In the Know
From the City Manager’s Desk --Jeff Fiegenschuh
As we close out 2025, I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for every one of you. This past year has been filled with important projects, some unexpected challenges, and meaningful accomplishments that reflect the strength of our team. Your hard work continues to move our community forward in ways that matter.
Each of you brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives that make our city stronger. I am constantly reminded that our success is never the result of one individual. It is the result of a dedicated team working together to solve problems, support one another, and provide exceptional service to the residents and businesses who rely on us every single day. I’ve said many times that the Athenian Oath guides my own philosophy of public service, especially the commitment to “leave the city better than I found it.” I see that same spirit reflected in all of you, and I am truly grateful.
Our work is often demanding, and it requires a great deal of time, energy, and focus. Thank you to the families, spouses, partners, children, and loved ones who stand behind each of you. Their support makes our service possible. As we head into the holiday season, I hope you’re able to take time to rest, reset, and enjoy the people and moments that matter most You have earned it
Looking ahead to 2026, I am excited about the opportunities in front of us. We have major projects underway in each community corridor, new initiatives in the planning phases, and a renewed focus on strengthening our financial stability, improving our infrastructure, enhancing communication with our residents, and continuing to build a positive, high-performing organizational culture. Together, we will continue to deliver innovative solutions, maintain high standards for customer service, and ensure that our community remains a place we can all be proud to call home
Thank you again for your dedication, professionalism, and commitment to serving our community. I am honored to work alongside such an incredible team, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in 2026
Wishing you and your families a safe, happy, and blessed holiday season. Jeff
H u m a n R
Benefit Highlight
Those enrolled in the City’s health insurance plan, may have received emails and letters from Hinge Health. Hinge Health is a personalized exercise program with a goal of decreasing joint and muscle pain Participants typically complete 15-minute exercise sessions three times a week. However, participants can do exercises daily if desired.The program has shown stunning results:
68% of participants reported an improvement in pain levels.
67% reported a reduced intent to pursue surgery. Many also experienced improved mental well-being.
If eligible to participate, you will need to download the Hinge Health app to complete the exercises. A physical therapist can customize your exercises and conduct virtual physical therapy sessions. Participants experiencing chronic pain that lasts or recurs for over 3 months will also receive one-on-one coaching and may qualify for an exercise kit from Hinge Health.
The program is offered at no cost to employees, their spouses, or a dependents aged 18 or older who are enrolled in BCBSIL medical plan and meet eligibility requirements. To see if you qualify, visit hinge.health/bcbsil and complete the online questionnaire.
Reminders
·Managers/Supervisors need to complete their HSI Sexual Harassment Prevention for Managers training by November 18 . All other HSI training for employees is due November 24 . th th
·Employees need to complete their Q4 KnowBe4 Cyber Security training by December 31 . st
·Heartsaver CPR & First Aid will be held at City Hall on December 10 and 16 from 9:00am - 12:00pm. th th
·December’s IMUA Safety Meeting will be held in Council Chambers on December 3 at 7:30am. Breakfast will be served for our final meeting of 2025! rd
·December 16 Emily Tazic from IMRF will be presenting in Council Chambers and answering questions. th
Safety Focus
Preventing Slips And Falls At The Workplace
Here are 5 key tips for preventing slips and falls at the workplace:
1. Keep Walkways clear and clutter-free:
It’s important to have a clutter-free walkway and working surface. Make sure that tools are handled and managed properly. They should be placed in a specific place. When tools, nails, and chemicals are spilled in the walkways it causes hazards of falls and trips. So, keep the walkways clear and decluttered.
Your place of work should stay neat, tidy, and dry. Monitor the entire working surface, and in the case of spills, clean the floor immediately. Substances like grease and cement are commonly found at construction sites and can cause slips, trips, and falls. H u m a n R e s o u r
2. Use Signs and Boards
It’s crucial to have clear signs and boards to guide workers. If the floor is wet or slippery, warn your employees with a clear signboard so that they stay vigilant. Similarly, you can custom-create signboards based on the activities and hazards that you may face in your company. Apart from this, posters preventing slips, trips, and falls can help warn the employees as well.
3. Use Appropriate Gears and Tools
If you are a manager, it’s your duty to ensure that every single worker is wearing appropriate gear and handling tools the right way. They should have an awareness of all hazards in the workplace and what can happen if they don’t follow the rules Using proper footwear is essential to avoid falls, trips, and slips Replace worn-out shoes and use slip-resistant accessories.
