Highway renaming for Kevin Ford okayed
6/8/2010
By Cynthia Payne
NT Editor/Publisher
newstimes@comcast.net
Published:
Monday, June 7, 2010 6:07 AM CDT
People
working together over the past seven months will culminate in a ceremony to
dedicate a highway and a monument that honor Blackford County native and
astronaut Kevin Ford on Tuesday, June 22.
“It’s history in the making,” noted Kenneth Neff, chairman
and coordinator of the event sponsored by the Montpelier Historical Society.
Brad Neff brought an original proposal for a statue honoring
Ford to the Blackford County Economic Development Corp. (BCEDC) last fall.
Although that organization’s board of directors did not view it as appropriate
to its mission, board member Bill Hess proposed other ways to honor Ford.
“I threw out six or seven ideas to honor Kevin without using
tax dollars. Having an astronaut from your town is a heck of an identity. Good
for Montpelier, good for all of us,” Hess said.
The idea that stuck was dedicating
Blackford County’s portion of State Road 18, which runs through Ford’s hometown
of Montpelier. The highway will be renamed from county line to county line in
Blackford County.
Ironically, it will intersect with the Sen. David Ford
Memorial Highway at State Road 3 through Hartford City. “Nowhere else will you
have two highways intersecting named for brother,” Hess noted.
He added that SR 18 is also the road that runs through
astronaut Neil Armstrong’s hometown in Ohio.
“It was unanimous at the BCEDC that we needed to do
something. Everyone was behind doing something for Kevin,” Hess said.
So Rob Cleveland, executive director of the BCEDC, started
the official ball rolling on the project. “I thought it was a good idea and I
passed it along to Sen. Holdman and Rep. Pearson. They did the work,” Cleveland
said.
Sen. Travis Holdman (R-Markle) got a resolution passed in
the Indiana Senate and State Rep. Joe Pearson (D-Hartford City) worked with the
Indiana Dept. of Transportation to make the highway dedication reality.
“This is an example of people working together to get something done,” Hess noted.
News of the project’s approval by Bob Alderman, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) District Deputy Commissioner of Fort Wayne District, came on Thursday, May 27.
Montpelier officials had decided to honor Ford with a monument separate from the naming of the highway and had set a ceremony for May 15. “However, when they became aware of the renaming of SR 18, they hoped to include it in their ceremony,” Pearson said.
INDOT did not initially approve the naming of the highway even though resolutions were passed by the General Assembly, Pearson said. “I learned that INDOT has the authority to accept or reject the legislative resolution. Since INDOT’s approval had not been done as of May 15, former Mayor (Kenneth) Neff delayed the ceremony until June 22,” Pearson, who had been working on the final approval and getting the sign-age completed, said.
The final date for the ceremony coincides with Blackford County’s 4-H Fair week, when Ford will be in the county to serve as the grand marshal of the parade.
Brad Neff noted, “We’re all very proud of Kevin and what a great guy he is as a person. It is such an achievement and for him to come back and be part of this is great.
“It’s exciting that he’s from our small town. For me, personally, I can tell my son and daughter, who are of an impressionable age, that he (Ford) grew up in this small town and look what he did.”
Ford’s accomplishments are an inspiration to the youth of Blackford County. “It’s a perfect example that anyone can do anything they put their mind to,” commented Cleveland.
He said his daughter came home from kindergarten and told him an astronaut spoke to her class. “I’m glad Blackford County was able to provide the support he needed as he grew up to do great things,” Cleveland said.
The June 22 schedule of events in Montpelier is:
- The ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m. with a small parade of police cars and fire trucks that will run from the fire station to the corner park (located on the corner of State Road 18 and Main Street).
- The welcoming address and introductions will follow at 10 a.m. Those already scheduled to be in attendance include Col. Kevin Ford, Ford’s parents, Clayton and Barbara, State Sen. Holdman, State Rep. Pearson, Montpelier Mayor Jim McPherson, Brig. General Charles Barnes, and INDOT Director Bob Alderman.
Mayor McPherson will follow the remarks and will sign the local proclamation for the day.
Alderman will present a plaque to the city.
Stat Rep. Pearson will follow, presenting the State House Resolution for the road dedication.
Pearson will be followed by Montpelier Historical Society President Sherrie Chapman, who will talk about the historical significance to the city and community of having an astronaut as a local hero.
Elwood will follow Chapman, speaking on the significance of young students having a strong role model to look up to and pattern their lives after.
Following Elwood’s comments, there will be a response by Kevin Ford.
Middle School Choir Director Lori Baxter will then sing the National Anthem.
- At 10:38 a.m., the mayor and the historical society president will unveil the Kevin Ford monument. The legion color guard will stand at attention, while the bugle plays.
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