An LTE sent to the Chronicle last week made it in today: To the editor: During the municipal election campaign I remarked publicly that DeKalb’s Police Facility Advisory Committee (FAC) was not allowed to consider any police station options other than a brand-new station built on the Lincoln Highway commercial site that had already been…
Category: Payment Due?
Water Games
They did it again. Last night at Council (CoW), while discussing the city’s financial outlook, it was reported that the Water Fund is operating at a deficit, and, whew! good thing they raised water rates or else it would be really out of control! What a crock. The Water Division is a money maker (pp.…
MIA: Financial Consultants’ Report
Let’s first link you to Mac’s excellent analysis of the report from financial consultants Executive Partners, Inc. (EPI) that came out this week. You will remember that the city has paid them $60,000 for their expertise and the article answers the question of whether we’ve gotten our money’s worth. Go for the context; stay to…
City: General Fund Revenues Plunge
[Update: I ended up reworking this a little, since the MFT-electricity thing is moot.] The proposed FY2010 city budget includes not only the FY2009 budgeted amounts but also the final revenue and spending projections for the current budget year. One of the projected General Fund revenue numbers (p. 29) is truly shocking: sales tax revenues…
School Games
School District 428 is looking to balance its budget. Last night the board considered a 4th proposal for doing so, which included cutting $83,000 from “differential money” that is, in part, used for music and art program components. Meanwhile, here’s some data that never gets talked about at public meetings: Paul Beilfuss $222,223 Andrea Gorla…
Re:New Report
Perhaps you listened to the part of the WLBK mayoral candidates’ forum last month when I challenged the notion that installation of the synthetic skating rink had translated into more downtown shopping dollars (an argument for its purchase)–in which case you then heard in response the sound of our then-acting-mayor waving a sheet of paper…
Rental Housing Nuisance Act
From a comment made yesterday: I had a nightmare that the rental inspection fee made a come back in the summer of 2009, after most of the NIU students left. I don’t know what the city might be cooking up, but a new rental inspection law, HB3857, is making its way through the Illinois General…
Plans for Injunction Against Dist 428
The first time we heard the “I” word, it was October. Now, it’s really happening. The District is aware that: 1) Enrollment projections by their own paid demographer are substantially lower than pre-referendum projections. 2) Pre-referendum projections on existing EAV have been lowered and are likely to decrease to reflect real market conditions. 3) Post-referendum…
How They Plan to Spend $110 Million of Our Money
We have almost reached the point of no return: A former coach at DHS told me that he thought the district would be nuts to spend $110 million and not build a football stadium. He wondered how any idiot could oppose the idea. This idiot told him that promises are important and the district and…
Note from Ivan on the Cop Shop II
[This letter was sent by Police Advisory Committee Member Ivan Krpan to City Hall. Reprinted with permission.] October 27, 2008 To: Mayor Kris Povlsen and the members of the DeKalb City Council. My concern is plenty with regards to the construction of the new police station. As a member of the Police Advisory Committee on…