The city of Simi Valley is considering a plan to honor local active-duty military personnel with banners hung in the heart of town.

SAYING THANKS—The City Council is looking into a plan to hang banners in Simi Valley thanking active-duty members of the U.S. military by name. The banners would display the name and branch of service of each of the soldiers and thank them for their service.

Longtime Simi resident Tony DiRaimondo, whose son was killed in Iraq, attended Monday’s City Council meeting to speak in favor of the plan, saying he could hear his son’s voice.

“He said, ‘Dad, what you need to do is you need to tell those good people on the City Council that the men and women who are serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard put their lives on the line 24/7, every day, every minute, to protect and defend this country, our way of life and our freedom,” DiRaimondo said. “To honor them would be wonderful.’”

Army Sgt. Michael DiRaimondo, 22, who died Jan. 8, 2004, was the first citizen of Simi Valley to lose his life fighting in the War on Terror.

Already adopted in cities like Santa Paula, Agoura Hills, Rancho Cucamonga and Glendale, the Armed Forces Banner Program would recognize troops with a series of personalized signs installed on streetlight poles.

Speaker Patti Fonvergne cried as she told the council how important the banner program would be to her, since her son has been serving in the Army for the past five years.

“They come home for Christmas, they come home for Thanksgiving, and what a great thing to see them honored, to know that people at home haven’t forgotten them,” said Fonvergne, founder of the Military Families of Ventura County support group.

Though they didn’t speak, about 20 others sat in the council chambers Monday to show their support— most of them wearing red For The Troops shirts.

Currently, the city pays for patriotic and holiday banners to be hung on streetlight poles along Tapo and Alamo streets and Tapo Canyon Road. On Monday, city staff presented the council with several options to implement the new program.

The council could replace the existing banners with ones honoring military personnel or the city could put the 34-by-64-inch pennants in different locations, specifically along highly visible sections of Los Angeles Avenue, west and east of Tapo Canyon Road. The first option would cost around $10,000, the second, about $15,000.

Concerning the criteria for honorees, staff suggested that only those who are currently serving active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and reside in Simi Valley or have an immediate family member in Simi be put on the signs.

Ron Fuchiwaki, director of public works, said the exact number of military personnel that could be honored is unknown at this time, but he estimated there could be 100 to 200 active duty Simi residents.

Councilmember Barbra Williamson thought the program shouldn’t limit itself to honoring only those on active duty. Why not veterans, too? she asked.

Mayor Paul Miller responded that the city already had veterans covered.

“My thought is the park district has a great memorial. My feeling would be if we honored those who served and passed away, we wouldn’t have enough light poles,” the mayor said.

DiRaimondo agreed.

“Everyone that’s serving now, they deserve a banner,” he said. “The community has done fabulous with honoring the fallen, honoring the people that have served. You’ve done a great job with that, but by all means honor the people that are serving today.”

Paula Cornell, co-founder of the local nonprofit For The Troops, which sends care packages to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, asked that the program also be opened up to active duty reservists. In addition, she would like to see special banners with gold stars to honor Simi’s fallen.

As proposed, the program would be funded by donations from individuals, nonprofits and community groups. The mayor suggested using funds from the Community Development Agency budget to back the project so the city doesn’t have to worry about donations, but Councilmember Steve Sojka thought otherwise.

“I really believe, by allowing people to donate, it unites. It not only honors men and women that are serving but it also gives an opportunity to an individual or business to be able to honor them,” he said.

But Miller said he doesn’t want to see a business name on the banner and members of the audience agreed.

With differing ideas and suggestions about how the banners should look and whether they should re- place the city’s current patriotic banners, Williamson suggested forming a committee to flesh out the details.

Councilmembers Sojka and Glen Becerra will chair the committee, and input will be sought from residents like DiRaimondo, Fonvergne and Cornell.

The council is scheduled to revisit the matter on Aug. 30.