Home | News Index | Projected Route of Northern Link | How to Oppose | Kane 2020 Plan
Aurora Beacon-News
December 26, 2001
By Marie-Anne Hogarth
STAFF WRITER
BIG ROCK ó There are a lot of things Kane County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Hogle didn't know when he became the first
village president here ó like how long he would have the job.
When Hogle was selected to head up the board for the newly formed village this year, he was under the impression
he'd be in the position until May 2002, at which point there would be an election.
When Hogle recently contacted the Kane County clerk, however, he learned that he and his board of trustees are
serving into 2003.
The new president already is facing a number of challenges in the young village.
One problem is getting its share of state and federal dollars. Big Rock is receiving state funds for 234 people.
That's how many people were determined by the U.S. Census Bureau as living on whole census blocks, but there are
another 808 people who live on half census blocks.
This means the village coffers are underfunded by about $95,000.
Barely six months since its incorporation, Big Rock also is looking at the possibility of a freeway just outside
its eastern border.
Hogle and village and township officials have called a meeting for 7 p.m. Thursday at Big Rock Elementary School
to give residents a chance to comment about the proposed outer-belt freeway.
There will be representatives from the Illinois Department of Transportation, a representative from the office
of state Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora; Kane County Board Chairman Mike McCoy; Kane County Board member Jan Carlson;
state Rep. Pat Lindner, RSugar Grove, and representatives from the Conservation Foundation.
"This meeting is very important because people are getting no chance to respond," Hogle said.
Also looming on the horizon for the new village is a proposed peaker power plant on the southeast corner of Lasher
and Daubermann roads, close to the proposed outer-belt highway.
The peaker-plant issue fueled much of the move to incorporate the town. Residents wanted to be making key votes
on Big Rock's development, not the county.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has called a meeting on the power plant for Jan. 16 at Big Rock Elementary
School.
Hogle, who keeps his village files in a black briefcase he carries everywhere, is taking it all in stride.
After all, this sheriff's deputy has a lot of life experience. At age 19, he was a radio disc jockey for a station
in Corbin, Ky., home of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. Later, he managed a blue-jeans shop in Aurora.
Hogle moved to Big Rock with his family a year and a half ago. "I wouldn't trade the life in Big Rock for
anything," he said. "It is very peaceful, and the people are very friendly."
The challenge for Big Rock will be to remain small, says Hogle.
As Hogle wears his deputy hat and patrols Route 30 for speeders near the school, he finds most of the people he
tickets aren't from Big Rock.
The ones that are don't usually realize he is the village president, Hogle says, but he hopes that, if he ever
had to arrest a Big Rock resident, people would respect him well enough to understand.
Some people here wonder if growth might bring the need for the village to have its own police force one day, and
even a paid fire department.
While Hogle says that, without city services, there is no need to tax people, the day may come when this village
has city sewer and water.
That's unlikely to come before people start asking for liquor licenses in what has been a dry township since Prohibition,
he said.
"Hopefully, that won't become an issue until after the next election," Hogle said.