The city of Rochelle on Dec. 9 announced the resignation and impending departure of City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh, who has accepted a position as city administrator of Washington, Illinois.

Fiegenschuh has been Rochelle’s city manager for eight years and his final day will be in mid-January. He spoke with the News-Leader on Dec. 17 and reflected on his decision and his experiences during his tenure in Rochelle.

“It was a very difficult choice to make,” Fiegenschuh said. ‘This has been my home for over eight years. I have worked with amazing mayors and city council members and staff. They’ve been very good and gracious to me and have shown me a lot of support and I’ve learned a lot from each one of them. It was the right opportunity and the right time. I have truly enjoyed Rochelle and its residents. I’ve heard well wishes from a lot of them since the news. When someone says, ‘You did a great job and the city is better than you found it,’ that’s a huge badge of honor for me.”

City accomplishments during Fiegenschuh’s tenure include attracting large steel pipe manufacturer Wheatland Tube to Rochelle, the purchase and demolition of the deteriorating Hickory Grove building, northern corridor tax-increment financing redevelopments Breakthru Beverage and Benny’s Corner Market, construction of a fire training facility with the Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District, work on two electrical substations and five wells or water treatment plants, and relationship building with other taxing bodies.

Fiegenschuh said areas of most progress over the past eight years include improving Rochelle Municipal Utilities electric department reserves and infrastructure, improving the Rochelle Technology Center’s finances from a deficit of over $1 million to now $500,000 in the black, working with the Village of Creston and the Rochelle Landfill on a boundary agreement that extends the life of the landfill, and lobbying to keep the Prairie State Energy Campus, RMU’s main power provider, open through at least 2042.

“We’ve done a lot in this community in eight years and this town is set up for long-term success,” Fiegenschuh said. “Financially we’re in great shape with our general fund and utilities and I’d like to think I was some part of that.”

Over his eight years, Fiegenschuh also worked to expand staffing in the Rochelle Fire Department, Rochelle Police Department and public works. He led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw projects in the economically uncertain years that followed.

“I see Rochelle’s future as bright,” Fiegenschuh said. “We did projects at the right time in the right economic climate. We spent money wisely and citizens aren’t seeing rate increases to support those projects. I think we’re set well for the future. I wanted to depart when things are going well. We’re in really good shape financially and we have a great team in place that’s committed to the community.”

Along with his service as city manager, Fiegenschuh was involved with a number of Rochelle organizations in his eight years in town, including the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, the Rochelle Area Community Foundation, the Rochelle Rotary Club and From the Heart.

“My time here working with local organizations and residents has meant everything to me,” Fiegenschuh said. “I love being involved and giving back and I’m super proud of that. I will remember a lot about this job. My involvement in the community will be right there at the top. I’m proud of the fact that I was approachable to residents and the inroads I built in the community.”