gettysburg (entry point of the Convoy, Lincoln Highway origin in Times Square couldn't handle all the big trucks).”

The images to be represented in the monument will be Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lincoln Highway Field Secretary Henry C. Ostermann in 1.5 X life size bronze. The backstory will focus on the meal on the Courthouse Square, researched by Duane Paulsen, art created by Jay Allen, described in the Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition Mural in Dixon.

Currently, sculptor Jeff Adams, who will be creating the monument, is scheduled solid until September with other projects.

“Even if I'm quickly successful with fund raising, the best we can hope for is maquettes in September when the Lincoln Highway Association tour replicating the convoy's path comes through Lee County - and a finished project sometime in 2020,” said Colson.

In other business, Chairman John Nicholson requested a moment of silence for Ike Mercer and Rick Ketchum, both members of the board for many years, who had recently passed away.

The board approved a resolution to streamline the request from the administrative board to separate the current resolution regarding hiring process guide. Administrator Theresa Wittenauer suggested that there be a request of a replacement employee and a request of an additional employee.

The board also approved the appointing of Janice McCoy to the Lee County Board of Health.

The next meeting will be held Tuesday, March 19, at 9 a.m.