Over the past eight years as Rochelle’s city manager, I have had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team of elected officials, department heads, and employees who are deeply committed to serving our community.

Together, we have achieved meaningful progress in fiscal stability, infrastructure investment, economic development, and organizational culture, all while strengthening transparency and resident engagement.

One of the key accomplishments of this period has been guiding Rochelle toward long-term financial sustainability. Working with our leadership team, we secured the sale of the city’s electric transmission assets, which allowed us to reinvest in local priorities while ensuring competitive energy costs for residents and businesses. We locked in long-term power purchases that ensured electric rate stability, we secured an upgrade to our S&P rating, and our team earned the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Award, a recognition of the professionalism and clarity of our financial planning.

At the same time, Rochelle has advanced infrastructure improvements that position our community for future growth. These investments include roads, sidewalks, a new electric substation, upgrades to power generation assets, enhanced stormwater management, and significant improvements to our water and wastewater systems, along with the expansion of broadband access. Together, these projects ensure that Rochelle’s critical assets are modernized and prepared to meet the needs of residents and businesses alike.

Economic development has also been a hallmark of our progress, with the attraction of new employers, the retention of existing businesses, and strategic partnerships that strengthen Rochelle’s role as a regional hub. These successes reflect the talent and dedication of our mayor, city council and the entire city staff, who deliver quality services every day with pride and professionalism.

Beyond city hall, I have remained committed to service through volunteer leadership in both the community and my profession. Through the Rochelle Rotary Club, I have supported projects that build goodwill and enhance the quality of life for residents. My involvement with the Rochelle Area Community Foundation has helped strengthen local philanthropy and ensure that charitable giving has a lasting impact on our community. The Rochelle Area Chamber of Commerce has provided a valuable platform to foster collaboration between the city and the business community, supporting entrepreneurship and job creation.

On a professional level, I am honored to serve as president of the Illinois City/County Management Association’s downstate affiliate, and my involvement in ILCMA, ICMA, and AMME has given me the opportunity to give back to the field of local government by mentoring peers, sharing best practices, and advocating for the profession.

Looking back, I am proud not only of what has accomplished, but how it was achieved, through teamwork, collaboration, and a shared commitment to Rochelle’s future. It has been an honor to serve this community, and I am confident that the foundation we have built together will continue to support progress for years to come.

“We will never bring disgrace to this our city by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks. We will revere and obey the city’s laws and will do our best to incite a like respect and reverence in those above us who are prone to annul them or set them at naught. We will strive unceasingly to quicken the public’s sense of civic duty. Thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this city not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.” -Athenian Oath

Jeffrey A. Fiegenschuh, ICMA-CM, MPA, is the city manager of the City of Rochelle.