PONTIAC - A former city tourism director recently inducted into the Illinois Senior Hall of Fame was honored at Monday night's City Council meeting for her longtime service to the community.

The council also heard an update on efforts to construct an elevator to serve two downtown Pontiac museums.

Council members recognized Betty Estes, the longtime tourism director who was inducted into the hall of fame in October. She was one of only four people inducted this year, and officials said Monday that her contributions to Pontiac, including along Route 66, are still apparent.

"Even before my time, Betty has done tremendous things for tourism in Pontiac," Mayor Scott McCoy said. "We are in the midst of greatness … and I'm very proud that she is still involved in Pontiac even after retirement."

The person who now holds the tourism post hailed Estes for setting the foundation for the community's outreach.

"If it wasn't for all of your hard work and what you do today we wouldn't have a tourism department, so thanks for letting me have a job," tourism director Ellie Alexander said.

Estes, who then offered her thanks and appreciation, stressed that she couldn't have done it without the help of others.

"Whatever I did, if I have done anything … I couldn't have done it alone," she said.

Donation for elevator project

In unrelated action, council chambers were also filled for news that Pontiac's Humiston Trust would be donating $75,000 toward the construction of an elevator to serve the Livingston County War Museum and Route 66 Hall of Fame Museum.

The elevator is planned for the alleyway between the war museum and Route 66 museum near Main and Howard streets. The war museum is on the second floor of its building and is only accessible by stairs, which has been a problem because many visitors have limited mobility.

The donation from the Humiston Trust will help tackle the project's estimated $200,000 to $220,000 price tag, according to a presentation at an October council meeting from the Farnsworth Group.

"Humiston Trust is always very involved in the community, and they always want to make things happen for the greater good of the community," McCoy said. "There is a lot of support, and the community and the council is behind this project."

The trust was established in 1920 by Harriet Humiston to honor her husband, Bennet, and her father, Apollos Camp. The trust is dedicated to giving to charitable donations to organizations in Pontiac.

The Route 66 Association also showed its dedication to the elevator project by submitting a lease extension to its museum's building for an additional five years. The council OK'd the extension, which won't be up again until 2014.