MATTOON - An agreement approved Tuesday by Mattoon City Council shows how financial and management responsibilities for the Mattoon Railroad Depot Project will be divided between city government and Coles County Historical Society over the next few years.

The Historical Society has leased the old Illinois Central Depot building on Broadway Avenue from the city of Mattoon since August 2002.

The city purchased the building from Canadian National Railroad, the successor to Illinois Central Railroad, prior to that lease agreement so the community could move forward with a restoration project on the historic tri-level brick building first opened as a passenger station during World War I.

The city has been the public entity partnering with historical society members to help complete the restoration of the depot. This relationship helped complete the replacement of the roof on the old Depot, which halted water damage from causing further structural deterioration in the old building.

The society looks upon the building as a historical gem worth saving, as well as a future museum site. Community leaders also see a restored depot as a center for tourism to help with mid-town business district redevelopment.

Earlier this year, the depot project received the monetary boost it needed. The federal transportation bill committed $2.53 million to Mattoon for restoration and related tasks for the old rail building, which is still an active Amtrak passenger station.

Under the agreement, that money will be appropriated to the city for fiscal years 2006-09, which will see the bulk of the construction and repairs completed on the depot.

Other money, totaling $235,630, from the city and state also has been committed for restoration work, while $400,000 from the historical society capital fund-raising campaign this year will also be committed to construction as well as future administration and maintenance of the depot.

When the museum is completed in the depot, the historical society has agreed to bear the financial responsibility for funding security, operations and maintenance of the depot for the term of its lease with the city. In turn, the city will assign its Amtrak lease revenue to the historical society. Sublease income from commercial uses in the Depot will help with future operations of the building.