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dailyGAZETTE Monday, December 23, 2013
SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
LEE COUNTY | FINANCES
Budget status a polarizing subject Opinions vary among finance committee chairman, board BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
DIXON – Is Lee County suffering budget shortfalls? It depends on who you ask. Arlan McClain, R-Dixon, chairman of the County Board’s finance committee,
points to a surplus, with all of the county funds combined. For fiscal year 2013, the county was $1.2 million in the black, he said. But County Board member Dick Binder, R-Compton, says he looks at the general fund, which pays for county operations such
as the Sheriff’s Department. The county’s general fund, everyone agrees, is in the red. For years, the county has used money from the landfill to subsidize shortfalls in the general fund – usually $400,000 to $600,000 annually, but a projected $750,000 this next year.
EDUCATION
Under the county’s 5-year contract with the local landfill’s owner, Phoenix-based Republic Services, the county is guaranteed $1.8 million a year for 5 years from the company, no matter the volume of waste. BUDGET CONTINUED ON A2
Dick Binder, board member, R-Compton
Rick Ketchum, board chairman, D-Amboy
STERLING | PADS HOMELESS SHELTER
Official enters regional office race Sondgeroth might be unopposed for new consolidated district BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
Whiteside County’s regional schools superintendent is in the race for the same position in a consolidated regional district. As of late last week, he was the only candidate. Bob Sondgeroth, who started as superintendent 2 years ago, filed with the state Board of Elections last week for the superintendent’s position in a new district covering Whiteside, Lee and Ogle counties. Today is the deadline for candidates to file. Last year, the legislature decided to abolish regional districts that have fewer Bob Sondgeroth than 61,000 people, requiring them to combine with other regions. Whiteside County has a population of 58,498, according to the 2010 Census. Of the state’s 44 regional districts, Whiteside County’s is the 35th-biggest. The changes take effect July 1, 2015, when the new terms for superintendents start. In some areas of the state, regional districts struggled with consolidation, but it went relatively smoothly in Whiteside, Lee and Ogle counties. Regional superintendents inspect school buildings, handle teacher certification issues and provide other help to school districts. Regional offices of education have been among Springfield’s favorite targets for budget cuts. In 2011, regional superintendents went months without being paid, after Quinn vetoed funding for their salaries. Most, including Sondgeroth, kept working. The state later paid them. Sondgeroth said, if he is elected, he would hire Paul McMahon, the regional superintendent for Lee and Ogle counties, as the assistant superintendent.
Shelter from the storm Woman says PADS spared her from abuse
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Aquila Pobuda, 23, arrives at her new home in Sterling on Friday morning. Pobuda had stayed at the PADS homeless shelter since October until she recently moved into her new boyfriend’s aunt’s apartment. BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
‘‘ ’’ I feel like a different person.
STERLING – Aquila Pobuda says she left an abusive fiancé in early October to live in the local homeless shelter, which is near Wahl Clipper. She left the shelter on a recent morning, moving into an apartment on Avenue I in Sterling, where her new boyfriend’s aunt lives. The 23-year-old said she was grateful to the shelter and the Dowdy family, who moved into the Twin Cities PADS homeless shelter shortly after she did. James and Teresa Dowdy, she said, have given her confidence. “She does have potential, when she uses her noggin,” said James, 48. But he told her he was concerned she might not have thought through her decision to move out of the shelter. Living in someone else’s place, he said, means she could be kicked out at any time.
Aquila Pobuda, who says PADS shelter, Dowdy family helped give her confidence.
“Here, you have a roof over your head,” he said, “and you have food in your gut.” They were talking shortly after dinner, which is about 7 o’clock. This week, 10 people were staying in the shelter. The shelter, which is open October through May, usually allows the residents inside only at night, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. They must spend their days somewhere else. The mall, the hospital and the library are popular warm spots. An exception is made on days like the last few – when the temperature falls below 10 degrees in the morning, with the wind chill factor taken into account.
At dinner, Tasha Selden, a volunteer who works at Sterling’s VeriFacts during the day, took a spaghetti casserole out of the oven. It had been prepared by a local church. She added her own sauce to the casserole to spice it up, adding garlic, salt and Italian herbs. Two teenage boys – both in pajama pants – waited at the counter. “Give me a few minutes,” she told the boys. They did, standing close by. Most of the people sat at a formation of tables. A few talked. A TV was on. After dinner, Aquila spoke to a reporter in a room just outside the common area. A number of partially completed jigsaw puzzles were lying on the table. James and Teresa joined her. After a little while, Aquila left. SHELTER CONTINUED ON A10
REGIONAL CONTINUED ON A2
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 160 ISSUE 12
INDEX
COMICS ............... A9 CROSSWORD......B9 DEAR ABBY ......... A8
LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2 NATION/WORLD A11
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
Today’s weather High 11. Low -4. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B6.
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