Rock Falls City Council

Nine incumbents and three newcomers are in the running in Rock Falls' 2025 election.

The Rock Falls City Council heard a report Tuesday night about the consequences of a failed referendum that would have instated a 0.5% sales tax throughout Whiteside County to help fund emergency dispatch services.

The center will bring 55 full-time jobs and amenities that include gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, a restaurant, convenience store and over 80 short-term overnight parking spaces for long-haul truckers.

The Rock Falls City Council could have an almost entirely new group of leaders after the April 1, 2025, election.

Items such as trash cans, swing sets and large trees end up in the sewer area, potentially causing problems with the turbines.

City Administrator Robbin Blackert thanks residents for their patience during downtown demolition project.

Sterling alderman: Rockford, Sycamore, Mt. Morris, Dixon, Rock Falls, and now Sterling are discussing creating the right incentives to stimulate a stagnant housing development market.

John Watts honored for his dedicated service to the recent Touch a Truck event held in June for the first time since 2018.

Electronic recycling center is located at 1003 W. Route 30.

Rock Falls City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to accept a $799,700 bid from McDonagh Demolition of Chicago to demolish the former Micro Industries buildings.

Rock Falls city officials are seeking help from residents in identifying sites to test for hazardous substance contamination as part of an $800,000 Brownfields Multipurpose Grant the city received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Rock Falls residents soon will have a new place to recycle their electronics. On June 18, Rock Falls City Council members voted 6-1 to purchase 1003 W. Route 30 for $80,000.

On June 4, Rock Falls City Council members unanimously voted to contract with Daupler Inc., of Overland Park, Kansas, for $15,000 to answer utility non-emergency calls outside of regular business hours. The contract is for a one-year term starting June 7.

If passed during a second reading of the ordinance, the increases would go into effect April 1, 2025, for all officials whose terms expire prior to that date. For officials whose terms expire after April 1, 2025, the effective date of the salary increases will be April 6, 2027.

City of Rock Falls Electrical Director Dick Simon was presented a Distinguished Service Award at the 2024 annual conference of the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, Illinois Municipal Utilities Association and Illinois Public Energy Agency.

Rock Falls City Council members on Tuesday unanimously approved the city’s fiscal 2025 budget.

Rock Falls City Council members unanimously voted to allow Mayor Rod Kleckler — one of the city’s representatives on the Rock Falls Area Dog Control Board — to vote in favor of disbanding the board in question. The city plans to contract with Whiteside County for the services.

On Tuesday, Rock Falls City Council members voted unanimously to accept a $188,000 bid from Husar Abatement Ltd., of Franklin Park, for asbestos abatement at the former Micro Industries buildings. The work is expected to take 25 working days to complete, according to Husar’s bid.

Kyle Sommers was sworn in as Rock Falls Fire Department deputy fire chief and Derick Newton as captain during the March 5 Rock Falls City Council meeting. Both were internal promotions, to the new ranks from captain and senior firefighter, respectively.

A repurposed Pignatelli building also on Amber Hoffman’s to-do list.

A historic resources survey’s completion is a stipulation agreed upon by city officials, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the State Historic Preservation Office in exchange for the state OK’ing demolition of the former Micro Industries buildings.

A former Rock Falls alderman, who is a vocal opponent to demolishing the former Micro Industries building, and other community members are forming an organization aiming to better express citizens’ desires to city government.

Former Rock Falls City Alderman Marshall Doane is researching alternatives to the city's plan to demolish and redevelop the Micro Industries building complex.

Council members unanimously voted Tuesday to approve Mayor Rod Kleckler’s appointment of Vickey Byrd to fill the City Council's vacant Ward 2 seat.

The council’s Tuesday agenda lists action items that include appointment of Ken Wolf as fire chief effective Feb. 1.

With the year 2023 just one day from its end, join us as we take a look back at some of the memorable events that happened in the Sauk Valley month by month.

On Dec. 19, Rock Falls City Council members unanimously voted to contract with Terracon Consultants, of Glendale Heights, for asbestos consulting services for a not-to-exceed cost of $98,640.

Rock Falls taxpayers could see a decrease on their property tax bills next year if the city’s proposed tax levy is passed on Dec. 19. The Rock Falls City Council is considering a property tax rate of $21.72 per $1,000 of actual value for fiscal year 2024.

City Council members unanimously voted to purchase a 0.23-acre vacant lot along West First Street, between Second and Fourth avenues, for $30,000. There are plans to redevelop the property.

Rock Falls City Council members unanimously approved several road closures for Hometown Holidays during their Nov. 7 meeting.

Rock Falls and Sterling fire departments asking the cities to form an intergovernmental agreement as one of several next steps to build a shared firefighting training facility.

Rock Falls Police Chief Dave Pilgrim was recognized during the Oct. 3 City Council meeting for becoming a “certified police chief" through the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police's voluntary certification process. Getting certified requires passing written and oral exams.

On Tuesday, Oct. 3, Rock Falls City Council members voted unanimously to accept a $103,000 Strong Communities Program grant to help rehabilitate or demolish abandoned residential properties. The Illinois Housing Development Authority created the program.

Marshall Doane has raised over $1,000 to buy a new Love Light Tree, with plans to donate it and any extra funds to the city and Chamber of Commerce.

Rock Falls City Council members on Tuesday unanimously voted to remove the residency requirement from the municipal code, along with a requirement that the city administrator not be an elected official or have served as one within the past year.

Rock Falls City Council members on Sept. 5 unanimously voted to reduce the minimum ground floor area of residential dwellings from 800 square feet to 400 square feet. The change applies only to lots that are, at most, 55 feet wide.

The Rock Falls City Council will vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would allow the construction of “compact residential dwellings,” homes with a ground floor as small as 400 square feet, on lots as small as 55 feet wide.

Grant funding will help cities address the economic, social and environmental challenges caused by blighted sites and stimulate economic opportunity and environmental revitalization in historically overburdened communities.

Two free community gardens will be springing up this year in the Twin Cities, and signup is on – no green thumbs required.

There are no candidates for two Rock Falls City Council seats in the April 4 election.

The Rock Falls Police Department will be inspecting and registering non-highway vehicles for in-town use on Saturday and three days next week.

Off-highway vehicles now can be driven inside Rock Falls city limits, once they have been inspected and a permit has been purchased.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Monday made public its final incident report outlining errors made during the Dec. 4 fire that took the life of Sterling firefighter Lt. Garrett Ramos.

One Rock Falls alderman wants to save the condemned Micro Industries building downtown, and get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rock Falls was awarded a $2.2 million state grant to redevelop the former Micro Industries property downtown.

After a little back-and-forth, Rock Falls has a new city clerk.

Clerk issues notice about earlier start

Action to be taken at tonight's City Council meeting

Voters will be faced with contested races across Dixon, Sterling and Rock Falls Tuesday.

Candidates for mayor and City Council weighed in on priorities Thursday.