Oregon-Mt. Morris Beat
www.oglecountynews.com
Oregon Republican Reporter, Mt. Morris Times, Thursday, January 23, 2014, Page A8
OHS offers FAFSA event Feb. 5
Guest Speaker
Oregon High School will host a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Completion Event on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the library. Student and partent information required on FAFSA includes:
Jay Stacy, Director of Nachusa Grasslands, center, was the guest speaker at the Oregon Lions Club meeting on Jan. 9. Pictured with him are Lions Club members Mike Ryder, left, and Tom Champley. Stacy’s conservation organization has owned and operated property south of Oregon for 28 years with the goal of restoring area land to its original natural state. Their new project is to establish an American bison herd on that land. More than 30 head of pure bred bison will be arriving at Nachusa Grassland in late fall of 2014 to initiate this project. Photo by Jean Hoff
During its December Board of Education meeting, the Meridian School Board voted to move forward with the process of selling $2 million dollars in working cash bonds with a three-year repayment cycle. The strategy will infuse more than $665,000 into each of the next three years’ budgets. The school board and
s -ONTH AND YEAR OF marriage, separation, divorce, or other change in marital status. Anyone planning to attend the event is asked to RSVP by Monday, Feb. 3 to Lori Spratt at 815-732-6241 ext. 1005 or lspratt@ocusd. net.
Oregon Lifeline Submitted by Sharon Wallace Oregon Lifeline Lifeline wishes to thank the community for all their help and support they gave to us in 2013. What a wonderful gift, thank you very much.
Guest Column: Editor’s note: This article was submitted by Assistant Superintendent and Stillman Valley High School Principal PJ Caposey on behalf of Meridian School District officials.
s 3OCIAL 3ECURITY NUMBERS
s $RIVER S LICENSE STUDENT
s )NCOME AND TAX information (W-2, 1040), s )NFORMATION ABOUT ANY assets, s $ATES OF BIRTH MONTH day, and year), s !LIEN REGISTRATION NUMBER (if applicable),
We also would like to thank all our volunteers for all they do. Thanks to those who help unloading the truck - Tim O’Rourke, Ellen Mason, Steve Spangler, Eddy and Gary Monahan, Earl Martin, Sharon Wallace and Bob
Spratt. The number of clients who were served in 2013 totaled 2,828. Lifeline is in need of pork and beans, kidney beans, cake mixes and paper goods. For information call Sharon Wallace at 9815-222-6712.
Stillman school official explains cash bond plan
its administration have a complex problem to solve. Like many school districts in the region and around the state, the money coming into the district from state and local funds has significantly decreased over the past several years, leaving the district in a financial bind. “We have no control over what the state gives us or when they give it to us,� said Interim Superintendent Dr. Bob Willis. “We also can’t control property values, unfortunately. Both have had a huge impact on our loss of revenue in adequately funding our schools, our staff
and our programs� With the loss of several hundred thousand dollars last year and again this year, plus the decision to cut between $300,000 and $500,000 this year alone in staff and programs, the board evaluated several revenue-generating options determining the sale of working cash bonds is the best short-term solution. “We want to be fiscally responsible with the least impact to taxpayers and the most positive impact on our students,� said school board president John Smith. “Essentially, the working cash bonds will give our
district a loan, bringing a three-year temporary increase in taxes in hopes that local property values will recover in three years and the State of Illinois will begin to fund school districts as state statute mandates, bringing our district and others like ours out of financial crisis.� School districts can increase revenue by levying (a formal way of requesting or asking) for additional taxes. Some aspects of a school budget can be taxed at a set amount by the state, others at a set amount by local voters, and yet others at a rate of
need as established through school code. An additional method of gaining revenue is to sell working cash bonds and then re-pay the bonds over a set period of time. “If our school board didn’t take this needed step, we would be having an entirely different conversation about what staff and which programs to begin cutting,� Willis continued. “That isn’t a conversation anyone wants to have.� With the sale of the working cash bonds, the district forecasts a consistent fund balance over the next five
years, keeping it financially solvent. Without the sale of the working cash bonds, below are the projections for the fund balance. In this scenario, the district will reach financial insolvency in three to four years. “Our community is receiving great value from our school district with a 95 percent graduation rate, the third highest state test scores of 20 high schools in the northern Illinois region and a 19 to 1 teacher-student ratio. We need to keep providing quality education for our kids,� Smith said.
