The Den

Have you noticed a line on your electric bill called “Power Cost Adj” and wondered what that is? It refers to the City’s Power Cost Adjustment Factor (PCAF). The City instituted the PCAF in 2013 to allow for adjustment of electric bills to match wholesale power prices.

Wholesale Power Prices Directly Affect the PCAF

The City purchases its power from the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA). Like the cost of most commodities, wholesale power prices can fluctuate. The City adjusts the PCAF in accordance with our actual costs of purchasing power from IMEA.

The history of Pottawatomie Park dates back over 180 years. The land was first purchased by Calvin Ward in 1834, and the property belonged to his family for many years until developers started to take interest during the late 1880’s. They sought out the property for its natural beauty and could easily picture a resort, hotel, and park in its place. A pavilion was built on the edge of the river in 1892, but the plans for a resort never went much further.

The City is one of ten taxing bodies itemized on your bill. The City’s portion of your entire property tax bill is about 10 percent.

If you have ever been assisted by a St. Charles police officer or firefighter, watched snow plows run through your neighborhood, or seen a customized map developed by the City, then you have benefited from the City’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a division of our Informations Systems Department.

Many routine City operations are tied to a location and therefore rely on a mapping service. Maps play a vital role in locating water, sewer and electric lines, or in helping emergency crews calculate the best route with the lowest response time.

We can expect an increase in coyote sightings between now and February as young coyotes leave their parents in search of mates and territories to call their own. And, with the onset of winter, coyotes are more willing to venture out of their rural or wooded habitats and into residential areas in search of food and shelter.

While coyotes are unlikely to attack humans, they can become more aggressive if they find an area that suits their needs and they want to defend it. Tips for keeping coyotes from settling in your neighborhood:

According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans across the country trust their local government more than their state government. 72% of U.S. adults polled said they have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in their local government, compared with 63% answering the same about their state government.

Kane County offers the CodeRED® Emergency Telephone Notification System. The system allows County officials to telephone targeted areas or the entire County if an emergency requires immediate action such as a boil water order, missing child alert or evacuation notice. CodeRED® is capable of dialing 50,000 phone numbers per hour and delivers a recorded message.

This summer has been one of the hottest on record—not only in the U.S. but around the world. So you may have been running your air conditioner more than usual and watering flowers, lawns and landscaping more frequently. This additional usage will show up on your utility bill.

School is back in session and student safety is always at the forefront of back-to-school preparations. Coordinated student safety plans developed collaboratively by the St. Charles Police Department, St. Charles Fire Department and St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 officials are in place to keep students safe when they are in school.

Drivers, please remember to watch out for children standing at bus stops, or walking or riding a bike to school--especially during morning rush hour. This helpful graphic from the Village of Antioch Police Department reminds drivers about stopping for a school bus with lights flashing and stop arm extended. Also remember it is illegal to text while driving or talk on a hand-held cell phone.