Serving the Polo Area Since 1857
POLO
Tri-County Press November 6, 2014 Volume 157, Number 7 - $1.00
Marcos Advance
New Ornament
PAG Production
The Marcos advanced to the second round of the football playoffs with a 42-20 win. B1
A handmade Christmas ornament will raise funds for statue repair. A3
“Arsenic & Old Lace” opens Nov. 7 at the Pinecrest Grove Theatre. A6
Harn claims auditor failed to get documents Emails sent by sheriff to Ogle board members By Matt Mencarini Sauk Valley Media
Three release forensic County
days after public of results from a audit of the Ogle administrative tow
fund, Sheriff Michael Harn sent an email to six County Board members that claimed the auditor had failed to get necessary documents from his department. That email and others related to the tow fund and the forensic audit were obtained by Sauk Valley Media through a Freedom of Information Act request. Harn did not attend either
of the County Board’s public meetings Oct. 21, including a regular meeting, where the forensic audit’s results were presented by the auditor. “Just want to send you a little FYI,” Harn said in the email sent Oct. 24. “Since all the County Board has [their] opinion about the tow fund and the articles in the papers I want to inform you of this. I met with the auditor on three
different dates, I explained in detail from start to finish, I explained who he needed to speak to and why things [were] done the way they were and WHO told me I could do things the way I did them. “I’m very unhappy with myself that everything gets twisted, lies, bull----, and the attacks. But I assume responsibility because of
[who] I am.” Harn didn’t respond to Sauk Valley Media’s requests for comment. Ogle County State’s Attorney Mike Rock declined to comment on whether he had passed, or would pass, the forensic audit’s results on to an outside agency for further investigation. Rock, like Harn, lost his election in the March
Republican primary; their terms end on Nov. 30. In his Oct. 24 email, Harn also said he had twice told the auditor, James Sullivan, that a lieutenant had 46 documents that could clear up some of the confusion and disorganization with the tow fund. Ogle County Chairman Turn to A7
Meridian district voters approve tax referendum By Vinde Wells Editor Voters in the Meridian School District went to the polls Tuesday to support paying higher taxes to keep and reinstate educational and extracurricular programs. Results Tuesday night showed that a referendum for a 70-cent tax rate hike in the district’s Education Fund passed by 1,990 votes to 1,573. Meridian Superintendent P.J. Caposey said he was very pleased with the election results. “It’s a great day for our kids,” he said. “I think we’ll Mt. Morris Firefighters Steve Foss and Mark Lewis were two of several firefighters who responded to a structure fire be able to provide a first-class at the Edgewood Golf Club on Nov. 1. Photo by Earleen Hinton education for our students moving forward.” School district officials asked voters to raise real estate taxes in the Education By Vinde Wells at 1:30 p.m. and totally Fund from the present Editor destroyed the building and $2.78 per $100 of equalized the equipment and supplies assessed value (EAV) to The cause is undetermined stored inside, Karrow said. $3.48 for the next seven of fire Nov. 1 that destroyed The golf club, at 10684 W. years. a maintenance building at Edgewood Rd., is owned by Voters in Ogle County Edgewood Golf Club six Bill Burkardt, Polo. approved the referendum miles south of Polo. Smoke from the burning 1,905 to 1,446, while Polo Fire Chief Tony building could be seen from Winnebago County voters Karrow said Monday that the as far away as Mt. Morris and cast only 85 yes votes to 127 investigation has been closed Dixon. no votes. after he and a representative “Heavy black smoke was The hike will increase the from the Office of the State showing when we got there taxes on a $150,000 home Fire Marshal spent two hours and flames were blowing by $350 per year, excluding sifting through the ruins. through the roof,” Karrow exemptions. “The cause remains said. “It took us 15 to 20 According to the question undetermined due to lack minutes to gain control.” of evidence,” Karrow said. Firefighters kept the fire “The evidence needed to from spreading to nearby determine a cause was lost buildings, he said, and in the fire, and therefore the remained on the scene until official cause will remain 5 p.m. undetermined. The point of The Mt. Morris, Forreston, origin was just inside the Oregon, and Dixon Rural A Park Ridge man died north equipment door.” Fire Departments, and Nov. 1 after he was struck He said the fire was not Advanced Ambulance by a combine northeast of suspicious. assisted Polo at the scene, Forreston. “We do believe it was an while the Milledgeville Fire David Olzeski, 65, was Mt. Morris Fire Chief Rob Hough confers with Polo accidental fire and was not Department manned the Polo pronounced dead at 8:30 Assistant Chief Jim Ports during a Nov. 1 fire at a storage intentionally set,” he said. Firehouse. p.m. at Rockford Memorial shed at Edgewood Golf Club. Photo by Earleen Hinton The fire was reported Hospital where he was airlifted following the accident on West Lightsville Road approximately four miles northeast of Forreston. By Vinde Wells supervisor, replacing current time basis. per hour raise to $16.50. Ogle County Sheriff’s Editor supervisor Mike Gauthier, Water and Sewer Two weeks ago, the who is retiring Friday after Department employee Cale council approved hiring Following a closed session 36 years with the city. Fry received a $1 per hour Timothy Rockwood, Polo, as Monday night, the Polo City Mumford’s promotion is increase to $17.50 per hour. a full-time Street Department Centennial Elementary Council gave a promotion effective Nov. 8, and he will The council approved a employee at $15.50 per hour. and several raises. be paid $24.02 per hour, a $2 move for Street Department He was hired to replace School will hold its Veterans Day program on Tuesday, Water and Sewer per hour increase. employee Tim Merrell Merrell. Department employee Mike Gauthier will continue to to the Water and Sewer Turn to A2 Nov. 11. A breakfast for veterans Mumford was promoted to work for the city on a part- Department, along with a $1 begins at 8:30 a.m. followed
Fire destroy maintenance building
“We understand that a burden was placed on our taxpayers, and we don’t take that lightly,” P.J Caposey Meridian Superintendent on the ballot, the referendum would bring an estimated additional $1.1 million into district coffers annually. “We understand that a burden was placed on our taxpayers, and we don’t take that lightly,” Caposey said. “We appreciate the people who came out to support this.” He said the increase was needed to balance the budget and avoid drastic cuts. The school board had already cut staff and course offerings, and eliminated junior high sports and other activities in an effort to erase a $1.9 million deficit. Without the new tax dollars, Caposey said the board would have been forced to look at further cuts that could increase class sizes, reduce course offerings further, and eliminate the sports program at all levels. The district has faced Turn to A3
Combine strikes Park Ridge man
Council approves several raises
Police said Olzeski, who was wearing camouflage clothing, was walking with traffic at 6:30 p.m. when he was struck from behind by the combine. Sheriff Michael Harn declined Tuesday to release the name of the combine driver because he said the investigation is still ongoing. He said no tickets have been issued.
Veterans Day is Nov. 11
In This Week’s Edition...
Business Briefs, B7 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B8-B12 Entertainment, A6 Fines, B6
Marriage Licenses, A4 Oregon Police, B7 Polo Police, A2 Public Voice, A11 Property Transfers, B6
Sheriff’s Arrests, B5 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2, B3 State’s Attorney, B6 Weather, A3
by the program at 10 a.m. in the gym. All veterans and their families are encouraged to attend.
Deaths, B5 Marguerite L. Dietz, Janet M. Dunivan, Marcus Soresi
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com