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Come for the candy, DUCHESSES’ SEASON ENDS stay for the boos VOLLEYBALL, B1 FOOD, A9, A11
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Wednesday, October 28, 2015
SERVING DIXON AND THE SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1851
DIXON | BUSINESS
Mayor turns attention to I-88 City wants to create business development district, entice developers BY BRENDEN WEST bwest@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5529 @BWest_SVM
DIXON – The state has disbursed more than $16 million in business district sales tax this year. Dixon officials want in on that. On Monday, Mayor Li Arellano Jr. said he’s hoping to kickstart
city efforts to create a Business Development District near the city’s Interstate 88 corridor. To that end, Arellano and Interim City Manager David Nord have issued a request for qualifications from firms to create a new business development plan; the current one hasn’t been updated since 2005, Arellano said.
The city is going to be “a lot more active” in hunting down development of the area, and BDDs are one of the tools cities can use to entice prospective developers, Arellano said. Dixon is uniquely situated to capitalize on the interstate: From the Quad Cities to the Chicago suburbs, there is little commercial
development bordering the highway to draw in travelers, he said. “There’s a lot of room for development out there – acres and acres worth. Whoever developed that would be visible immediately from the highway,” Arellano said. I-88 CONTINUED ON A4
POLO | SPOTLIGHT ON CAMP
OREGON
Levy bump will trigger hearing First draft recommends 8.56 percent increase
something for everyone
BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570 @pam_eggemeier
BY CHRIS JOHNSON cxjohnson@shawmedia.com Shaw Media
OREGON – The state budget crisis is prompting a local senior center to close an hour earlier 5 days a week to try to prevent its complete closure, its director says. The Rock River Center, which is not getting all of the state funds it uses to pay its case workers, will close at 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Executive Director Ann Haas declined to say Tuesday how much money that would save. She did say it means 5 fewer hours each for the center’s two caseworkers, who perform a wide variety of services for Ann Haas seniors, the disabled and their caretakers, including help applying for Medicare and Medicaid, utility assistance, counseling, public aid, housing ... the list goes on. “Our board felt we needed to do something due to the lack of a state budget. We are currently using reserve dollars. We are trying to be cautious,” Haas said. “We still can pay our case workers, but we are trying to make the dollars we have last longer.” This year, more than 2,100 clients have been served, she said. “They are the main focus of what we do here. “We’ve already cut back on things,” Haas said, noting that the center is running on a skeleton staff, and positions are going unfilled.
Katelyn Graham, 15, of Streator streaks across the sky on the zipline at Rock River Christian Camp, nestled in the far northwestern corner of Ogle County. Photos by Alex T. Paschal/ apaschal@saukvalley.com
T
BY KAYLA HEIMERMAN Special to Sauk Valley Media
ucked away in the far northwestern corner of Ogle County, Rock River Christian Camp and Retreat Center beckons for the faithful to glorify God under the sun, the stars, the trees. The camp, which has been around since 1945 and at its current site for more than 60 years, serves some 1,500 youth in the summer, plus hundreds more youth and adults throughout the year through camps, retreats, and other special programs,
Camp Manager Dan Augenstine said. The camp boasts almost 100 acres that straddle state Route 64. It has two yearround lodges (one is underground) that sleep 40 people, plus two large multipurpose halls. It also has nine summer cabins that house 180 people and an old chapel that’s been converted to sleep 56 people. There also is a wilderness camp with three small cabins that sleep 36 people out in the woods.
• Address: 16486 W. state Route 64, Polo • Phone: 815-493-6622
More from Ogle County Indiana man charged with robbing Grubsteakers, A2.
24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS VOL. 164 ISSUE 127
• Online: rockrivercc.net
Paintball is one of the more popular activities at Rock River Christian Camp, which offers programs yearround.
The Rock River Center runs not only on state and federal funding, but also on donations. Its annual fund drive continues through the end of the year. Donations can be sent to the center at 810 S. 10th St., Oregon IL 61061. Call 815-732-3252, Find it on Facebook or go to rockrivercenter.org for more information.
TODAY’S EDITION:
HEAVEN CONTINUED ON A2
Rock River Christian Camp and Retreat Center
To help
$1.00
Dave Nord, Dixon’s interim city manager, is one of two candidates for the permanent position. The other candidate was named Tuesday. More on A4
ROCK FALLS
Hours cut It’s a little bit of at senior heaven on Earth Christian camp offers center Facility to close hour earlier; officials cite budget stalemate
Second manager candidate revealed
INDEX
ABBY ................... A8 BUSINESS ......... A12 COMICS ............. A10
CROSSWORD....B11 LIFESTYLE ........... A8 LOTTERY ............. A2
NATION/WORLD .. A7 OBITUARIES ........ A4 OPINION .............. A6
ROCK FALLS – The city hasn’t yet decided on the exact percentage, but its 2016 tax levy increase will trigger the need for a Truth in Taxation hearing. City Administrator Robbin Blackert told the finance committee Tuesday that changes in the way actuarial calculations are made for police and fire pensions have effectively doubled the city’s pension obligations going forward. “We’re fortunate we put away money in a rainy day fund, but the actuarials and new accounting rules are basically legislative mandates that are forcing our hands,” Blackert said. The actuaries help determine Robbin Blackert City administrator municipal budcompares gets and tax lev- deciding tax levy ies by compiling increase percentstatistical data age to ‘walking a used to detertightrope.’ mine risk and fiscal responsibility. The changes going into effect next year will change the percentages at which the pensions are funded, based on the same dollar amount. “The fire fund was funded at 96 percent, but with the accounting changes, it would have been funded at about 70 percent,” Mayor Bill Wescott said. The actuarials will now be based on a 120-year span for employees, a rate of return of 5.5 percent on investments, and a 5 percent annual pay raise. LEVY CONTINUED ON A3
What’s next The Rock Falls City Council will discuss the tax levy when it next meets at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3, at City Hall, 603 W. 10th St. The agendas will be posted at www.rockfalls61071.com and at City Hall. Call 815-622-1100 for more information.
Today’s weather High 57. Low 37. More on A3.
Need work? Check out your classifieds, B6.
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