1 Front
Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Thursday, March 5, 2015
NEWSSTAND PRICE 75¢
Down with debt ... best budget yet Princeton looks at 2015-16 budget By Zita Henneberry zhenneberry@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — According to Princeton City Manager Jeff Clawson, the budget discussed at the
Monday night, March 2, budget meeting is the best budget the city has put together yet. Clawson believes this is largely due to changes made to the electric utility rates and the sewer utility rates about 18 months ago. These changes, he said, helped build the revenue and sewer fund without increasing rates
to Princeton residents and allowing for more capital projects in the sewer system. During the nearly twohour meeting, Clawson reviewed each of the various budget funds with the city departments. He provided a year-to-year comparison of the budget numbers as well as a summary of budgeting details.
“We’ve lowered our debt in the last two years by $5 million,” said Clawson. He explained two years ago, Princeton’s debt was $41 million, $10 million of which was from the water treatment plant which was still under construction at the time. Now, the debt totals at $36 million, $14 million of which is from the water treatment plant.
“It (the water treatment plant) was actually adding debt at the same time we were trying to lower debt elsewhere.” With the water treatment plant taken out of the equation, the city of Princeton has lowered its debt by $9 million. Princeton City Clerk Pete Nelson said this feat has been accomplished
by refinancing bonds and paying cash for capital projects whenever possible. “Ever since I’ve been here and with the council we’ve had, we’ve been on this game plan of lowering debt,” said Clawson, “This isn’t something new.” With no anticipated
Budget Page 4
Fund reserves
SV City Council passes resolution By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
SPRING VALLEY — The Spring Valley Council passed a resolution on Monday, March 2, urging Gov. Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly to protect full funding of local government distributive fund revenues. Before passing the resolution, Mayor Walt Marini said with Rauner’s proposed budget, the city could lose up to $270,000 in funding. “We definitely can’t afford that,” he said. According to the resolution the council passed on Monday, Rauner has proposed a 50 percent reduction in the local share of the income tax during his Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Address, reducing local revenues by more than $600 million. The loss of this stateshared income tax revenue would result in elimination of countless jobs, local tax increases, program and service cuts and could increase debt burdens that would be felt by all citizens. Municipalities are frontline providers of government services to citizens including police and fire protection, parks, infrastructure, water, sewer and utility services and snow removal, stated the resolution. “The Volunteers” U.S. Army Band is coming to Spring Valley In other news on Monday, Spring Valley Economic Development Director Debb Ladgenski reminded
SV Page 4 Year 168 No. 28 Two Sections - 28 Pages
© Bureau County Republican
BCR photo/Zita Henneberry
It’s never too cold for ice cream Blake Junis, 3, and his sister, Charlotte Junis, 1, enjoy their first Dairy Queen treat of the season. Even though the temperature outside was below freezing, the Junis children didn’t seem to mind, as they devoured their ice cream frozen treats. With spring just a couple of weeks away, the Dairy Queen opened Monday, March 2, for business — a sure sign that warmer weather is on its way.
Would a regional 911 work? Bernabei: ‘How do we do that and be cost-effective?’ By Ken Schroeder Shaw Media Service
OGLESBY — A regional dispatch center is in the planning stages for the tri-city area, but organizers are hoping the scope of the project will be far wider than that before it’s
finished. A 12-member panel from LaSalle, Oglesby and Peru are inviting other communities to join into a project that will provide Enhanced 911 services throughout the area, while relieving the financial burden as much as possible.
Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei, chairman of the Illinois Valley Regional Dispatch Center Planning Board, said a $1.5 million grant has been acquired for the center. A potential site for the center has been chosen. “We’re working with the Dispatch Center Planning Board on placing the center on the IVCC campus grounds where the old barn stands south of the campus,” Illinois Valley
Community College President Jerry Corcoran said. “It’s an excellent opportunity for us to work with the local communities and provide a new learning environment for students.” Current plans will allow IVCC students in forensics, law enforcement and related fields to intern with the regional dispatch center. Bernabei explained why the center is necessary for
the region. “The city of LaSalle, the city of Peru and the city of Oglesby each have their own independent 911 boards, or emergency telephone system boards (ETSB). LaSalle County is unique in that it has nine separate ETSBs in the county,” Bernabei said. “There’s a new dynamic coming down the pike. It’s already arrived in certain
911 Page 2