In their final meeting under the current lineup before next Monday’s reorganization meeting, the Vermilion County Board Property Committee has voted to officially rename the County Administration Building as the Joseph G. Cannon Building. All five committee members present voted yes, two were absent.
In attendance was County Board member Steve Miller, a big part of the effort to name the building after the former Speaker of the House. He was adamant that the structure simply be called the Joseph G. Cannon Building, and not the more long-winded Joseph G. Cannon Vermilion County Administration Building. Miller also says, they’re still aiming for making this official right around the 100 year anniversary of Joseph Cannon’s appearance of the first cover of Time magazine when it hits in March. The key is, bringing in a big time speaker.
AUDIO: We’re still searching for a date when we can have a notable speaker come and dedicate both the building and make note of the 100th anniversary. And we did have a significant personality but he could not come at that time. So we’re now checking to see if he can come at a different time.
And Chairman Dr. Wesley Bieritz pointed out this is the last official action of the current Property Committee, with the reorganization of the County Board coming up next Monday.
AUDIO: So this committee will be newly formed and newly metered out to the board members as the chairman will allow. And so it will be entirely of new members. They may be some old members on here yet, but many new ones as well because we’ve had a new election. This is done now. This has been solidified, so we don’t have to vote on it again.
County Board Chairman Larry Baughn, meanwhile, also agreed with keeping the sign simple, since the population of Vermilion County is now quite used to the offices being found in the current Administration Building.
AUDIO: It’s been almost over 4 ½ years that we’ve been here at 201 N. Vermilion St. So I think if we place a sign out front, “Joseph G. Cannon Building,” I think people will know where they’re supposed to go.
Baughn says the Joseph G. Cannon Building issue will most likely come before the full County Board next Monday, on an amended agenda of the reorganization meeting, now that this action has been taken by the committee.
