City Council: SRO agreements with school districts approved

By Jeff Helfrich, Editor-in-Chief

ROCHELLE — During its meeting Monday, the Rochelle City Council unanimously approved agreements with the Rochelle Township High School District and the Rochelle Elementary School District to continue school resource officer programs through July 1, 2027.

Officers Jim Jakymiw (RTHS) and Sydney Jackson (Elementary School District) of the Rochelle Police Department will remain SROs within Rochelle schools. The school districts have the agreements on their agendas for August, City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said. The SRO program began in 2018.

The cost of the SRO program is $200,000 per year for both officer salaries and benefits. Schools pay a prorated share of the salary, benefits, and training. The elementary school pays $3,750 or 33% per month for SRO services. The RTHS district pays $7,500 or 66% per month for salary and benefits. Those amounts will be increased on January 1st by the amounts agreed upon with the RPD union.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about this program from families and students,” said RPD Deputy Chief Phil Frankenberry. “I think these officers in the schools are more than just another layer of protection for the students. I think they’re mentors as well.”

LCIDA

The council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Fiegenschuh to contract with the Lee County Industrial Development Association (LCIDA) to provide economic development services for the city. The city’s current internal economic development director, Jason Anderson, is retiring at the end of the year, and former industrial development manager Peggy Friday also recently retired.

LCIDA will provide economic development assistance to the city for the next 18 months, with up to 25 hours per week to assist Fiegenschuh with economic development work. Former state representative and current LCIDA CEO Tom Demmer will be the staff liaison performing the services. The agreement is for $100,000 in annual compensation and will be retroactive to July 1, 2024 and end on December 31, 2025. The city’s current economic development spending is approximately $300,000 annually. The new contract will save the city approximately $100,000 annually.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Tom in the past,” Fiegenschuh said. “I have a great relationship with him and have 1,000 percent confidence in him and believe that approving this contract is the best thing for our organization and the community as a whole.”

Tax on groceries

Fiegenschuh and the City Council held a discussion about the possible future implementation of a grocery tax, as the state’s one percent grocery tax expires in January 2026. The city received $310,000 from the grocery tax in 2022 and $317,000 in 2023. That revenue stream will end when the state tax expires.

After the state decided to let the tax expire, state law now allows for a local tax of up to one percent. That money has historically been used for general fund expenses, including employee salaries, legal fees, infrastructure improvements, training, vehicle purchases and community projects.

Monday’s discussion included possible future actions the city could take on the matter, including instituting a 1 percent local grocery tax to help sustain operations without major budget cuts, instituting a 0.25 percent increase in the non-home rule tax to generate about $250,000 annually to help cover some of the shortfall, or allowing the tax to expire in 2026 and making targeted budget cuts. The city took no action on the matter Monday.

“We didn’t create this problem,” Fiegenschuh said. “The state did. I think we have to do something. We can’t fund programs without taxpayer money. This is taxpayer money that goes directly to our public safety and public works. There are cuts that we can make, but they’re cuts that no one wants to make.”

Caron Ridge

The council unanimously approved an ordinance to hold a future public hearing on the possible designation of a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district at the Caron Ridge Shopping Center, the former Sullivan’s location that has been vacant for six years.

The new TIF district would be called the Eastern Gateway TIF. The Eastern Gateway TIF Joint Review Board meeting will be held on Monday, August 19 at 10 a.m., and the public hearing will be held on Monday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held at City Hall at 420 N. 6th St.

The city already has three TIF districts, which raise funds after development is seen in an area based on the difference in improved value. That money is then used to incentivize developers.

Swearing in

During the gathering, a swearing-in ceremony was held for Noah Messer, the Rochelle Fire Department’s newest firefighter/paramedic. Messer brings experience with the Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District and part-time work for RFD, which recently expanded its department.