Serving the Mt. Morris area since 1967
MT.Times MORRIS April 16, 2015 Volume 48, Number 7 - $1.00
Tornado Coverage
Now Open
Fifth Place The Oregon Lady Hawks placed fifth at the Gebhardt-Worley Invitational. B1
EF4 tornado carves a path of destruction through Ogle, DeKalb Counties. A9-A11, B2-B3
The new Ogle County Public Safety Complex has opened. A7
Sewer rate hike talk was tabled Village needs to have funds to repay IEPA loan By Vinde Wells Editor Discussion of a sewer rate hike was postponed Tuesday night because too few Mt. Morris village trustees attended the meeting. Village president Dan Elsasser tabled the discussion and possible action listed on the agenda because trustees Jon Murray, Tim Harvey, and Phil Labash were absent. The board excused the absences of the three, but did not say why they weren’t there. Elsasser said village attorney Rob LeSage will draw up an ordinance for the rate increase for the board to consider at its April 28 meeting. Tod Carlock, Mt. Morris, was driving the semi pulling this trailer Thursday night when the tornado hit Grubsteakers. Last month village Read a story on page B2 about how 12 people rode out the storm at Grubsteakers. Photo by Chris Johnson treasurer Bruce True told the board that due to a loss of revenue, the village will soon be unable to make its payments on the loan for the By Andy Colbert Reporter
Family farm was destroyed April 9
new wastewater treatment plant. He said March 24 that the village is collecting less money for sewer bills due the closing of the Quad Graphics printing plant, the drastic down-sizing of Kable News Company, and the renegotiated sewer service contract with Mt. Morris Estates. The new contract with Mt. Morris Estates means $2,600 less per month. True said the current rate surcharge is not enough to make the loan payment, and the cushion in the sewer reserve fund is quickly being used up. Currently the surcharge is set at 126 percent, and True said a surcharge increase to 154 percent might be needed to pay for the loan. That would mean a $6.95 monthly increase for a 600 cubic foot water customer, he said. A gradually increasing surcharge was placed on sewer bills several years ago to pay for the wastewater treatment plant.
Tanks discovered
In much the same way Ogle County is noted for the natural beauty of its state parks and the Rock River By Chris Johnson Cook could complete a flowing through it, there is Reporter comprehensive specification also a bucolic charm from an that would be used during abundance of family farms. Two additional tank were the bid process for the tank One of the most immaculate discovered last week during removal. of those farmsteads was an exploratory digging “The highway department devastated by last Thursday’s project at the county property will handle this process but tornado. in Oregon at Ill. 64 and Fifth the county board will handle Taking a direct hit was the Street. the payments,” said Cook. 260-acre Schabacker family Ogle County Engineer “We will do the oversight farm, located at Hemstock Curtis Cook said he was and preparations for the and White Rock roads, about out with an environmental project.” two miles northwest of Skare engineer to determine what Cook said the Long Range Park. It is also one of the number and condition of Planning Committee and oldest, dating back to preseveral fuel tanks were under the county board will make Civil War. the former Jackass BBQ decisions of the project “It was a pristine farm,” said property. but leave the details to the 51-year old Todd Schabacker, “We helped check to see highway department. the fifth generation to farm at what tanks were there,” said “These projects are the location. “Over the years, Cook. “The county board what we do at the highway we had so many compliments Farm buildings on the Schabacker farm were destroyed by the tornado. Photo by asked my department to department,” said Cook. Turn to A2 Chris Johnson assist. We completed an The two small tanks were exploratory excavation to discovered on the west side prepare for removal.” of the building. Besides the two gasoline “There was not anything tanks previously known to major that was discovered,” By Vinde Wells determined the wedge- the community of Fairdale The Emergency be on the site, Cook said two said Cook. “It was as Editor shaped tornado was a half- appears to have been a single Operations Center in other tanks were discovered. expected.” mile wide at times and was long track tornado.” downtown Rochelle was Cook said the tops of all Long Range Planning Clean-up efforts continue on the ground an estimated Aerial surveys were done activated in the aftermath the tanks or the vents were Committee Chairman Don after an EF4 tornado packing 39 miles before weakening the following morning to of the storm, she said, and uncovered to check the status Griffin said soil samples 200 mph winds damaged 179 as it entered Boone and assess damage and determine would likely remain open for of the tanks. were also taken during the structures and demolished McHenry Counties. the storm’s exact track. the remainder of this week. This was done so excavation. 30 homes in eastern Ogle The storm also spawned Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner The Red Cross set up a County last week. at least four more funnels as paid a visit to the most areas center for victims of the The tornado, which first it churned its way through where the most damage tornado shortly after the touched down in Lee County northern Illinois, according occurred on Friday and storm at Rochelle Township west of Ashton, destroyed an to the NWS. declared Ogle and DeKalb High School, and that also estimated 30 homes countyNext-door neighbors, Counties to be disaster areas. remains in operation. wide April 9, most of them Geraldine M. Schultz, 67, Jennifer Thompson, Thompson said that the in a subdivision northwest of and Jacqueline Klosa, 69, Ogle County Emergency out-pouring of donations of Flagg Center. both died in their homes in Management Agency Public food, household goods, and The twister then cut a Fairdale, a town of about 150 Information Officer, said clothing has been so great northeasterly path through people, when the tornado Tuesday that a dollar amount that officials are no longer Ogle County to the small swept through at 7:15 p.m. for the damage has yet to be accepting anything but DeKalb County village of According to an NWS determined. monetary contributions. Fairdale where two women statement issued shortly after Surveys have shown that “We’ve filled several were killed and most homes the storm, “Based on early 179 structures sustained warehouses already,” she An Ogle County Highway Department crew digs April devastated. findings, the tornado that damage from the storm, 30 of said. 8 beside the former Jackass BBQ building looking for The National Weather tracked from near Rochelle to those completely destroyed, Anyone wanting to underground fuel tanks and taking soil samples. Photo Service (NWS) has near Belvidere and impacted she said. Turn to A2 by Vinde Wells
on county property
Clean-up continues after tornado
In This Week’s Edition...
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 Entertainment, A6 Library News, A3
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B7 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B6
Sheriff’s Arrests, B6 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B6
Deaths, B5 Evelyn M. Forsyth, LaVonne Byrd Frey, Marsha F. Johnson, Tom Jordan, Donald G. Leary, Wilma J. Wolfley
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com