Top Stories

November

Check out nearly 2,000 businesses listed on our website at www.stcharlesil.gov/business/listings to see all you can choose from right here in St. Charles. Remember to Think St. Charles when you shop!

Results from the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018, were presented at the Oct. 22, 2018 Government Services Committee Meeting. City Finance Director Chris Minick and Sikich LLP Partner Fred Lantz, from the City’s independent auditing firm, presented the audit report results.

Bridge repair work is scheduled to begin the week of October 29, 2018 on Randall Road between Red Haw Lane and Crane Road in St. Charles IL. One lane of Randall Road northbound and southbound over the bridge section will be temporarily closed to traffic for the duration of the repairs in order to safely and efficiently repair portions of the bridge structure over Ferson Creek. The anticipated duration for the deck repairs is approximately 5 weeks, weather permitting. This improvement is intended to extend the life of the existing bridge structure.

Beginning Sept. 1, the City’s alcohol and hotel tax rates increase 1%, and a new local fuel tax of $0.02 per gallon sold within City limits will be implemented Nov. 1. These taxes are sometimes called “user fees” because they affect users of the items, in this case both visitors to St. Charles and residents.

These new taxes will fill an unexpected gap in our budget, caused by two continuing issues: a continuing loss of State funding and a property tax levy that has remained unchanged since 2009.

School starts Aug. 22 in St. Charles. 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.

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School is back in session in St. Charles August 22, and student safety is 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.

Stop in to the City’s Utility Billing office in the Municipal Building and walk out with a free LED light bulb. St. Charles’ wholesale power supplier, the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, has given us MaxLite 9W LED light bulbs for our residents.

According to MaxLite, these LED bulbs will last an estimated 15,000 hours—significantly longer than the 1,000 hours of a traditional 60W incandescent bulb. And since they use less energy (9W vs. 60W) they also save on energy costs. The estimated annual energy cost is $1.08, compared to $4.80 for a traditional bulb.

The City of St. Charles is committed to providing a continuous supply of safe, reliable and economical water to its customers. Every year the City of St. Charles Water Division distributes a report that summarizes the quality of the City’s drinking water. We are pleased to report again this year that your tap water met all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water health standards.