4. Improving and Maintaining Floor Quality
It’s important to have a regular and timely inspection of the workspace. Floors and surfaces need to be properly maintained as this helps eliminate incidents of slips and falls.
5 Cleaning and Housekeeping
D e v e l o p m e n t
C o m m u n i t y
C o m m u n i t y
Land Bank Program: First Property Sold
We are pleased to announce the successful closing of the first property through the Land Bank Program. On October 7th, Justin Scaduto of Scaduto Solutions finalized the purchase of the property located at 1024 Avenue B.
As part of the agreement, Mr. Scaduto will bring the property up to code with approved final inspections within nine months. This supports the City’s ongoing efforts to revitalize neighborhoods and repurpose vacant or blighted properties.
The Land Bank Program serves as a valuable tool to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties in our community. Through this initiative, the City aims to return underutilized properties to productive use, strengthen neighborhoods, and enhance overall community safety.
We look forward to sharing before and after photos once renovations are complete, showcasing the positive transformation made possible through this collaborative effort
A d v a n c e d C o m m u n i c a t i
·Data Center
oColocation and VLAN Service Agreement approved by Council for DNA Communications
·Network Administration
oNetwork Administration Work
§New IT remote management and ticketing system
oCustomer Service
§Worked through Parallels issues on Counter 1. Pulled out machine from Elizabeth to rebuild for new hire
oCybersecurity
§Ongoing KnowBe4 Trainings
§BNen working to create Table top exercise per Policy
oElectric
§Working on Fiber plan for scheduled outage to repair cable new Twombly Sub
§Coordinating fiber work for new Well 8 Building
§Fiber Outage @ BroadPath
oHR
§Ongoing coordination with Britt for CH/PD Door Access System
oLaserfiche
§Ongoing changes to forms for multiple departments. Creating new forms for internal work and additional fiber options
oPD
§Multiple issues with laptops, badges, etc
oWater
§New cellular VPN device configured and ready for Andrew to install
oWater Reclamation
§Assisted with SCADA problems due to switch failure
·Advanced Communications
oFiber mapping software was approved for purchase. Casey went through initial training on setting application up.
oOngoing updating customer agreements and speeds
oWorking on documentation of Fiber Cross connects at all fiber locations to show where fiber goes, who it serves, and what it is used for. Long overdue work and tedious.
oSwitch issues @ Caron Rd Sub and need to work to make old water SCADA work better, as it does not want to function properly in newer non-Cisco switches
·GIS
oUpcoming server updates
Transitioning to a New Finance Director
Matt Hoffman started as our new Finance Director for the City of Rochelle. He is working closely with all departments to become more acquainted with the City of Rochelle.
2026 Budget
The 2026 budget is being presented to the City Council this month. Once this has been approved, the Finance team will begin work on implementing this budget and working for the Distinguished Budget Award through G.F.O.A.
Accounts Payable
Travel and Mileage forms can be used in Laserfiche now to streamline reimbursement and approvals where available. We have also spent more time recently ensuring staff are cross-trained in Accounts Payable.
End of Year Planning
Finance is working within the department and with Human Resources to plan our end-of-year procedures. Changes to how overtime is recorded for tax purposes have been discussed and planned to ensure accuracy for all employees.
Retiree Insurance
Finance will work with Human Resources to move the responsibility for recording retiree insurance payments over to our department.
The Finance department remains committed to excellence, transparency, and preparing for a smooth leadership transition.
p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t
Officer Kovacs was able to present a check for $1,000 to the Living Well Center, where his mother went during her battle with cancer. The $500 Tammy Kovacs Memorial Scholarship will be presented to a student in May! Thank you to everyone for their support and donations to the Pink Patch Project!
We’re hiring for lateral police officers – Spread the word!
E l e c t r i c d e p a r t m e n t
The underground conversion at Flagg & 20th is complete.
Crews have been working on pole replacements along Kyte Road and Chamberlain Road.
The permanent underground service to the new wellhouse for Well 8 is complete, and the fiber work is in progress.
E l e c t r i c d e p a r t m e n t
Generation Plant employees are in the process of completing our traffic safety trailer.
Completed a service installation Bethel Road.
Completed the 2024 APPA Performance Indicators Survey which is an annual benchmark of key financial and operating data for public power utilities, compared by utility customer count, region and generation.
Work has commenced for the Downtown Underground project.
E l e c t r i c d e p a r t m e n t
Work is complete at Spring Lake, from the June 2025 incident.
The RMU Electric Department’s 2025 Haybale!
