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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 • $1.50
City Council discusses Phase Two of City Hall remodel project Geothermal replacement, new signage, and restructuring parking in the works Grace Escritt Solon Economist
news@soloneconomist.com
At its meeting on Sept. 2, the Solon City Council identified the next steps it will take during phase two of its remodel of the new city hall, which is the former Brosh Chapel building located at 100 S. Cedar St. Phase two of the remodeling project is primarily focused on replacing the building’s geothermal units, placing new signs and updating the parking lot. According to Andrew Kramer, council member, there are four geothermal units within the building, and two of them are on their “last leg,” meaning they could “pretty well die any time.” In terms of replacing these units, the council has two main options: to replace one unit each year or to replace them all at the same time. Kramer explained it would be more cost-efficient for the council to replace all units at once. “From a financial standpoint, we’re better off just putting all four new units in…” he said. “It’ll save us money.” Replacing these geothermal units will cost the council approximately $53,780 after incentives, according to City Administrator Cami Rasmussen. The proposal says completing this work will cost $82,618.56, and although the city will need to pay this initially, it will later receive the rebate of around $28,838.56. Following a consensus that the council plans to move forward with replacing all geothermal units, the updated parking lot plan was examined. According to Dan O’Neil, Mayor, the purpose of an updated parking lot would be to increase the number of parking spaces and create a smoother traffic flow. He also said some of the surrounding concrete is in need of repair. As confirmed by Rasmussen, the updated parking lot was part of the council’s original vision for phase two of the city hall remodeling project. She said initial estimates for reconstructing the CITY COUNCIL | 2
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‘Service doesn’t end when the war does’ Korean War veteran Richard Cooper named Honored Veteran of the Game on Military Appreciation Night Chris Umscheid Solon Economist
chris.umscheid@soloneconomist.com
Solon High School’s annual salute to veterans and those currently serving was held Friday night on Military Appreciation Night during the Solon vs. Williamsburg sophomore and varsity football games. Richard Cooper, a 92 year old veteran of the U.S. Army and the Korean War, was recognized as the Honored Veteran of the Night. Cooper graduated from Clear Chris Umscheid | Solon Economist Lake HS in 1951 at the age of 17 and with a strong desire to serve, Tate Rudish salutes Richard Cooper Friday, Sept. 4, during a ceremony honoring Cooper as the forged his father’s signature and Honored Veteran of the Night between the sophomore and varsity football games on Military joined the Army where he was Appreciation Night. Rudish enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard last year and completed Basic Military Training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma this summer. Cooper is a 92 year old veteran of the U.S. Army MILITARY APPRECIATION | 12 and the Korean War, having forged his father’s signature to join at the age of 17.
Barefoot Becky wraps up 2026 Music on Main concert series Grace Escritt Solon Economist
news@soloneconomist.com
Barefoot Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen visited downtown Solon Saturday as part of the city’s Music On Main summer concert series. Their performance of polka, waltz, foxtrot, two step, line and Latin dance songs marked the grand finale of this annual tradition. On this sunny end-of-summer afternoon, locals young and old gathered around Solon’s downtown bandstand to welcome their friend Becky Livermore of Mount Vernon to the stage. As the band sang and played their instruments, some members of the audience relaxed in their chairs while enjoying free kolaches, whereas others stayed on their feet dancing to the beat. According to Livermore, the first thing about her that stands out to people is her nickname. She said this moniker — Barefoot Becky — is a nod to her past as a young girl who grew up on a farm and often ran
around barefoot. After being given this nickname by those close to her, she said it stuck, and she began to embrace it even more as she progressed in her music career. This sentiment even seemed to resonate with members of her Solon audience, who kicked off their shoes to dance with one another during the show. Livermore said she has been playing music for around 46 years. She began pursuing this passion at age 10, and after a few years of taking lessons, she joined a polka band around age 14. Years later, she formed the Ivanhoe Dutchmen, which is named after the road she lives on. Along with playing music and joining a polka band at a young age, Livermore said she also frequently attended polka dances with her parents. She said through these outings, she met her husband, Terry Ard, who plays alongside her as a guitarist. On Sept. 5, BAREFOOT BECKY | 10
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