|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Editorials
Is it over yet? : Editorials : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisIs it over yet?
| 12/31/2009
|
Just like the rest of the country, 2009 proved a very difficult year for many in Kendall County and the Oswego-Montgomery area.
The recession that sacked the national economy in the second half of 2008 left many here without jobs, fueled a surge in home foreclosures and stressed local families and social service agencies.
The recession also resulted in fewer revenues for local governmental agencies at a time when the demand for their services was increasing. Both the villages of Oswego and Montgomery cut staff and asked remaining employees to do more with less. If it takes a little longer for the plow to clear the snow off your street this winter, it could be because there are fewer employees available to drive the trucks.
The Oswego School District saved some money by freezing the salaries of district administrators, but also granted wage hikes to its unionized employees, including teachers. And just last week the school board learned the district would have to issue tax anticipation warrants (TAWS) to pay its bills due to the late arrival of state revenues. It will be up to the district's taxpayers to pay the interest cost on those TAWs.
Also over the past year, the school district welcomed a new superintendent. Dr. Daniel O'Donnell, who has impressed us as being both personable and professional. O'Donnell has wisely moved to build some new bridges between the district, parents and the - square mile community the district serves.
As we enter the new year, school district officials are also wisely reconsidering the previous purchase of an isolated 120 acre parcel along Ill. Route 126 south of Oswego as the site of a proposed third high school. We believe the district and its students will be better served by building that third high school on a site closer to the population the districts serves-with access to public utilities and municipal police.
Concerned downtown Oswego business owners and merchants packed a village board meeting in October to urge the village board to approve the proposed Alexander Square condominium and retail business project on the site of the old Alexander Lumber Yard. The business owners and merchants believe the addition of the people who would live in the condos and the new businesses the project would house would serve to attract more people to the village's downtown, helping existing local businesses. Although the village board approved the project in concept form during the same meeting, who will pay to improve the streets and make other public improvements necessary for the completion of the project remains an issue between the village and developers entering the new year.
A former finance director and an independent consultant have advised the Oswego Village Board that it will need to increase municipal water rates to pay to maintain the village's water system over the past three years. But village board members have been reluctant to increase the rates due in part to the ongoing recession.
The Montgomery Village Board reluctantly approved a water rate hike last month that will take effect Jan. 1. One village official noted the increase will cost residents about $2.50 more per month. Montgomery officials are also anxiously looking for an up-tick in the village's sales tax revenues to improve the village's bottom line.
For years Montgomery officials have been urging Kane County officials to remove the "Montgomery Bottleneck" by widening Orchard Road from two to four lanes from U.S. Route 30 north to Jericho Road on the village's west side. County officials, meanwhile, have continually pushed back the date for the much needed project, citing a lack of funding. As we enter the new year, the project remains stuck on the drawing board.
Fortunately, it wasn't all bad news here in 2009. The Oswego High School boys basketball team returned to the state basketball finals for the first time in 35 years and did themselves and the community proud by bringing home a second place trophy. Local residents by the thousands also turned out and participated in annual community event s and festivals that helped make our community unique.
We were sorry to see the Oswego Fire Protection District move its headquarters from Main Street in downtown Oswego to a new facility out on Woolley Road last fall. By their mere presence, the firefighters not only enhanced public safety downtown, they also added a nice touch of small town ambiance to the area. However, we understand it was time to move. The old station was seriously cramped and heavy traffic on U.S. Route 34 through downtown Oswego created a further traffic hazard for paramedic-firefighters as they responded to calls. The spacious new facility should serve generations of area residents.
The state of Illinois used federal economic stimulus funds to re-surface one of the badly deteriorated sections of U.S. Route 30 in Montgomery, while Kendall County widened Orchard Road to four lanes between U.S. Route 34 and Mill Road on Oswego's far west side.
And a dream that dated back to the early 1970s was finally realized when the Oswego Public Library District opened it s Montgomery Campus library just north of U.S. Route 30 near Goodwin Drive.
Here at the Ledger-Sentinel office we continue to look forward each and every week to bringing you as much local news as time, our staff and space will permit. We also remain appreciative that so many of our readers continue to choose to actively participate in their local newspaper by sending us their press releases, advertisements and letters to our Forum page.
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
