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POLO
Tri-County Press October 23, 2014 Volume 157, Number 5 - $1.00
Marcos Win
Wellness Fair
Barn Fire
The Polo Marcos pick up a 6th win to guarantee a post season bid. B1
Health was the topic at the Rock River Center on Oct. 17. A7
A rural Rochelle man was injured when his barn exploded on Oct. 16. B3
Mayor is ‘beed’ out by ongoing controversy By Vinde Wells Editor Before allowing public discussion about honey bees Monday night, Polo Mayor Doug Knapp put his foot down. “We’re going to make a decision on this tonight. Then that’s the end of it. This has gone on long enough. I am ‘beed’ out,” he told the audience of 20 people at the
city council meeting. Knapp said the controversy over Polo resident Mike Scholl’s hobby of beekeeping has been going on for approximately three years without resolution. “It’s not about the topic anymore; it’s on a personal level,” he said. “It’s not healthy for our city.” After a lengthy and sometimes heated debate with input from several
residents, the council rejected a motion made by alderman Louise Hall to change the beekeeping ordinance to prohibit beekeeping equipment in the city limits. The motion failed by a 2-4 vote, with Hall and Cheryl Galor voting yes, while Troy Boothe, Randy Schoon, David Ackeberg, and Jim Busser voted no. The city’s livestock ordinance makes it unlawful
“to keep or maintain” bees, as well as certain other animals, within the city limits. At an Ordinance Committee meeting Oct. 15, Hall had proposed a change allowing no more than six bees per square foot in the city and prohibiting all equipment that attracts bees. She later amended her proposal to prohibit paraphernalia pertaining to beekeeping to be kept
anywhere in the city. However, on Monday night she said “paraphernalia” is too vague and wanted instead to prohibit beehives, beekeeping equipment, and debris, including honeycombs, beeswax or waste products. Polo resident Tammy Merdian objected. “Does this mean I can’t order beeswax to make candles?” she asked. “I think you’re on a slippery
slope here.” Ackeberg also objected. He said Hall’s suggestion would prevent beekeepers from working on or storing their equipment in their own garages. Schoon objected because he said the city already has enough regulations. “There’s already an ordinance in place,” he said. Turn to A3
Tow fund audit revealed Oct. 21 By Vinde Wells Editor An auditing firm’s findings about the Ogle County Sheriff’s tow fund left county board members searching for answers. James Sullivan, director of dispute advisory for Sikich LLP, Naperville, told the board Tuesday night that his firm’s forensic examination revealed that more than $10,000 is unaccounted for and that $61,713 was deposited into the tow fund that was meant for the General Fund. The tow fund ledger was inaccurate and incomplete, Sullivan reported. Cash payments were kept in a file drawer in the Harn’s executive secretary’s office, which was sometimes left unlocked, he said. In many cases records simply cannot be found, Sullivan said. “There are some outstanding issues we can’t get answers to,” he said. “We identified a complete breakdown of internal controls.” Board member Martin Typer, Stillman Valley, said the situation is an offense to other county departments and employees who do their best to carefully spend and account for their funds. Board chairman Kim Gouker, Byron, agreed. “This whole situation is an unfortunate stain on this county,” he said. “This gross malfeasance has hurt everyone.” Sullivan told the board the forensic examination revealed that more than $10,000 is unaccounted for and that $61,713 was deposited into the tow fund that was meant for the General Fund. The tow fund ledger was inaccurate and incomplete, Sullivan reported. Cash payments were kept in a file drawer in the Harn’s executive secretary’s office, which was sometimes left unlocked, he said. In many cases records simply cannot be found, Sullivan said. “There are some outstanding issues we can’t get answers to,” he said. “We identified a complete breakdown of internal
controls.” Gouker said the lack of records makes it impossible to determine if money was misappropriated. Sullivan said the very first deposit made into the tow fund was a check from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for $12,920 which should have gone into the General Fund. Besides that, only 10,000 of the check was deposited. The whereabouts of the remainder is a mystery, Sullivan said. “The check was from IEMA, and it had no business being in the tow fund,” Gouker said. Board member Pat Saunders, Polo, said her understanding is that the check was a grant to cover deputies’ overtime for working during a blizzard. Board member Dick Petrizzo, Davis Junction, asked if Harn has seen the forensic examination report. Gouker said that he has. “He’s upset this happened. He knows it’s his fault,” Gouker said. “I asked him if he was coming to the meeting tonight. He said he was not.” Board member Lee Meyers, Byron, asked if Harn had violated any laws by putting money meant for the General Fund into the tow fund and spending it. “I don’t know if he’s violated any laws, but he’s violated a lot of ethics and the public’s trust,” Gouker said. Petrizzo said that in light of the report’s findings he thought about asking for a forensic examination of the sheriff’s county-issued credit card. However, he decided it would be better to wait until new sheriff Brian Van Vickle, Rochelle, takes over Dec. 1. Van Vickle defeated Harn in the March primary election for the Republican Party nomination for sheriff and is running unopposed in the Nov. 4 general election. Besides being sheriff, Harn is also Forreston Village President and was hired in May by the Forrestville Valley School Board as maintenance coordinator for the district. Board member Zach Oltmanns, Stillman Valley, asked if the county could get Turn to A3
In This Week’s Edition...
Go Marcos Every time the Marcos scored the Polo cheerleaders went into a cheer while a few members of the band played the school song. The Marcos will advance to the football post season for the first time in years. Photo by Chris Johnson
Hazardous waste will be disposed By Chris Johnson Reporter A long line of vehicles was the sight for workers at the hazardous waste collection Saturday morning in Oregon. “We had 441 vehicles representing 520 households at the collection this year,” said Ogle County Solid Waste Management Director Steve Rypkema. “The morning was the busiest time of the event. Residents were allowed to bring batteries, old paint, and chemicals to the collection to ensure they are properly recycled and disposed. Rypkema said the overall numbers for the event were lower then he expected but that could be due to education. “It is hard to predict the turnout for these events,” said Rypkema. “Next time we would like to do this in the spring.” The department has been working on educating the public over the years about John Haley, Lamont, pushes a cart of old paint Saturday proper disposal of household morning during the hazardous waste collection hosted chemicals. by the Ogle County Solid Waste Department. Photo by “We have educated the Chris Johnson public about all the options
Church News, A5 Classifieds, B6-B10 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B5
Marriage Licenses, A4 Polo Police, A2 Public Voice, A8 Property Transfers, B4
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B5
available for proper disposal and this event is only one of these options,” said Rypkema. “It is very important to keep these chemicals out of our sewers and rivers.” Once chemicals enter the water system it can cause numerous side effects for plants and animals. “We need to avoid accidental poisoning and we need a solution to the common items that are hazardous,” said Rypkema. “Even CFLs (compact florescent light bulbs) are hazardous.” These bulbs contain mercury. “CFLS were a stepping stone to reducing waste and now we have LEDs which do not have the danger and last for years,” he said. No exact totals were tabulated for the collection but there were 85 lead acid batteries and hundreds of gallons of chemicals and paint. The collection also included clothing for Serenity Home and Hospice. Turn to A2
Deaths, B4 Orrie L. Allen, Barbara Jean Bordner, James A. Daws, Dorothy V. Martin, Robert B. Pelsma, Hazel V.A. Schwiegart, Roy Van Raden
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com