F i r e d e p a r t m e n t
Rochelle Little League
On October 16th, the Rochelle Fire Social hosted the Fireman Little League Team for our annual fall celebration. Every year we invite the team out to wrap up their season with a classic Country School Chicken dinner and plenty of cake. We’re especially proud to have sponsored a team for the last 40 years, and it’s always a fun tradition celebrating their hard work both on and off the field
Fire PRevention Month Continues
On October 30th, Central School invited Capt. Prewett, Lt. Johnson, FF Powell, and Administrative Assistant Gillis to host an assembly for 146 second graders. We covered ambulance operations, “two ways out,” general fire safety, and how to call 911. The students even had the opportunity to practice a mock 911 call. During the visit, we realized that while most kids know the number “911,” many aren’t familiar with how to actually use a cell phone to make the call. Several children also did not know their home address. Because of that, we’re adding both topics to our fire prevention teaching lineup moving forward It was a fun change of pace to bring the presentation to the school, and the kids learned a lot
During the week of November 3rd–7th, we hosted roughly 205 preschoolers for fire safety tours. We welcomed two groups a day, every day, for the entire week. The kids are always so excited to visit the firehouse, and it’s a fun, busy week we look forward to each year as we teach our youngest community members about fire safety
Halloween Fun
We participated in Truck-or-Treat at Studio C and even though we don’t have any decorated trunks, a fire truck is exciting enough on its own! The kids loved climbing around and checking things out, and it’s always fun to see their costumes up close. We also took part in Downtown Trick-orTreating, where we had a steady stream of visitors stopping by We even got to fire up our smoke machine, which is always a huge hit. Overall, it was a great couple of events, and we love being part of the community Halloween fun every year.
EMS News
IIn EMS news, we successfully passed our annual inspections by IDPH on all three ambulances. It takes several days to prepare, and the inspectors check every nook and cranny to ensure our rigs and equipment are ready to serve the community safely and effectively.
Every four years, all paramedics are required to take PHTLS training. We hosted a course on November 13th at the fire department, led by an instructor from OSF St. Anthony. PHTLS (Prehospital Trauma Life Support) teaches best practices for assessing and treating trauma patients in the field, providing life-saving care, and preparing them for hospital transport. It was a great opportunity for our team to refresh their skills and stay ready for emergencies
Biosolid Land Application
In November, the Water Reclamation Department applied biosolids to a field south of town. A win-win for the city and the farmer alike, this process allows the city to save on disposal costs while providing farmers with a nutrient-rich material. After wastewater goes through the treatment process, solid material is separated, treated and processed Once treated, solids become what we call biosolids It goes through many steps including multiple lab tests to ensure it is safe and meets strict state and federal standards. The Water Reclamation Department received a permit from the IEPA and must provide an annual report. Biosolid application keeps valuable nutrients out of the landfill and returns them to the land. It reduces the use of synthetic fertilizers for the farmer, improves soil health, and it is nutrient-dense product for crops, especially for corn. Farmers often see a higher yield after biosolid application. W a t e r d
Well 8
Big construction and upgrades have been completed at Well 8 in the last month. The new iron removal filter has been installed inside the new Wellhouse Outside the walls, a new pitless adapter was added to the well. Backwash and permit testing will be completed on the new facilities
This major infrastructure upgrade to Well 8 is designed to improve water quality and ensure long-term reliability for our community With nearly 75% of the construction complete, the new iron filtration plant will be able to treat 2.6 million gallons per day and have the capability to remove radium if the need were to arise. It is expected to be completed later this fall This $7 4 million project was 100% funded through the IEPA State Revolving Fund with full principal forgiveness.
W a t e r d e p a r t m e n t
WWTP Upgrades
The second phase of upgrades to the Water Reclamation Plant are almost complete. With just the final details left, upgrades to the clarifier, aeration tanks, and blower building are completed, and these facilities are back online.
Plant upgrades have been made in two phases, with Phase II including replacement of the tertiary sand filtration system, roof replacements, and upgrades to the clarifiers, excess flow lagoons, and main influent lift station With future phosphorus limits expected to be set by the IEPA, these upgrades will allow the treatment plant to meet them with as little chemical treatment as possible.
Lead Service Line Replacement Project
As part of the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, the IEPA has required all Community Water Systems (CWS) to maintain an inventory of all service line materials This inventory is regularly updated and submitted to the IEPA annually. This Act requires CWSs to inform residents who have lead and galvanized lines of the health effects of lead. These letters went out to residents in April. In addition to education, the city also treats the water supply to control corrosion and minimize lead released.
