County Board Approves State Police Monument for Courthouse Lawn

The Effingham County Board Tuesday approved the placement of a monument honoring District 12 Illinois State Police troopers who have died in the line of duty.

The monument will be located on the lawn of the old Courthouse downtown, although the exact location hasn't been determined.

The project is the brainchild of Effingham Sunrise Rotary, and club member Kathy Schroeder displayed a rendition of the monument at Monday's meeting. Schroder is spearheading the effort, assisted by other club members.

There are four District 12 State Police troopers to be commemorated. The most recent death was in 1976, which resulted in the death of Trooper Layton Davis, a Watson area resident who was shot by a man wanted in Chicago. Trooper Davis was killed near the Green Creek rest area along I-57, north of Effingham. 

Trooper Frank Doris died in 1967, Trooper Harry Bradley in 1957, and Trooper George Wheeler in 1927.

Alan Davis, a son of Layton Davis and a member of Sunrise Rotary, was also present for Monday's meeting.

In conjunction with the motion to allow placement of the monument, the County Board also authorized the Effingham County Sheriff's Department to remove a sign placed in front of the old State Police headquarters building in Heartville and give it to the Davis family. The building was named in Davis' memory many years ago, but the building is no longer used and has fallen into disrepair.

In other business Monday, the Board voted to designate a parcel of property on which the delinquent taxes have been paid to go back on the tax rolls; approved a bridge replacement project one mile east of Elliotstown along 600th Avenue on the Lucas-Bishop Township line for $173,000; approved a purchase of service agreement between the County and Central Illinois Public Transit; and named Board member Rob Arnold to the Economic Development Advisory Board and Chief Deputy Paul Kuhns to the Safety Committee.

Regional Superintendent of Education Julie Wollerman reported that the consolidation of her three-county service region with another two-county is moving ahead; Board Vice-Chairman Dave Campbell reported that he's been contacted by one new business and one existing business in economic development funds; and Board member Karen Luchtefeld reported that CEFS has scholarship money available for interested applicants.