Here is a comment that popped up in another post this afternoon: Well as of today start to look for your own way of provideing some city services. Twenty employees got laid off today, and 10 others were taking the early retirment package, and reportly 2 got terminated. So what does this mean no one…
Category: City Watch
Fairview Annexation Map
When the letter about a “discussion” of involuntary annexation of unincorporated property along Fairview Drive went out to the property owners, it was marked “enclosure” but there was no enclosure. However, the city remembered to include it with the latest correspondence, a letter of intent to annex. It’s the map, below. Click on it to…
Firefighters-Saving-Cats Open Thread
This is primarily a “No, I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth” message. Anyway, feel free to use this space for commenting on the cat story, the TIF articles from the Daily Chronicle, city budget, etc.
Lunatic Open Thread
I’ve long thought of people who show up at DeKalb City Council meetings as the City-watchers Club, but some of us have begun to embrace Council’s label, “Lunatic Fringe.” “Lunatic Fringe” Facebook page is here. “Lunatic Fringe” theme song is here. As of this morning, there are 40 members. I’m often ambivalent about Facebook, but…
Notes from the “Lunatic Fringe”
I love being called “lunatic fringe” by a City Council member. I really do. Let them show the world how far this body has fallen in matters of decorum and discipline. Let them demonstrate how much they despise the people they are supposed to be representing. Folks ought to know exactly who’s responsible for running…
FOIA for Council Members’ Health Insurance Participation Denied
Last week I submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain the names of the Council members who are signed up for the City of DeKalb’s health insurance plan, and have since been denied under the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), specifically 45 C.F.R. 164.501 and 164.502.…
Council to Discuss Involuntary Annexations
Click on the photo to see a larger version.
Quick Commentary on the Liquor Violation Hearings
If you haven’t been following this story, links are provided below. In a nutshell, two bars that served underage drinkers back in January were fined last week, while a third requested and got its hearing rescheduled. Charges were dropped against two other bars whose licensee had been accused of advertising free beer as a St.…
City Budget: Mulling Over Police, Fire and More
In 2008, in the midst of a self-proclaimed fiscal crisis, City Council voted to allow the (former) Community Development Department to obtain a new SUV. This is symbolic, see? The Police and Fire departments have had to put off replacing vehicles and some equipment since then. The Police Department, in particular, is getting nickel-and-dimed on…
City Budget Open Thread…Mayday! Mayday!
The proposed City of DeKalb FY 2011 budget has total expenditures going up by about $5 million over last year, mostly due to increased spending on the downtown TIF, health insurance and the airport. The budget as drafted will be balanced IF: there are cuts of 25-30 staff (or, alternatively, everyone takes a 12% pay…