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SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
STERLING & ROCK FALLS, B3
STERLING, A3
dailyGAZETTE Tuesday, December 6, 2016 n SERVING ROCK FALLS, STERLING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1854
STERLING | CITY COUNCIL
Residents are reaching their limit People wonder: Can’t city just tell tax hikes to take a hike? But officials say their hands are tied BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
STERLING – The city’s proposed tax levy hike is only about one-third of last year’s increase, but several residents at Monday’s public hearing weren’t feeling thankful. The hearing for this year’s proposed 6.06 percent increase comes on the
heels of the 18.76 percent surge dealt to taxpayers last year. The common denominator in both? Escalating police and fire pension costs, and the state’s new rules for determining how the cities fund them. City Manager Scott Shumard opened the hearing with a presentation on the pensions situation. Fire pensions are up 16.29 percent, while police pensions saw an 8.15 percent spike.
“A higher number of retirees, and lower investment returns have played a role in the decline of funding ratios,” Shumard said. “The city has been keeping up with actuarial standards.” Shumard said the city even changed actuaries this year, but still came up with the same numbers. “Almost half of the general fund is going to pensions, and with the state’s new rules, they can take back some of
the money we receive if we don’t fund to minimum levels,” Shumard said. Some residents asked whether the city had explored alternatives to the property tax increase that will amount to an estimated $46.67 a year for the owner of a $100,000 house. “Have you looked at alternatives to funding the pensions?” Marsha Stern asked. TAX HIKES continued on A44
TWIN CITIES
SAUK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Mixed signals
Janet Matheny (left), dean of student services at Sauk Vally Community College, talks with Lori Cortez, the former Trio director who started her new job Monday as dean of foundation, grants, and governmental relations for the college. Matheny will fill in as interim director until a permanent replacement is found, and Cortez’s chief responsibility will be helping the foundation create new revenue streams.
Mayor takes issue with apparent switch in choice for 911 dispatch director BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Sharing her experience A new dean who’s lived the community college story will help build a stronger foundation for learning
BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN cheimerman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5523 CHeimerman_SVM
DIXON – For her next trick, Lori Cortez will help Sauk Valley Community College continue to provide the sort of student experience that’s left an indelible mark on her heart. Monday was Cortez’s first day on the job as dean of foundation, grants, and governmental relations. Essentially, her job is to work with the college’s foundation to make the most out of existing revenue streams and generate new ones. For the past 2 years, she’s helped innumerable students attend Sauk through her work as director of Trio, a program for low-income families, first-generation college students and those with disabilities. Growing up in Saginaw, Michigan, she fit those first two criteria to a tee. DEAN continued on A54
DIXON CITY COUNCIL
City makes adjustments to its cash f low Officials hope new ‘super-tier’ water rate will spur development at Bay City Foods BY RACHEL RODGERS rrodgers@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5529 @rj_rodgers
DIXON – The city is hoping a discounted water rate for its highest-paying customer will lead to more business development down the line.
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The City Council created a new tier Monday for water consumers that use more than 1 million cubic feet of water per month, priced at a rate of $1.15 per 100 cubic feet. The rate will be fixed for 2 years and increase by 2.5 percent in the following years. Bay Valley Foods is the only customer that currently falls under that level of usage, and
INDEX
ABBY.................... A7 BUSINESS.......... A10 COMICS................ A9
the company began negotiating with the city several months ago in response to water rate hikes approved in April that would have seen increases of 6 percent each year for 3 years, followed by an annual 2.5-percent increase to make up for inflation.
CROSSWORD.......B8 LIFESTYLE............ A7 LOTTERY.............. A2
STERLING – The emergency dispatch consolidation process in Whiteside County has hit a rough patch. Rock Falls Mayor Bill Wescott was at Monday’s Sterling City Council meeting to voice his displeasure over the hiring process for a dispatch director. Wescott, a former emergency services professional, recounted the county’s history with 911 services. “It was 24 years ago that emergency 911 came into being in Whiteside County, and Bill at the time, Wescott we didn’t do one center for Sterling and Rock Falls, as many thought we should have,” Wescott said. Fast-forward to the present, and both cities no longer will be allowed to have public safety answering points. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill July 31, 2015, that allows no more than two emergency dispatch centers in counties with a population of 250,000 or less. Whiteside County now has dispatch units in Sterling, Rock Falls, and Morrison. The county turned in a consolidation plan before the July 1, 2016, deadline. The implementation deadline is July 1, 2017. Special service area 1 includes the Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments and both cities’ rural fire districts. Morrison has the mainframe computer, and Sterling will be the other answering point, largely because of the investment in equipment that has been made at the Coliseum.
WATER RATES continued on A44
OBITUARIES......... A4 OPINION............... A6 POLICE................. A2
SIGNALS continued on A54
Today’s weather High 36. Low 21. More on A3.
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