A few days ago I was having an email conversation with a friend, who asked me what I thought of the school district’s proposed land swap deal that would put developer Shodeen next to Huntley Middle School. Here is how I responded, in part: At this point I am suspicious that a South Fourth TIF…
Category: City Watch
Special Meeting Tonight on Proposed Rental Inspection Staffing
DeKalb city staff want to hire five people and buy four vehicles in their quest to a) ignore recommendations of the Safe/Quality Housing Task Force and b) implement the rental housing licensing and inspection program they’ve wanted all along. According to the agenda backup, start-up costs would come to $135,000 and the annual outlay would…
“We Are Taking Edgebrook”
The following is a report from DeKalb Police of a gathering on the 800 block of Edgebrook Drive in the wee hours of Saturday, August 25. Due to a large crowd gathering the previous night, I assigned officer Boldt to monitor the lot at 809 Edgebrook and to advise me of any large parties forming.…
A Mayor with No Regrets
Four years ago, I ran for mayor of DeKalb. Among my concerns were the money being spent downtown and at the airport, the budgets and the city’s financial management in general. Acting mayor Povlsen insisted in interviews and forums that DeKalb was in good financial shape, in fact once during a radio interview he angrily…
Licensing & Inspection Program Could Help Turn a TIF Blueprint into Reality
The Daily Chronicle lays out today the arguments for and against licensing and inspection of rental properties. There are four proposed laws before the council, but it’s the issue of licensing that has garnered the most attention and debate from aldermen, city officials, and landlords. City Manager Mark Biernacki has previously described it as being…
Public Hearing on Housing Ordinances Coming Up Wednesday
There’s a special meeting of the DeKalb city council on Wednesday, September 19, concerning the Safe/Quality Housing Task Force vs. city staff recommendations. Last time, staff made its case while everybody else listened. This time there’s a public hearing. The items under consideration are as follows: 1. SAFE AND QUALITY HOUSING ISSUES a. Crime-free Lease…
Northern Star: NIU 2012 Fall Enrollment Report
The Northern Star is Tweeting (from about 4:40 p.m.) NIU enrollment numbers obtained from a press release: Fall 2012 new freshman enrollment is up 2.9%. There’s an increase of 25.7% in the Honors Program incoming class since 2010, and the number of minority students in the Honors Program has more than doubled, to 253. New…
2012 City Revenues from Corn Fest Parking
According to the City of DeKalb, the total in parking fees collected for Corn Fest 2012 is $16,174. That’s a lot less than the nearly $26,700 collected in 2011 and a sad fraction of the original estimate of $54,000. And remember, if they worked the same deal as last year, 20% of the total goes…
Trib’s Undeniable Indictment of Home Rule
Yesterday’s Chicago Tribune: “Towns Borrow, You Pay”. When the Trib covered the Rosemont story a few weeks ago, it looked at Home Rule but more tangentially. This time, the poster child is Bellwood and Home Rule, which gives municipalities free rein on borrowing and taxation, is front and center: The vast majority of states —…
Here’s an Interesting Change to the Open Meetings Act
Changes such as the addition of the right to speak during government meetings will take effect in 2013. (g) Any person shall be permitted an opportunity to address public officials under the rules established and recorded by the public body. Looks like we’ll be allowed our three minutes apiece at all public meetings beginning next…