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Thursday, October 17, 2013
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
COMPARING CITIES
Morrison sewer bills on the rise Sterling has lower rates than others BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
MORRISON – Morrison residents might suffer from sticker shock next month when they open their sewer and water bills. Residents who use 4,000 gallons in a month will see a 40 percent increase in the sewer portion of their bills. The city plans to use the extra money to pay for a new wastewater treatment plant. That increase is just the start. The city expects big increases
the next 4 years. By 2017, the Comparing new plant should be fully opersewer rates ational, Mayor Everett Pannier said. Here’s a comparison of The 4,000 gallons will cost monthly water rates for a resi$47.65, considerably higher dent who uses 4,000 gallons than Dixon’s rate of $26.19 and in a month: Sterling’s $17.20. Rock Falls Dixon $26.19 is still higher at $54, but that Morrison $47.65 should change soon. Rock Falls $54.00 Pannier said the city will likely raise rates by a similar percentSterling $17.20 age next year. Note: Dixon and Sterling meaAfter 4 years, the rates will sure their sewer bills in cubic likely level off, the mayor said. feet, but Sauk Valley Media “Over the years, we’ve been translated that into gallons. pretty low,” Pannier explained. “Because we have been so low for so long, you’ll find us higher week. Members Harvey Zuidethan other towns.” ma and Leo Sullivan were The council unanimously absent. approved the new rates this The plant and pump sta-
tions are expected to cost $23 million. The city needed to increase its plant capacity and upgrade to comply with state and federal regulations. Officials decided that it was better to build a new plant rather than renovate the existing one. The plant will be on a former farm in south Morrison, near the Morrison Institute of Technology. In Rock Falls, the city completed its wastewater treatment plant 2 years ago, complying with a court order. Residents are charged $25.50 a month to pay down the debt for the plant, pump station and lift stations, among other charges on their bills.
“Barring losing a chunk of the population, that $25.50 should stay put for the foreseeable future,” City Administrator Robbin Blackert said. For the next 20 years, the city will have payments of $1 million a year for the plant, Blackert said. The city, she said, got a relatively good deal on the $27 million plant, most of which was paid for with interest-free loans. Smaller towns such as Morrison have a bigger burden because they have to spread out the costs of new plants among far fewer customers, Blackert said. SEWER CONTINUED ON A4
BUDGET BATTLE
RAISING THE FLAG AT STERLING PARK
Congress votes to end shutdown Bipartisan measure reopens government
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Randy Burger, a Sterling Park District employee, gets ready to raise the American flag after replacing the rope on the flagpole Wednesday afternoon at Propheter Park.
ROCK FALLS
Morse wants to withdraw guilty plea Drunken driver blamed in death of pedestrian BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 521
MORRISON – A Rock Falls man wants to withdraw his plea of guilty to aggravated DUI in the death of a pedestrian. Chad E. Morse, 42, was sentenced on Sept. 11 to 14 years in prison, the maximum sentence. He had pleaded guilty in July to aggravated DUI for the November 2011 death of 33-year-old Brad E. Nitsch,
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also of Rock Falls. Two filings made last week by Morse’s new attorney, Maureen Williams of PeoChad E. ria, seek to Morse change that. In a motion to reconsider the sentence, Williams contends the “sentence imposed was excessive and did not reasonably consider all mitigating circumstances” and that “the defendant was denied effective assistance
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of counsel.” Additionally, Williams filed a motion to withdraw the plea of guilty and vacate the judgment, asserting that the defendant “did not enter the guilty plea voluntarily and knowingly” and that he “was denied effective assistance of counsel.” Asked whether she had evidence to support the claims in the motion, Williams said it was just guesswork until she thoroughly reviews the case. “I have to put those in there to cover my bases until I get the transcripts,” she said. “You have to kind of
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just guess. “In order to withdraw the guilty plea, you have to claim that it was not knowingly made or voluntarily made.” Whiteside County State’s Attorney Trish Joyce said her office was considering a motion to dismiss the defense motions, based on the lack of specifics. “There are no facts provided, no affidavit attached to the motions – there’s nothing indicating what these allegations are based on,” Joyce said. MORSE CONTINUED ON A4
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WASHINGTON (AP) – Up against a deadline, Congress passed and sent a waiting President Barack Obama legislation late Wednesday night to avoid a threatened national default and end the 16-day partial government shutdown, the culmination of an epic politiPresident cal drama that Barack Obama placed the U.S. economy at risk. The Senate voted first, a bipartisan 81-18 at midevening. That cleared the way for a final 285144 vote in the Republicancontrolled House about 2 hours later on the legislation, which hewed strictly to the terms Obama laid down when the twin crises erupted more than 3 weeks ago. The legislation would permit the Treasury to borrow normally through Feb. 7 or perhaps a month longer, and fund the government through Jan. 15. More than two million federal workers would be paid – those who had remained on the job and those who had been furloughed. At the White House, Obama hailed the Senate’s vote. The White House embraced the bill, worked out by the Senate’s two party leaders, saying in a statement it would “protect the full faith and credit of the United States and end the government shutdown.” Republicans had other concerns. “We fought the good fight. We just didn’t win,” conceded House Speaker John Boehner as lawmakers lined up to vote on a bill that includes nothing to eradicate or scale back Obama’s signature health care overhaul. LEGISLATION CONTINUED ON A2
Today’s weather High 60. Low 38. More on A3.
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