The Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board of Commissioners heard an update from Risk Superintendent Brent Boardman on Monday, Oct. 20, about cleanup related to a June 5 incident in which a utility pole fell at Spring Lake.

After a Rochelle Municipal Utilities pole and transformer fell into the waterfall area at Spring Lake, Clean Harbors took soil samples and found the continued presence of mineral oil, and required the excavation of the oil-impacted soil. At its Sept. 22 meeting, the Rochelle City Council approved a $73,937 expenditure for cleanup.

Boardman said new soil samples were taken and sent to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency last week.

“Clean Harbors felt like the levels were low, but recommended the city contact IEPA to confirm the results,” Boardman said. “We have not heard back yet. Once we find something out, we’ll know what potential end steps may come.”

RMU is currently installing a new transformer on a pad to prevent future issues. After the projects are completed, the city will be restoring the bottom of the waterfall after a dam was put in place to contain the initial spill. Fence repair will be done by the city as well, Boardman said.

The RMU electric department is working with a utility technology solutions company to provide visual inspection and documentation of utility poles and lines to proactively identify similar potential issues before they occur.

Levy

Park District Executive Director Jackee Ohlinger provided four options to the board for a 2026 tax levy to be voted on next month. The options include no increase, a .58 percent increase, a 2.93 percent increase, and a 4.59 percent increase.

Ohlinger asked commissioners to consider potential upcoming capital improvement projects and purchases as they consider a levy amount. Those projects include new park signage installation, parking lot replacement at Cooper Park kids ground and near the softball field at Tilton Park, construction of a secondary fieldhouse at Helms Park, Memorial Park shelter surface replacement, permitting for new pool heaters at Spring Lake, installation of a walking path at the Rochelle Little League fields, a potential partially grant-funded project at Tilton Park, and purchase of a dump truck and two mowers.

Land within the park district increased by 10.5 percent in equalized assessed value (EAV) in the past year. All four of the options would result in a lower tax rate for the park district than 2024 due to the EAV increase.

Recreation

Park District Director of Recreation Maureen Stevens provided a monthly update during the meeting and said fall programs are ramping up as the weather becomes colder. As a result, The REC Center has become busier and the park district has been working on ensuring volunteers and equipment are available.

Programs currently include women’s volleyball, REC soccer, little shooters soccer, little hoopsters basketball, REC volleyball and REC flag football.

“Numbers have skyrocketed,” Stevens said. “We’ve well surpassed our numbers from last year and we’re really pleased to see that.”

The REC Center’s fieldhouse recently underwent an inspection that yielded a $9,250 cost for cable replacements on three basketball hoops and four curtains. All motors passed inspection, Stevens said.

Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association

The board voted unanimously during the meeting to withdraw from the Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association.

The park district contributed about $73,000 to KSRA this past year. It will reduce its contribution to $47,000 in the coming year before withdrawing.

The park district joined the KSRA as a partner agency in 2016. The organization, which works in the communities of DeKalb, Sycamore, Genoa, Sandwich and Rochelle, strives to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by cultivating diverse recreational opportunities within those areas. Among the programs KSRA offers are field trips, cooking class, bowling, a seven-week camp, parents night out, sports, dances and fitness.

The park district will directly hire teachers and instructors to provide inclusion services in house.

“This will result in significant annual cost savings to the park district,” Ohlinger said.

Signage

Ohlinger said the park district is considering the purchase of new signs for each of its parks. The signs would cost about $2,000 apiece and installation would be done by park district staff.

The signs would include concrete structure with bronze or acrylic plaques and engraved lettering. Each sign would be five feet wide and 42 inches high from the ground to the top of the sign.

Audit

The board unanimously approved an auditing services agreement with Sikich for $48,000 over the next three years. The cost for each coming year will be $15,500, $16,000 and $16,500. The park district paid its previous auditor, Lauterbach & Amen, $10,000 for its most recent year, but had to choose a different auditor due to that firm also providing accounting services for the park district.

The Sikich bid was the only one received by the park district.