Oswego outlines plans, budget and public‑art for America 250 semi‑quincentennial

Jean, co‑chair of the Oswego 250 team, presented the village’s plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and described how a previously reserved $100,000 in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) will be distributed across event, outreach and infrastructure needs.

The Oswego 250 team proposes allocating $50,000 to the central July 4 event, $15,000 to educational outreach, $10,000 to marketing and $25,000 to infrastructure, Jean said. The village plans to use the GooseChase app for interactive scavenger hunts and other school‑ and family‑focused campaigns this summer.

The infrastructure package includes a limited run of commemorative manhole covers to be installed at no cost to the village; staff said 500 covers were reserved for streets built or resurfaced in 2026. Jean said the covers are intended as a long‑lasting, commemorative element for the year.

Another permanent element of the plan is a planting of 50 trees at Prairie Point Park — one representing each state — with plaques noting the state of origin and brief educational text. "We anticipate planting them before the Fourth of July celebration," Jean said, adding the park district is partnering on the installation.

Public arts and downtown engagement will be supported by a set of locally produced concrete eagle sculptures. Some eagles will be displayed by public departments, while others will be available for purchase by local businesses; a subset will be integrated into the GooseChase app as hidden finds to encourage foot traffic downtown.

The marketing plan includes social media promotion through the Village of Oswego Facebook page, a storefront partnership with Imagination Print to distribute prizes and merchandise, and clear bag giveaways at Prairie Fest (the first 250 attendees each day). The challenge‑coin design that the team distributed to trustees was selected from about 10 submissions, with the winning logo produced by Valerie Anderson.

Jean acknowledged several volunteer contributors and donors: videographer Brenna Jamieson is donating interview footage, Mark Finnegan of Vets Roll Inc. committed to provide 250 flags for a field display, and Wreaths Across America will donate wreaths for the celebration. Organizers said further layout details and final schedules remain under development.

Trustees asked operational questions about quantities, merchandising and whether overtime and staffing costs were included in the $100,000 allocation. A staff member confirmed those overtime and public‑safety staffing costs — police, public works and other support — are included in the overall budget.

Trustees and participants suggested adding QR codes to the tree plaques to link visitors to additional state‑specific information and quiz materials, and recommended using the GooseChase and other interactive elements to amplify educational outreach. "Something we can certainly talk about," Jean responded regarding QR codes.

The team said final event maps and stage layouts are still being worked out; organizers committed to return with refined plans and timelines. The Committee did not take any formal votes on the recommendations during the presentation.