Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS January 23, 2014 Volume 46, Number 47 - $1.00
Bowlers Advance
Staying Healthy
Energy Award
Hawk bowlers advance to the sectional with a third place finish at the Dixon Regional. B1
Finding time to exercise can be hard but the rewards are worth it. A11
The Byron Forest Preserve’s Keller Education Center earns an award. B3
Board member wants sheriff’s building on hold Colson voices tourism concern By Vinde Wells Editor
Concerns over tourism prompted a county board member to ask Tuesday that plans for a new sheriff’s administration building are
put on hold. Ron Colson, Mt. Morris, filed a request with county board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, at the county meeting asking to be placed on the February agenda. His written request said he wants to introduce a motion to suspend the bid process on the sheriff’s new headquarters at 103 Jefferson St., Oregon.
The county board approved seeking bids for the new building at its December meeting. Gouker agreed to refer Colson’s request to the Executive Committee which sets up the board agenda each month. Colson’s request said he wants the building project sent back to the county’s Long
Range & Strategic Planning Committee for further study. He asked for an analysis of the market value of the property where the sheriff’s office now sits and the new one would be built because he said its part of the City of Oregon’s Comprehensive Plan for a Riverfront District. Colson said the property is a key part of planned
development to promote tourism in the city, which would also financially benefit the county. Gouker said that Oregon Mayor Tom Stone has voiced no objections to building the new sheriff’s administration building on the site. Colson’s request asked alternative sites be considered for the new building. He also asked that the Long Range & Strategic Planning
Committee determine if architectural changes should be made in the proposed building plan to allow for future growth needs of the sheriff’s department, coroner, 911 director, and Ogle County Emergency Management Agency director, all of which will be housed in the new building. Colson voiced displeasure with the process followed in Turn to A8
Weather makes long winter for county crew By Chris Johnson Reporter
Day at the Library Kaylynn Miller and her grandfather Larry Harvell spent some time together Monday afternoon creating a set-up with dinosaurs at the Mt. Morris Public Library. Photo by Vinde Wells
Forensic audit of sheriff’s dept. requested By Vinde Wells Editor A county board member’s motion to have a forensic audit of the Ogle County Sheriff’s Department’s expenditures was quickly quashed Tuesday because it wasn’t on the meeting agenda. Board member Richard Petrizzo, Davis Junction, made the motion under the “new business� section of the meeting. However, board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, told him the measure couldn’t be voted on because it wasn’t listed as an item on the agenda. Petrizzo asked it that rule could be waived in order for the board to act immediately.
“I don’t see this going away unless you people do something.� — Tom Smith Rochelle “Yes, but we aren’t going to when it involves spending taxpayers’ money,� Gouker replied, referring to the cost of the proposed forensic audit. Petrizzo said he was proposing the measure in light of recent publicity over some expenditures made by Sheriff Michael Harn, who was present at the meeting. A forensic audit is more extensive than the audit done every year on the county’s financial records. Petrizzo’s motion asked
that the forensic audit examine sheriff’s department expenditures from December of 2010 when Harn took office to the present, with special scrutiny given to the Tow Fund, credit card expenditures, and the use of county travel and per diem allowances. The motion came after Tom Smith, Rochelle, asked the county board for answers during the “public comment� section of the board meeting. He also asked for a
forensic audit of the sheriff’s department. Smith said he represented 12 people in the audience who shared his views. He also presented a letter to the county board from Fred Cederholm, Rochelle, a retired forensic accountant. Cederholm’s letter explained what records are examined during a forensic audit. “We’re looking for answers,� Smith said. “I don’t see this going away unless you people [the board] do something. We elected you to lead.� No other board members commented on either Petrizzo’s motion or Smith’s request.
