RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — People in Rantoul have been wondering what to do with a large Cold War relic for years. Now, the mayor says it’s time to launch a new approach to the village’s antique missile.

It’s been a staple of the community for more than 60 years: a ballistic missile standing outside of the retired Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul.

Mayor Charles Smith said at one point, it housed an active nuclear warhead.

“It was gutted and all the components were taken out of it. And then it was placed on display,” Smith said.

The statuesque projectile was used as a bargaining chip for President Reagan during the Cold War, and in the 1960s, a thousand of them were spread across the United States — ready to go at a moment’s notice.

“It was the major training facility for maintenance of the Minuteman missile,” Smith said. “And that’s the Minuteman Missile One that’s on display out there.”

Now, the missile is showing its age. The decision to either ship the rocket out to the National Air Force Museum in Ohio, or keep it as a reminder of the area’s military past has been stuck on the launch pad for years.

“We reached a point where the community is really split,” Smith said. “It’s almost 50/50. So, we’ve reached a compromise, I think, in order to keep the missile on display.”

He wants to restore the ballistic weapon, and it will cost $47,000 to beautify.

“It’s painting it, putting decals on it, sealing the paint,” Smith said. “A little polyurethane coating. We’re getting a 10-year warranty on the missile.”

The restoration will be done in accordance with the Air Force Museum’s specs. Smith expects the Village Board to okay the plan.

“There is a sense of pride from all of us basically saying, you know, we used to have an Air Force base here,” he said. “We were a very important part of the defense of the nation and the United States.”

The board listened to a presentation on the missile at Tuesday’s meeting. Next week they’ll be voting to decide to move forward with the makeover.