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Sterling City Council amends sign code
SVM ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
LOCAL, A5
SPORTS, B3
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Tuesday, October 8, 2013
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON CITY COUNCIL
Administrator search nears end Langloss hopes for name release before final vote BY DEREK BARICHELLO dbarichello@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 526
DIXON – A city administrator could be recommended by the end of next week. Of the 40 applicants for the position, three were given interviews, and one of those will receive a second interview, said
Police Chief Danny Langloss, special assistant to the City Council. A final recommendation will be given to the City Council for approval. Some applicants have asked for their names not to be released, until the City Council makes it final. A comprehensive background check will be conducted once a candidate is chosen, Langloss said. It is his hope that the recommended candidate’s name will be released before the council
takes a final vote and that the council could schedule a meet and greet for public input with the candidate present. A team put together by Langloss reviewed résumés and conducted the interviews. Members are: Langloss, Finance Director Paula Meyer, City Attorney Rob LeSage pro bono, KSB Hospital Human Resources Director Suzanne Ravlin, KSB President/CEO David Schreiner, Fire Cpt. Ryan Buskohl, Wastewater Foreman Tim Stover, Water Superintendent Rusty Cox and Commis-
sioners Dennis Considine and Jeff Kuhn. The administrator will be in charge of the day-to-day operations of the city, but commissioners will have final authority in departmental matters, according to the job description. The administrator’s salary is expected to be between $95,000 and $110,000. In other items Monday, the City Council voted unanimously in favor of allowing a fence at 422 E. Seventh St. to extend about 5 feet into city property.
The fence was built about 7 years ago, said Building Official Paul Shiaras. Two neighbors spoke about the fence being a visibility issue for motorists at the corner of East Seventh and Dement streets. Each commissioner disagreed, saying they had visited the corner to see for themselves. Amy Mekeel, who lives at 420 E. Seventh St., said she has a vision disability and the fence could be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. SEARCH CONTINUED ON A4
DIXON | THE CRUNDWELL AFTERMATH
STERLING
A maze through the maize
Ex-official sticking to her appeal Oral arguments up next in case BY DEREK BARICHELLO dbarichello@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 526
Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Guests are greeted by a sign marking the entrance to the corn maze at Blue Goose Run. BELOW: Vera Stutzke, Blue Goose Run owner, points to the stamps that maze-goers receive at the seven checkpoints throughout the 10-acre corn maze.
Slogan says to ‘Come out and lose someone’ BY DAVID GIULIANI dgiuliani@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 525
STERLING – The corn maze west of Sterling may seem easy to complete, but avoid overconfidence. Last weekend, a reporter and photographer thought they could navigate the maze at Blue Goose Run, which is in a 10-acre cornfield. With a map in hand, they developed a plan to reach the next section. After a few minutes, they ended up where they started. The maze includes seven checkpoints, but the Sauk weather. hung over the Sauk Valley, Valley Media team reached without flashlights. It was after 6 p.m. Saturday. Some of the paths were still though no rain resulted. none of them. The sun was setting, and they didn’t want No one else was there – more muddy from the storms the MAZE CONTINUED ON A2 to be stuck in a field of corn than likely because of the day before. And dark clouds
DIXON – Rita Crundwell’s attorney is sticking to his argument that the U.S. District Court in Rockford abused its discretion in sentencing her and did not give enough weight to the former city comptroller’s communication with authorities. Crundwell appealed her sentence July 10 with a federal court of appeals in Chicago, and her attorney filed a reply Monday. Oral arguments would be the next step in the appellate process, but Rita Crundwell they have not been scheduled. The former Dixon comptroller was sentenced Feb. 14 to 19 years, 7 months for wire fraud in connection with her theft of nearly $54 million. It is widely regarded as the largest municipal embezzlement in U.S. history. The sentencing was 4 years longer than recommended in guidelines used by federal courts to standardize sentences, and just 6 months short of the maximum sentence possible, her attorney Paul Gaziano said in previous documents. Prosecutors argued that a federal judge in Rockford gave proper consideration to Crundwell’s cooperation when he handed down the sentence. In documents filed Monday by Crundwell’s attorney, Gaziano argued that the appellate court should be allowed to review the judge’s decision. APPEAL CONTINUED ON A4
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TODAY’S EDITION: 24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 163 ISSUE 112
INDEX
BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ............... A9 CROSSWORD....B11
DEAR ABBY ......... A8 LIFESTYLE ........... A7 LOTTERY ............. A2
OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6 SPORTS ...............B1
Today’s weather High 72. Low 42. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B6.
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