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Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Thursday, March 10, 2016
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County revisits administrator position Board hears of concerns, future of the job
By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — The search is on for a new county administrator/ human resources person for Bureau County. Last month, it was announced former county administrator Sue McLaughlin was moving on to a new opportunity at the end of February. McLaughlin was hired by
the county board last July. On Tuesday, March 8, county board vice chair Marshann Entwhistle shared bits of the exit interview she and county board chairman Dale Anderson had with McLaughlin before her departure. She touched on reasons why McLaughlin believes the county needs a county administrator — mostly, to ensure the county is keeping up with
the laws of FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act), workers comp, financial policies and the county’s personnel handbook. McLaughlin also talked about the difficulties she faced when she first started her position. She said once employees in the courthouse realized she wasn’t there to tell them how to do their job, but rather help them make their jobs easier, her work became easier. McLaughlin suggested the county board encourage the use of an administrator, which she thought
was lacking when she first started working for the county. She also suggested the board set goals for what they expect of out of its administrator, which Bureau County had not done for McLaughlin. Entwhistle said McLaughlin had said if the county thought it was costing too much money to hire a county administrator, she suggested looking into hiring an hourly specialist, or someone who is coming out of school and it’s their first job. The candidate would be one looking to work
their way up to being a county administrator or assistant to a county administrator. She also suggested looking to a management analyst or a human resources person. County board member Mary Jane Marini also gave an overview of a meeting she and Anderson had with the county elected officials following McLaughlin’s departure. Marini said she took the job description of the county administrator the search committee had prepared before hiring McLaughlin to show
officials what exactly the position was meant to do. “We wanted to listen to the elected officials’ thoughts and concerns and wanted them to know that when we intended to hire and put this position in place, it was never to cross that line into their jobs,” she said. Marini added the board was looking for a candidate who could guide the county board and help elected officials do their jobs more efficiently. Marini said elected
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Scaling back on Euclid Avenue
Princeton rethinks street project By Goldie Rapp grapp@bcrnews.com
Everyone enjoys recess BCR Photo/Dave Cook
Jefferson Elementary Principal J.D. Orwig left his Princeton office and enjoyed the recent 70 degree weather with his students during afternoon recess on Tuesday. Orwig kicked ball after ball to a group of students anxiously waiting at the other end to catch them. People throughout the area took advantage of the warm weather and were outside enjoying a walk, yard work, cycling, eating ice cream, playing at the park and several other outdoor activities.
PRINCETON — Princeton is looking to cut costs on the Euclid Avenue reconstruction project. On Monday, March 7, city manager Rachel Skaggs reported staff has been working with engineers from Farnsworth to cut the project down $415,000. Proposed cuts include keeping as much existing sidewalk as possible while making sure it still meets American with Disabilities Act requirements, also eliminating a 10-foot pedestrian multi-use pad and decreasing the pavement thickness. As previously reported in the BCR, the Euclid Avenue project consists of removing the brick from Central Avenue to Elm Place. A new road and base is to be constructed along with other sidewalk, gutter and curb improvements. On Monday, Skaggs said the council will have to vote on an addendum to the project that includes the proposed cuts and also additional engineering work for the design of the project. She said the engineering work is expected to be about $80,000, which was taken off of the $415,000.
Therefore, technically, there were about $500,000 worth of cuts to the project. The project is still on track to begin in 2017, with a completion date sometime in 2018. Skaggs said the total project cost was $2.9 million, with the city’s share being about $1.5 million. However with the most recent reductions, the project cost is now sitting at $2.5 million, with the city’s share being about $1.2 million. The other $1.3 million will be covered by federal STU funds. New regulations on electronic display signs On Monday, the council also approved the final reading of an ordinance adopting the Princeton Plan Commission’s recommendations to the zoning code. Changes to the code that were recently discussed by the council included those for electronic display signs, which are becoming more popular with various businesses. The electronic features will only be allowed on free standing signs. New signs must include an automatic dimming feature, so they will not shine as bright during evening hours. Elec-
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The best route available
Spring Valley City Council continues discussion of city improvements By Eric Engel eengel@bcrnews.com
SPRING VALLEY — The Spring Valley City Council convened Tuesday, March 8, for a streets and alleys meeting, followed by a finance meeting, to clarify road and Year 170 No. 30 One Section - 16 Pages
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building projects. Chamlin and Associates’ engineer Mike Richetta said the estimated cost for construction on Dakota Street from Route 6 to Ladd Road was around $248,000. That estimate fits into the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Surface
Transportation Urban program budget of $250,000. Richetta said they measured the road, detailed sections of rough curb and considered pavement crack control, with improvement designs to start this fall and actual construction Summer 2017.
Mayor Walt Marini voiced his desire to keep an eye on all transportation surfaces in the city but focus on main routes and business access points that consistently generates income for Spring Valley.
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