Should it stay or should it go?

That's the question one central Illinois community is asking about a defunct Minuteman missile that's stood as a monument in Rantoul for nearly 50 years.

Reports indicate the village wants to demolish it in the name of modernization. Others say it's an important relic of the former Chanute Air Force Base.

Its base is anchored by tons of concrete and the missile is rusting. So, moving it isn't an option. Either it stays or is torn down.

Mayor Chuck Smith's wants public feedback on the question. But he calls the missile "an obstacle in the way of progress."

The director of the Rantoul Historical Society, Kaye Heath, disagrees and says the missile has become a symbol of the community.