ROCHELLE — At its meeting Monday, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved a $1.276 million construction contract with Neumann Brothers Contractors for painting and rehabilitation of the water tower off the Illinois Route 251 overpass.

The water tower was constructed in 1955 and needs interior and exterior painting along with miscellaneous repair work. The city received two bids, and the other was $1.751 million. The approved low bid Monday includes $100,000 for allowance to cover any unanticipated repairs or potential items found during construction. It also includes a $60,000 allowance to cover the cost of a portable pressure tank to ensure uninterrupted service since the tower could be out of service for approximately three months. Funding for the project will be covered through a $1 million state appropriation grant and money from water department reserves.

Rochelle Municipal Utilities Superintendent of Water/Water Reclamation Adam Lanning said the work will be done in the dryer months of the year and the tank will ensure water service when demand for water is higher.

Through a social media vote, the city recently decided on a new design for the water tower that will be part of the painting work. The new design received 81 percent of nearly 2,600 votes and mixes the city’s new branding font with the current water tower design’s color and depiction of the Rochelle Township High School Hub logo. 

Website

City Director of Community Engagement Jenny Thompson made a presentation to the council on the city's updated website at cityofrochelle.net. The city recently revamped the website and changed content management systems.

The new website offers streamlined access to agendas & minutes, job postings, a staff directory, bids & proposals, codes and the ability to pay bills.

The site also includes city news, an events & meetings calendar, city statistics, and a newsletter signup.

Thompson said the city is also looking to improve its information offerings on non-city resources on the website. Staff will have more access to their specific department pages.

Work will soon begin on updating RMU's dedicated website, Thompson said.

Proclamations

Bearrows read a proclamation in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and presented it to Rochelle Police Department Chief Pete Pavia, who serves on the Shining Star Children's Advocacy Center Board. Shining Star works with victims of child abuse in Lee and Ogle counties.

Bearrows also read a proclamation in honor of National Telecommunicators Week and presented it to members of RPD's dispatch staff.