City Council remembers fallen soldier
Zack Groves, Alestle News Reporter
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: News
The Edwardsville City Council made sure that the city's fallen soldier, Private Ryan Garbs, was not forgotten before tending to business in its meeting Tuesday.
Edwardsville Mayor Gary Niebur led a moment of silence for Garbs, and asked two Boy Scouts in attendance to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Garbs, 20, was one of eight servicemen who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan Sunday. He graduated from Edwardsville High School in 2005 and shortly after enlisted in the military as an Army Ranger.
Garbs not only served in Afghanistan, but in Iraq as well.
"He was, by all accounts, extremely proud to serve his country," Niebur said. "Words cannot describe our sympathy."
Niebur added that he ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all municipal buildings to honor Garbs.
Edwardsville Alderman Richard Walker, who is also SIUE's administration assistant vice chancellor, proposed the approval for the city to make it known that Illinois has the right to use its purchased land on Governor's Parkway for temporary road access. The city council passed this proposal.
Not everything was approved at the meeting, however. The city council rejected the Administrative and Community Service Committee's proposal to require every organization to apply and pay $2,500 to use city property for events, an issue that had sparked debate among the aldermen.
Walker said the text that mentioned every organization paying the fee, which is refundable depending on damage done after each event, was not fair, especially since a number of organizations are non-profit.
"For example, the Lions Club should not have to pay $2,500 for the children's Easter egg hunt," Walker said.
He agreed that if it was a big event, then the fee is justified, but the permit process "needs to be flexible."
The city council meets again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 in Edwardsville City Hall.
Edwardsville Mayor Gary Niebur led a moment of silence for Garbs, and asked two Boy Scouts in attendance to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Garbs, 20, was one of eight servicemen who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan Sunday. He graduated from Edwardsville High School in 2005 and shortly after enlisted in the military as an Army Ranger.
Garbs not only served in Afghanistan, but in Iraq as well.
"He was, by all accounts, extremely proud to serve his country," Niebur said. "Words cannot describe our sympathy."
Niebur added that he ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all municipal buildings to honor Garbs.
Edwardsville Alderman Richard Walker, who is also SIUE's administration assistant vice chancellor, proposed the approval for the city to make it known that Illinois has the right to use its purchased land on Governor's Parkway for temporary road access. The city council passed this proposal.
Not everything was approved at the meeting, however. The city council rejected the Administrative and Community Service Committee's proposal to require every organization to apply and pay $2,500 to use city property for events, an issue that had sparked debate among the aldermen.
Walker said the text that mentioned every organization paying the fee, which is refundable depending on damage done after each event, was not fair, especially since a number of organizations are non-profit.
"For example, the Lions Club should not have to pay $2,500 for the children's Easter egg hunt," Walker said.
He agreed that if it was a big event, then the fee is justified, but the permit process "needs to be flexible."
The city council meets again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 in Edwardsville City Hall.
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