Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows began Monday evening’s City Council meeting with a series of proclamations recognizing the Rochelle Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Rochelle Municipal Utilities and the Rochelle Fire Department.
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ROCHELLE — Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows began Monday evening’s City Council meeting with a series of proclamations recognizing the Rochelle Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Rochelle Municipal Utilities and the Rochelle Fire Department.
Bearrows proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 as Domestic Abuse Awareness Day in the City of Rochelle. The Rochelle Daughters of the American Revolution, along with HOPE of Ogle County, will be hosting a socially-distanced program called “In Her Shoes” at the Creston Opera House on Oct. 10 at 1:30 p.m. The program will highlight the economic hardships experienced by victims of domestic violence.
“On average, nearly 20 people per minute are abused in the United States,” Bearrows said. “One in seven women and one in 25 men have been injured by an intimate partner. On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide. Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of suicidal depression and behavior.”
Bearrows also proclaimed the week of Oct. 4, 2020 as both Public Power Week and Fire Prevention Week in recognition of RMU and the Rochelle Fire Department. Lydia Roberts of the Rochelle DAR, Fire Chief Dave Sawlsville and RMU Superintendent Adam Lanning were all present to receive the framed proclamations during Monday evening’s meeting.
“In the financial justice version of ‘In Her Shoes’ that we will present, participants will have the opportunity to see how economic hardship significantly affects the person’s ability to leave an abusive relationship,” Roberts said. “Residents in the greater Rochelle area are invited to participate and should plan to arrive anytime between 1:30 and 2:45 p.m. for the 30 to 45-minute scenario. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available to supplement social distancing.”
Roberts said there is no charge for the event, but donations of small denomination and local gift cards valued from $10 to $20 for the benefit of HOPE of Ogle County would be welcomed.
Action Items
Rochelle City Council members authorized an ordinance amending the Lee Ogle Enterprise Zone to now include Franklin Grove. Originally approved in 2015 by the mayor and city council, the zone includes Rochelle, Dixon, Ogle County and Lee County. The zone was initially established to promote economic growth, reduce unemployment and encourage expansion, rehabilitation and new construction of structures within the zone over a 15-year period.
City Council members also approved a change order from Whittaker Construction & Excavating amounting $73,679.46 for road work and additional small items at the city’s water reclamation facility. The facility is currently undergoing a $7 million upgrade, but unexpected problems were encountered during construction, leading council members to approve the change order.
An additional change order from WEG Transformers amounting $22,063 for monitoring equipment for the three transformers at the Prologis Park Substation was approved Monday. Soon after, council members approved a bid from Bruns Construction amounting $48,500 for floor grating work at the city’s water reclamation facility.
City Council members voted to execute a five-year dark fiber license agreement with Zayo Group LLC to provide services from the Tech Center to Walmart in Rochelle. The contract will provide $4,500 to the city per year, amounting to $22,500 over all five years.
The final resolution approved by council members Monday evening was a purchase and sale agreement with 1600 Ritchie Court LLC amounting $261,359.71 for 6 acres of land located at the intersection of Ritchie Road and Ritchie Court. The lot is zoned for industrial use in the I-2 General Industrial Zoning District.
Halloween
City officials established Trick-or-Treating hours for Saturday, Oct. 31 from 5-8 p.m. Rochelle residents will also have the ability to trick-or-treat through downtown Rochelle on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 4-6 p.m. 102.3 The Coyote will host a trick-or-treat safe house at the Comfort Inn & Suites on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 5-7 p.m. with a drive-thru event through the hotel’s parking lot.