Also, this Act has required CWSs to create a lead service line replacement plan for lead and galvanized service lines. The City worked with Willett Hoffman and Associates to create a replacement and has submitted it to the IEPA. We are working to secure funding to complete this project and replace service lines.
Well 13
The Well 13 project is still on track to begin drilling in 2026. In partnership with Willett Hoffman and Associates, the City continues to work to secure funding through the IEPA. This new well will allow Rochelle to confidently meet the city’s demand, increase redundancy, and relieve other well pumps and equipment. The designated location of Well 13 would allow for future development and mitigate pressure issues on the Northeast section of Rochelle.
End of the Year Approvals
Each year, the city prepares a budget and sets a tax levy for the coming year, which is essentially our plan for funding services like public safety, roads, infrastructure, and other community programs. But the process doesn’t stop at the city level. Illinois law requires that these documents be submitted and recorded with the County Clerk’s office. Why? Because the county is responsible for collecting property taxes and making sure the money goes where it’s supposed to. By having the county review and record our levy and budget, we ensure that taxes are calculated accurately, funds are properly allocated, and the process is transparent for everyone. This important step keeps our city financially organized, legally compliant, and accountable to the residents we serve.
Per state statute, the city council is required to approve meeting dates and holiday office closings to ensure transparency and public access to government operations. By formally approving the schedule, the city makes sure residents know when they can attend or participate in meetings and that there is a clear, legal record of official actions. This requirement helps maintain accountability, prevents confusion, and ensures that local government operates in a predictable and open manner.
FOIARequests finalized
○ Floyd J.Tilton VFW Post 3878
○ Ducks Unlimited
○ Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival Inc.
○ Brandon Dodrill Memorial Foundation
○ Rochelle Lodge #903 Loyal Order of Moose
○ Ogle County G.O.P.
○ FlaggTownship Museum
○ Golden K
○Thunder Chapter –A.B.A.T.E.
○ Masonic Lodge
○ Hub Senior Center
○ HOPE of Ogle County
U t i l i t y B i l l i n g
The Utility Billing Team celebrated Halloween with trick or treat events at Studio C and the Downtown trick or treat.
U t i l i t y B i l l i n g
Mandi and Autumn attended the APPA Customer Connections conference in Salt Lake City. They connected with other customer service and communications professionals and came back with lots of knowledge and new ideas
PW
– Administration
·Boss 811 training for users on new locating software
·Conducted required safety training meetings.
PW – Airport
·We hosted a Fly-in Drive in on 9/14 for the IL Aviation Academy Everything went as planned
·We are hosting a Rusty Pilots Seminar in our Community Hangar on October 11, 2025. AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) will facilitate the meeting.
·We have been informed by IDOT of $294,552 additional funding has been approved for the 8 place T-hangar building planned for construction in early 2026.
·IDOT has installed an operations counting system, as they have in every nonprimary airport in the state This will be used for a one-year study to determine Take off and landing activity per airport. Resulting data will be used for allocating annual fuel refund grants in the future.
PW – Facilities & Events
·Mowing and Trimming City properties and R.O.W
·Setup and cleanup multiple Citywide events.
·Removed debris and shrubs from City R.O.W.
·Decorated for downtown Christmas events
Miscellaneous building maintenance and repairs.
PW- Forestry
·Trimmed trees in downtown area.
Responded to multiple service requests from residents.
·Trimmed multiple trees in Cemetery.
·Located and grinded stumps
·Removed multiple dead or diseased trees.
PW-
Fleet
·Repaired air conditioner on R109 sweeper
Set up R173 new vac sweeper and get it ready for use.
·Set up new batwing mower and level deck on tractor.
·Replaced oil pan on dump truck R119
·Replaced oil pan on Dump truck R156.
Started yearly truck services on fleet.
·Started installing snow and ice equipment on fleet in preparation for winter.
·Welded and fabricated patches to repair box on dump truck #R101
·Started yearly equipment services.
PW- Traffic
·Responded to locate requests.
·Finished city wide traffic painting for the year.
·Made repairs and changes to railroad crossings for quiet zone.
·Painted bullnoses on improved quiet zone crossings and reinstall delineators and signage.
·Painted new stop bars for all-way stop locations.
