St. Charles launches new website designed to attract businesses

ST. CHARLES – St. Charles city officials on Nov. 6 honored JL Wagner Plumbing and Piping Inc., which is celebrating 100 years of doing business in the community.

During the city council meeting, Mayor Ray Rogina lauded the success of the Wagner business, family owned and operated for four generations since 1917.

“Since their inception, they have consistently delivered families and businesses with quality plumbing service and repair,” Rogina said. “You don’t stay in business for four generations by simply being remarkable at your craft – you do it by taking care of the people and communities like family.”

Rogina said nearly every school, bank, hospital, church or factory in the Fox Valley built since 1917 bears the Wagner Plumbing stamp on its plumbing, heating or ventilation systems.

Among Wagner Plumbing’s many customers over the past 10 decades have been the Hotel Baker, the Baker Community Center, the First National Bank of St. Charles, (now Forthright Financial Planning) the State Bank of St. Charles (now BMO Harris) and Arthur Andersen & Company (now the Q Center).

Rogina noted that Wagner Plumbing was chosen to install the solar heating at St. Charles East High School when it was built, and the company was the first Fox Valley contractor to use a helicopter to hoist air conditioning equipment – on the former General Mills building in St. Charles.

Website designed to attract businesses

A new community and economic development website, thinkstcharles.com, is a “business attraction” tool, said Matthew O’Rourke, who manages the city’s economic development division and coordinated the website’s creation. During the Nov. 6 council meeting, O’Rourke presented information about the website, which highlights the city’s quality of life and features video testimony from St. Charles business owners about why they like the community.

Yurs receives landscaping award

Also on Nov. 6, the council honored another local business. The St. Charles Corridor Improvement “Curbie” award was presented to Yurs Funeral Home of St. Charles, 405 E. Main St.

Mayor Rogina said Yurs was worthy of the award for its consistently exceptional landscaping outside the business at the downtown’s eastern gateway.

Convenience store granted liquor license

In the council’s final action, a majority of aldermen approved a packaged-liquor license for a convenience store located in a BP gas station, 1660 W. Main Street, St. Charles.