February Finds to feature antiques, art The February Finds Antique and Collectibles Market will be held Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Moose Lodge 1551 Family Center, 485 E. Hitt St., Mt. Morris. The market is a fund-raising event for the Let Freedom Ring Festival Committee and the Moose Lodge. The February Finds Market will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dealers have been carefully selected to participate in this
market. More than 20 dealers have reserved booths; at the present time, all dealer spaces are filled. All displayed antiques, vintage collectibles, and artwork are for sale. Merchandise includes: antique furniture, antique tools, primitives, tins, lamps, vintage clothing and jewelry, tin toys, collectibles, quilts and linens, artwork, stamps, postcards, tin lunch pails,
In This Week’s Edition...
local advertising memorabilia, Depression Glass, Hull and McCoy pottery, enamelware. Admittance to this event is either $3 per person or a donation of three nonperishable food items per person. Children 5 and under will be admitted free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The collection of nonperishable food items will
Births, A4 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6
be donated to the Mt. Morris Loaves & Fish Food Pantry. Parking is free and the building is handicap accessible. A bake sale, sponsored by the 2014 Let Freedom Ring Committee, will be held in conjunction with the market. Food and beverages, prepared by the Moose will be available for purchase. No food or drinks will be allowed in the designated market area.
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B3 Pine Creek News, A3 Property Transfers, B7 Public Voice, A8
Winter is officially half over, but for snow plow drivers there has been no end in sight. At the Ogle County Highway Department, which maintains 270 miles of county roads, the employees have only had one day off since Dec. 8. “Our guys have been out daily dealing with the snow and ice,� said Ogle County Engineer Curtis Cook. “While we may not be getting much snow with each storm, the wind has been blowing and drifting. Our guys have been doing a fantastic job in these conditions.� This constant winter weather has led to a higher demand for salt and chips to help keep area roads clear. The roads in Ogle County are either maintained by the county, the townships, the state, or individual municipalities. Townships in Ogle County maintain 918 miles of roads. The Illinois Department of Transportation maintains Ill. 2, 26, 64, 72, 251, I-39, and US 52. Some of the main county roads include German Church Road, River Road, White Pines Road, Lowell Park Road, Baileyville Road, and Mt. Morris Road. Montague Road is co-maintained between Winnebago, Stephenson, and Ogle Counties. So far salt supplies have been holding out for the county. “We are okay with our chip supply but our salt supplier is having a hard time getting all the salt to us,� said Cook. “We are expecting a delivery of salt this week from an order placed Dec. 20.� The highway department has salt orders throughout the winter because the salt needs to be stored inside a building. “We place numerous orders and we have 1,500 tons ordered that have not been delivered,� said Cook. Fortunately for the county, their storage capacity was increased after a winter 2009 shortage.
Sheriff’s Arrests, B6 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B7 Weather Forecast, A2
“We are okay with our CHIP SUPPLY BUT OUR salt supplier is having a hard time getting all the salt to us. We are EXPECTING A DELIVERY of salt this week from AN ORDER PLACED $EC 20.� — Curtis Cook Ogle County Engineer “The county board allowed us to build a second storage building for salt,� said Cook. “Without is we would have been out of salt two weeks ago. Fortunately we have had enough salt so far.� With two ice storms this season, Cook said another ice storm would drastically impact the remaining salt supplies in the county. Already some municipalities including Oregon have reduced the amount of salt being spread on their streets. Oregon street superintendent Michael Bowers informed residents last week that street salting was being limited to intersections, curves, and hills. At that time Oregon had used 75 percent of its salt supply for the winter. Polo has ordered their 150 tons budgeted and has a 25 ton load that officials expect to have delivered this week. City Clerk Susie Corbitt said last year 165 tons of salt was used. She said there is no shortage of salt but any extra salt would be at a higher price than the original contract. In Forreston, Alan Cruthis the superintendent of public works said their salt supply is doing alright. “We are doing okay but we have used more than typical,� he said. “We have gone though 100 tons.� He said the village usually only needs 50 tons of salt at this point in the season. “It has been quite a winter,� Cruthis said. “It took 8 hours to clear the drifting from Turn to A2
Deaths, B6 John C. Anderson, Rita J. Blumeyer, Robert Dawson, Clifford W. Meyer, W. Walter Spangler
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