·Installed new signage to create all-way stops at S Main St and Veterans Pkwy
·Installed new signage to create all-way stops at N 6 St and 4 Ave. th th
·Installed new signage to create all-way stops at N 2 St and 7 Ave. nd th
·Installed new signage to create all-way stops at N 8 St and 5 Ave. th th
·Installed new signage to create all-way stops at Woolf Ct and 8 Ave. th
·Replaced all-way signs at Caron Rd and Creston Rd.
·Replaced truck rt sign on Jack Dame Rd.
·Replaced engine brake sign on Steward Rd.
PW- Stormwater
·Replaced 5ft of pipe on 8 ave th
·Removed Beaver Dam in creek along side Creston Rd
PW- Streets
·Continued filling potholes
·1000 Carrie Ave - Replaced 140ft of curb due to water main break. Replaced driveway approach. Repaved 140ft of edge of road.
·570 S. 3 St – Replaced 40 ft of curb due to water main break. Paved 40ft of road. rd
·319 Irene – Replaced 13ft of curb due to water main break. Paved 13ft of road.
·311 Irene – Replaced driveway approach due to water main break.
·203 Lake Lida – Replaced 4ft of sidewalk due to water main break.
·300 Ridge – Replaced driveway approach due to water main break. Paved road in front of approach.
·601 N. 14 St. - Replaced 15ft of curb due to water main break. Paved 15ft of road. th
·Wood St – Paved road due to water main break.
·210 Gary – Replaced 20ft of curb due to water main break. Paved 20ft of road.
·625 N. 12 – Paved road due to sewer line repair. th
·201 Lake Lida – Paved road due to water main break.
·1222 Crest – Paved road due to water main break.
·Replaced 20ft of sidewalk due to cracking and trip hazards.
·Milled a mile and a half worth of road edges. 5ft wide by 3 inches deep.
·Paved a mile and a half of road edges. 1,500 ton of hot mix
·Poured a pad for bench to be donated at Rail Fan Park
·Leveled off 4 Ave millings at snow dump site th
·Poured 120ft of curb at High Crossing for quiet zone repairs
·Poured 80ft of curb on 9 St for quiet zone repairs th
·Poured 40ft of curb on 1 Ave for quiet zone repairs st
·Poured 40ft of curb on Caron Rd for quiet zone repairs
·Finished sidewalk program by paving Ave C/Main St and Ave D/S. 2 St. nd
u b l i c
PW- Solid Waste
·Continuing with city-wide street sweeping.
·Appliance Pick-ups every Thursday.
·Picked up dead animals, trash, tires, and debris from ROW as needed
·Landfill tonnage ranging between 1000 to 1200 tons per day.
·Conducted monthly city-wide brush collection on 10-21 and 11-17.
·Delivering and picking up barricades for dumpsters as needed.
·Hauled out sweeper bin to landfill.
·Painted to cover graffiti under bridge on 251 at Washington.
·Installed toppers, prepared trucks and leaf vacs for leaf season.
·Started annual leaf pickup program, removing leaves from parkways and curbs city wide each week.
November Happenings
Have you seen our new community video? Together with Ben Dougherty of Dreambuilt Creative in Rochelle, we filmed and scripted a video to highlight the Hub City. If you haven’t seen it yet, visit the City of Rochelle’s Facebook page for a look! We’ll be using the full fiveminute video, along with smaller clips, to promote Rochelle over the next year So far, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with several people who have moved from Rochelle noting that it made them homesick for their community.
On November 18 , we held a public meeting on the Data Center development planned for just south of Steward Road in Rochelle. The meeting was well attended and many questions were asked of both our team and the developer of the project. A Q&A page has been created on our website where we continue to add questions asked by our residents. The public meeting included a presentation by Jeff Fiegenschuh, Adam Lanning, Blake Toliver and Jenny Thompson followed by a presentation by the developer We reviewed planned uses of electricity, water and comparable developments in nearby communities like DeKalb and
C o m m u n i c a t i o n s
Fairways Golf Course is finishing the 2025 season with a bang! A total of 17,512 rounds were played this year, up from 17,162 in 2024. Tee box work has been completed on holes 3, 9, 12, 4 and 6. Trimming on hole 15 is complete and over the winter months, a dead tree near hole #1 will come down. A number of sprinkler valves will be replaced in the spring. Grounds have been sprayed for the last time and irrigation has been blown out for the winter months. Although the course is technically closed for the winter, when the ground is clear, you’ll see an occasional walker on the course.
In the club house, the lounge area is being cleared out to play host to a “museum” room. The space will showcase the history of the course from its original design by Perry Maxwell to its time as a country club and later a public course. Artifacts and items are being collected now for the room.
TheEnd!
