Sons Of American Legion member David Deutsch informed the Breese City Council that the Veterans Day parade will be Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Breese.
Lineup will be at 2 p.m. at Mater Dei Catholic High School, and the parade begins at 2:30 p.m.
Deutsch spoke during the public comment portion of the city council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15. He asked for a little bit of help from the city for the parade.
He wants to move the two bleachers from the park and put them on the parade route. He does not think any barricades would be needed, and they will just put orange cones up.
The guest speaker will be Shawn Campbell, a brigadier general from Arlington, Virginia. He is retired from Scott Air Force Base. His family has relatives and friends in the area.
"I just thought I would go after somebody with a little bit of brass for America's 250th birthday," Deutsch said.
There is a 50/50 chance there will be a flyover during the parade route.
As of the city council meeting, there were 23 floats registered for the parade. There are typically a little over 100 parade entries each year.
City of Breese Mayor Kevin Timmermann signed a proclamation making Friday, Oct. 9, candy day for the Lions Club. Pictured are, FROM LEFT, Breese Lions Club member Joe Heinzmann, Timmermann, and Breese Lions Club President Larry Spirek. Photo by Matt Wilson Joe Heinzmann from the Breese Lions Club also spoke during public comment. Breese Mayor Kevin Timmermann signed a proclamation making Friday, Oct. 9, candy day for the Lions Club. The donations from the day go to the sight and hearing impaired as well as community needs.
The second Breese Nature Amphitheater town hall meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Breese American Legion. It will be the second of three town hall meetings as part of the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant.
There will be more in-depth information and more drawings at the town hall meeting.
During the finance portion of the meeting, the council approved an ordinance adopting the 2026 comprehensive plan update for the city of Breese.
A contract with HMG Engineers for the design and construction of the new Breese generator building in the amount not to exceed $24,500 was approved during the utilities portion of the meeting. The council approved progress estimate No. 1 to Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, Inc., for the wastewater treatment plant improvement project for $225,000.
The city of Breese generated during the hot days last week to keep the prices low. Timmermann said generating is cutting the costs of power. When power gets above a certain amount from the Illinois Municipal Electric Association, Breese is a generating community.
The last time there was a heat swell, the mega watt power jumped on the grid at $10,000 a mega watt hour.
"That is why the plant here in Breese is valuable to us, it saves us money," Timmermann said. "When we are not generating, we do get credits from the Illinois Municipal Electric Association. That keeps our rates down."
Alderman Tim Schleper said it's good and bad because people think the city's rates are high, but the people don't see what they could be.
In the public works portion of the meeting, the council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor and Breese City Council to execute an easement with Illinois Department of Transportation for two parcels for Mine Street improvements.
Diane Holtgrave was recognized for being with the Breese Public Library for 50 years.
There will be a zoning hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 to amend 40-8-16 to allow billboards and electronic messaging signage in C-2 highway commercial districts as special use.
Fall clean-up day is Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Street Department.
The 2027 consolidated election is April 6, 2027. Packets are available on the county clerk's website and at City Hall. Petitions must be filed between Nov. 16 and 23.
