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TELEGRAPH Tuesday, April 7, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
ELECTION 2015 | DIXON PARK DISTRICT
Clerk: Race results days away Large write-in campaign means delay in counting votes BY CHRISTI WARREN cwarren@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5521 @SeaWarren
DIXON – Winners in one of most contested local races on today’s ballot likely won’t be known until several days after the election. Election officials will have to manually sort through ballots marked “writein” to determine which candidates
received votes in the race for 4-year terms on the Dixon Park Board. Two people are on the ballot in that race – Ron Pritchard, 71, and his son Steve Pritchard, 39 – and five more filed as write-in candidates for three seats. The write-in candidates are Benjamin Nagy, 25; Robert Ennenga, 46; Tim Deem, 66; Sarah Miller Imfeld, 51; and Maranda (Mandy) Dallas, 36.
Election officials say the process of counting write-in votes – where voters must fill in a scanner-read oval on the ballot and write in the name of the candidate they’re voting for – won’t be completed until the last of the absentee ballots are received, which will likely be next week or shortly thereafter. RESULTS CONTINUED ON A5
The candidates Dixon Park District, Park Commissioner Three open seats, 4-year terms Candidates: Ron Pritchard (incumbent), Steve Pritchard, Benjamin Nagy (write-in), Robert Ennenga (write-in), Tim Deem (write-in), Sarah Imfeld (write-in), Maranda “Mandy” Dallas (write-in) Dixon Park District, Park Commissioner One open seat, unexpired 2-year term Candidates: Nicole Pritchard, John Weitzel (write-in)
DIXON
WAIT IS OVER FOR NEW EQUIPMENT AT REAGAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
One step closer to switching Managerial form of government ordinance placed on file Monday BY MATT MENCARINI mmencarini@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @MattMencarini
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Dixon schools maintenance workers (from left) Mark Whisenand, Kevin Schultz and Steve James wheel a weight machine into the gym at Reagan Middle School on Monday. The Dixon YMCA is replacing its strength and conditioning gear and donated its used equipment to the school. BELOW, LEFT: Mike Miller steadies a weight machine Monday as Aaron Wolber maneuvers the equipment with a tractor. BELOW, RIGHT: Jamie Anderson (left) and Mike Miller secure a strap around a piece of equipment Monday.
DIXON
Open Sesame stops pursuing Lincoln School Purchase plan on hold amid budget concerns BY JERMAINE PIGEE jpigee@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5525 @JPigee84
DIXON – Officials at Open Sesame Children’s Learning
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Center in Dixon have decided to stop pursuing the purchase of the vacant Lincoln School. Officials have expressed concerns about Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget proposal, which would cut about $400 million from the Department of Human Services. “In my opinion, we are on hold because we don’t know
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what those cuts will be,” said Arlan McClain, vice president of the Open Sesame board of directors. “We are pretty nervous about taking on a project like that right now.” The district closed Lincoln School at the end of last school year to save money, and Open Sesame’s staff had considered
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moving all of its operations into the school at 501 S. Lincoln Ave., since the learning center has outgrown its current site. To do that, state fire officials say, Open Sesame would have to install a fire sprinkler system, which would cost more than $200,000. LINCOLN CONTINUED ON A5
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DIXON – Dixon got closer to officially switching forms of government. On Monday night the City Council placed on file the ordinance establishing the managerial form of government. It will be on the agenda for approval during the council’s meeting on April 20. David Nord Once approved, Most it will leave only candidates for the hiring of a city manager city manager to have said the make the switch city administrator has inside track official. for the job The change was approved by voters during the November election by a 3-1 margin. The question made its way to the ballot after a city task force, formed in the wake of the Rita Crundwell scandal, recommended to the council residents have the chance to decide the city’s form of government. The hiring of the city manager will be done by the new council, which will be voted in today and take office in May. The process will likely take 3 to 6 months and involve accepting new applications, although most of the candidates have said City Administrator David Nord has the inside track for the job. SWITCHING CONTINUED ON A5
Next meeting The Dixon City Council next meets at 5:30 p.m. April 20, at the Public Safety Building, 220 S. Hennepin Ave., in the community room. Visit DiscoverDixon.org or call City Hall at 815-288-1485 for an agenda or more information.
Today’s weather High 53. Low 44. More on A3.
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