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MISSILES PREP FOR LAUNCH
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PREP FOOTBALL, B1
CELEBRATIONS, INSIDE
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, August 18, 2015
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING POLICE
STERLING PUBLIC SCHOOLS | FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
City, union finalize contract
Teachable moments
Arbitration takes longer than thought BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The city and its police union are close to finalizing a new labor deal more than 2 years after the expiration of the previous agreement. The council Monday authorized the city to sign off on the pact with the Policemen’s Benevolent Labor Committee. City Manager Scott Shumard gave his recommendation, saying that approval of the new agreement would be in the city’s best interest. The new contract staggers nearly 7 percent in pay raises throughout the life of the deal. Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Lindsy Stumpenhorst, new principal at Washington Elementary School in Sterling, speaks to students outside school Monday, the first day of classes. “Students and staff came to the school with smiles on their faces,” Stumpenhorst said. “Everyone is happy and excited for a new adventure.”
Tripped alarm can’t drown out excitement to be back BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
STERLING – It might have been fun while it lasted, but summer break came to an end Monday as Sterling School District students returned to class. It was also the first day for Lindsy Stumpenhorst, Washington Elementary School’s new principal. “Students and staff came to the school with smiles on their faces,” Stumpenhorst said. “Everyone is happy and excited for a new adventure.” She is Washington’s second principal in as many years. Stumpenhorst, 31, succeeds Steve Etheridge, who left after a year to be an elementary school principal in Moline, his hometown. Stumpenhorst, a 2002 graduate of AFC High School in Ashton, began her teaching career in 2006 at the nowclosed Lincoln Elementary School in Dixon. TEACHABLE CONTINUED ON A3
Students pass the Washington Elementary office during the first day of school.
POLICE CONTINUED ON A5
Key arbitration rulings Highlights from the new 3-year labor contract between the city and its police union: Pay increase First year – 2% Second year – 4.1% acrossthe-board step increase Third year – .75% Comp time For the first time, employees can cash out up to 80 hours. All union workers now get holiday comp time, which had previously been in the contract language just for detectives and special duties. Personal days Bumped up from 2 days to 4 days for employees working 12-hour shifts. Grievances New contract allows the union to file grievances, not just employees. Vacation and sick days Unchanged Health insurance Unchanged
DIXON
Amid skepticism, low bid awarded for bridge-painting Engineer: City not on hook if job isn’t done to its liking BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – It still baffles city officials: How can a contractor afford to get by when it offers its services for half of what competitors are bidding? Although the price seems too good to be true, the City Council awarded the
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Galena Avenue Bridge rail-painting project to BP&T Co. of Mount Vernon. Engineers checked references. Councilmen interviewed management. The company surveyed the scope of the project. No one could unearth the smoking gun – just an unexpectedly low price tag. The city will commission BP&T for $91,800, which is $107,000 less than the next closest bid. The councilman with the most concern was Mitch Tucker. “He’s too cheap,” Tucker said, continu-
INDEX
ABBY ................... A7 BUSINESS ........... A9 COMICS ............... A8
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ing his stance from earlier this month. On Aug. 3, the owner of Dixon Paint Co. said BP&T’s bid “didn’t add up.” “I’m afraid he missed something,” he added. “New companies make mistakes in the bidding process.” Tucker abstained from the vote awarding the bid, which otherwise passed unanimously. Easing the minds of some was Willett Hofmann & Associates engineer Geoff Smith, charged with handling the bidding process.
CROSSWORD......B9 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
BID CONTINUED ON A5
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 POLICE ................ A2
The only problem is they’re too cheap. ... I think [BP&T is] fully aware that they’re going to be watched like hawks.
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Li Arellano Jr., Dixon mayor, on why city is going with lowest bidder to paint rusty rails on Galena Avenue Bridge
Today’s weather High 81. Low 64. More on A3.
Fatal crash
Man dies Sunday from injuries, A5.
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