Chairman says the building plans are transparent project was approved, he said, meetings were held in four planning the building, which he places in the county to make said has not been transparent. residents aware of the plans and Before the judicial center From A1
allow them to ask questions. Gouker, who headed up the has been equally transparent. Similar meetings have not been committee in charge of building Colson disagreed. “That [the held for the sheriff’s building, the judicial center, said the judicial center] was an Ogle he said. process for new sheriff’s office County transparent process,� he said. “This has been a Cook County covert operation.� The judicial center, which cost approximately $15 million, station. Serving is from 7 to Rock River Valley Blood 393-4811 to reserve a time to was completed in 2005. 11 a.m. Center will be at the station donate or just walk in that day. The sheriff’s administration Prices are $8 for adults, $4 from 7 a.m. to noon taking Breakfasts are help the building has been estimated at for children ages 6-12. Ages 5 blood donations. first Sunday of each month $4.1 million. and under eat free. Call Cindy Meyers at 815- through May. The money for the
Breakfast will be served in Monroe Center The Monroe Township Firefighters’ Association will be holding its All-YouCan-Eat Buffet Breakfast on Sunday, Feb. 2 at the fire
Join the Hawk boosters now! Dear Editor, The Oregon Hawk Boosters are an awesome organization that support extra-curricular activities in the Oregon School District. In the past years they have sponsored the Red & White Spirit Night, Pack the Place events and volunteered at many others. They are able to support the teams and their athletes
by the fund raising that takes place during the Red & White Night and by all of the volunteers that donate their time. The Booster club now needs your support. There are Board positions open and members are needed. If you are interested in being part of this great organization, attend the next meeting to be held on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. in the OHS library. Sincerely, Michelle Janco Booster President
MIDWEST RACE CAR & PARTS AUCTION
SATURDAY, MARCH 8TH * 9AM ~ HENRY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS 311 E. North Street, Cambridge, IL
CONSIGNMENTS WANTED! We have put together a wonderful Midwest race car and parts auction. Many of the premier racers and their competitors will have cars, trailers, parts, etc in this auction. We will have a listing of all items as they are added to this great sale. Over 200 items have already been committed to this day. We have the ability to have a second day of selling based upon consignments! Call Jon at 309-644-1854 for questions and to consign.
Public Voice
School district thanks drivers
Dear Editor, The Forrestville Valley School District would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You� to our bus and van drivers for ensuring the safe transport of students. The drivers’ dedication to safety and commitment to the community are truly appreciated. Therefore, please help us to celebrate Bus Driver Appreciation Week in the Forrestville Valley School District, Feb. 3 through 7, by a kind word, a note of thanks or a gesture of appreciation to our drivers. Sincerely, Dr. Jane Eichman Interim Superintendent Forrestville Valley School District
Resident thanks postal carriers
BLOOMBERG AUCTION 309-644-1854 * www.auctionzip.com
Who’s got your back– and your back pocket?
Dear Editor, A big thanks to our local U.S. Postal Service letter carriers who have not missed a single day due to weather. Despite dangerously cold
temperatures they continued to walk the route, delivering mail and packages – and, they don’t jump into warm trucks after every stop, like other delivery services. Our letter carriers truly personify the motto, “Neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night, (nor polar vortex!) shall keep us from our appointed rounds.� Residents can show appreciation by keeping sidewalks shoveled and salted so they can get to mailboxes easily. Thank you, local U.S.P.S. workers. Sandra Stengel Mt. Morris
Congratulations to Coach Engle Dear Editor, The purpose of this letter is to congratulate Doug Engle on his induction into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (ITCCCA) Hall of Fame. Since 1977, the coaches association has voted 5 to 7 coaches state wide into their Hall of Fame. The unusual fact about his induction is that Doug served
as an assistant his entire career. Most of the inductees were head coaches. Doug’s amazing record in the weight events warranted his induction into the ITCCCA Hall of Fame (16 All State Athletes, 32 individual qualifiers, 64 total state qualifiers). Doug becomes the third Oregon cross country/track and field coach to be inducted into the ITCCCA Hall of Fame. I was inducted in 1998, followed by Art Carlson in 1999. This is a major accomplishment for Oregon High School. Only 16 schools in the State of Illinois have three or more Hall of Famers. One school - Oak ParkRiver Forest has six inductees. One school - Palatine has five inductees. Seven schools - Bloom, Conant, Glenbard South, Lyons, Maine South, Naperville, York - have four inductees. Oregon High School joins East St. Louis, Lincoln, Evanston, Glenbard West, Sandburg, Schaumburg, and Thornton with three inductees.
administration building will come from the Long Range Planning Fund, as did the judicial center and the $7.5 million courthouse remodeling project completed in 2010. Revenues in that fund come from the host fees paid by garbage collection firms to dump refuse in the landfills within the county. The fees amount to approximately $3 million per year.
Twenty-three schools have two inductees. One hundred fourteen have one inductee. Also, Oregon is the only Class A school in the state with three coaches in the ITCCCA Hall of Fame. Special recognition should go out to all the Hawk track and field athletes that were on the squads during our coaching tenures. Also, a special thank you to the Oregon voters that gave Oregon High School an all weather track in 1975. A final congrats to Doug and fellow coach - Irv Sanderson of Prophetstown/ Erie - for their 2014 induction into the ITCCCA Hall of Fame. It was a well-deserved honor for both. Sincerely, Joe Mortimer Orland Park OHS Cross Country and Track Coach (1968-1972) P.S. Special recognition should go to Darren Moser (five time state medalist for the Oregon Hawks) for his tireless five year campaign to get Coach Engle into the ITCCCA Hall of Fame. Doug becomes only the fourth assistant-coach to be elected into the Hall of Fame out of the 215 inductees.
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