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Serving the Polo Area Since 1857

POLO

Tri-County Press August 21, 2014 Volume 156, Number 48 - $1.00

Football Preview

Fair Results

Stix Baseball

The fall football season begins Friday evening with scrimmage games at 7 p.m. B1

Read how the projects fared at the 2014 Ogle County 4-H Fair. A10

A traveling baseball club based in Freeport took home top honors this summer. B1

Jim Busser sworn is as Polo’s Ward 2 Alderman By Vinde Wells Editor A Polo native was sworn in Monday night to fill an expired term on the city council. The council gave its unanimous approval to Mayor Doug Knapp’s recommendation to appoint Jim Busser as an alderman from Ward 2. Busser was appointed to the term left vacant Aug. 4 when alderman Matt Mekeel resigned from the council. Mekeel, who was elected to a four-year term in April of 2013, moved out of his ward to a home in another section of the city.

In another matter, the council renewed its health insurance plan with Humana. Insurance broker Stephen Lafferty, Freeport, told the council that he was able to negotiate a premium increase of only 4.6 percent for the coming year. Originally, he said, the increase was estimated at more than 16 percent. The difference, he said, means a savings of $15,000 to the city. However, he cautioned, the city may have tough choices to make next year when premiums are expected to increase 25 percent due to the Affordable Care Act. “We work hard for the best

interests of the city and its employees,� Lafferty said. In other business the council: s APPROVED A recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals to grant Irene Short a variance on the front setback at her home at 425 E. Dixon St. The variance will allow her remove concrete steps and construct a new from porch and steps. s APPROVED AN AGREEMENT with Strand & Associates, Inc., Madison, Wis., for design, bidding, and construction of digester covers at the new wastewater Polo City Clerk Susie Corbitt swears in newly appointed Ward 2 Alderman Jim Busser treatment plant. at Monday night’s city council meeting. Photo by Vinde Wells

Forensic audit of Tow Fund continues Cost could be double the original estimate By Vinde Wells Editor A forensic examination of the Ogle County Sheriff’s Tow Fund may cost double the original estimate. The Ogle County Board on Tuesday authorized paying Sikich LLP, Naperville, up to $7,500 more to dig further into the financial records. The board agreed in May to pay Sikich $7,500 plus outof-pocket expenses for the initial investigation into the Tow Fund expenditures and revenues. County board chairman Kim Gouker said then that if Ogle County Board Chairman Kim Gouker talks during fraud was uncovered during the ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday afternoon. the examination, the costs

could increase to as much as $300 per hour for the investigators’ services. In May, the board approved engaging the forensic services of Sikich to examine Tow Fund expenditures and revenues from the time it was implemented in 2011 to the present. The firm also does the county’s regular annual audits. Tuesday’s motion to pay Sikich the additional sum met with some opposition. The measure passed 19-3 with board members Lee Meyers, Byron, Lyle Hopkins, Polo, and Dorothy Bowers, Byron, voting no. Board members Bill Welty, Chana, and Bruce McKinney, Rochelle, did not attend the meeting. Meyers said he believes Sikich is changing the cost

midway through the process. “I think they need to have their feet put to the fire and made to do it for the original $7,500,� he said. Pat Saunders, Polo, said she remembered that Sikich officials said at the start that additional fees might be incurred. Hopkins said he is opposed to spending more. “If they haven’t found anything that jumped out at them by now, why should we give them more money?� he said. “Could it be they have found something?� asked Bobbie Colbert, Rochelle. “That could be,� replied Gouker. Gouker said that so far the investigators have looked through the records they knew to be in existence and spent three days “on site�

doing that. “Examinations like this are like peeling off an onion,� Gouker said. “There are different layers. They said the records were quite disorganized.� He said the investigators want to look at more records and do more interviews. They may find what they need without using all of the additional $7,500, he said. On the other hand, Gouker said, this may not be the last time they ask for more funds to complete the examination. Martin Typer, Stillman Valley, said he believes it is important that the examination is completed, even with the additional cost. “We owe it to the people we represent to find out what happened,� he said. Turn to A3

Photo by Chris Johnson

Groundbreaking ceremony held By Vinde Wells Editor Everyone was in agreement Tuesday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Ogle County Sheriff’s Administration Building — the facility is much needed. “It’s a long-needed facility,� Ogle County Board Chairman Kim Gouker. County board member Don Griffin agreed. “It’s not only going to serve the present but also long into the future for the county.� “This is a facility that’s desperately needed,� said architect Guy Gehlhausen. “It will have all the latest security.� Ogle County 911 Coordinator Sandy Beitel said the new building will be a more convenient, safer environment for county employees. The new building, which has been under construction since early this spring, will replace the century-old sheriff’s office donated to the county more than 25

years ago by the E.D. Etnyre Company. The building has a leaky roof, needs electrical and technological upgrades, and is not handicapped accessible. The Oregon Mayor Tom Stone said he remembered working in the old building years ago when he first went to work for Etnyre’s. “This will be a nice facility,� he said. “It will be a great thing for the City of Oregon.� The final speaker was Nathan Heinrich, the vice president of Rockford Structures, the contractor for the project, who said he was honored to be a part of it. The new facility is being built to the east of the current sheriff’s office at 103 Jefferson St. and will house the sheriff’s department, coroner and morgue, and the 911 call center. It is expected to be completed by early next year. Once it is completed, the old building will be demolished, Polo High School cheerleaders Kaleigh Powell, Lauren Rhodes, Jordan Drolema, Olivia Wright, Brinley Peterson, and the space where it now Jenna Handel, and Madi Heath scrub down a customer’s car Aug. 9 at their annual car wash. Proceeds from the sits will be used for parking. event help cover cheerleading costs. Photo by Vinde Wells

Car Wash

In This Week’s Edition...

Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 College News, A4 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5

Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B2 Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Service News, A4

Social News, A4 Sports, A12, B1 State’s Attorney, B6 Weather, A3

Deaths, B3 David L. Dickson, James E. Gross, Wayne L. Lantz, James M. Maxwell, William M. McNett, Samuel E. Thomas, Kenneth M. Wolf

0UBLISHED EVERY 4HURSDAY BY /GLE #OUNTY .EWSPAPERS A DIVISION OF 3HAW -EDIA s WWW OGLECOUNTYNEWS COM


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