ReNew Our Schools Report Ending 6/30/08

The long-awaited ReNew Our Schools semi-annual D-2 Report to the Illinois State Board of Elections has been filed. At the site, click on the “Campaign Disclosures” tab, then on “Committee” to get to the committee search. We’ve already covered the campaign contributions in a previous post. What we’ve been waiting on were the expenditures. Here’s…

FPC Meeting: No Report

I’d like to report on the FPC meeting but can’t. I missed too much. You see, for much of the meeting there were too many simultaneous “mini meetings” going on in the back between school board members and administrators and, at times, something almost akin to heckling. Now, I admit to having a moderate hearing…

DeKalb County Online: Rental Inspection Manager Hired Last Year

Surprise! The City of DeKalb has been paying the “proposed” Rental Inspection Program Manager for the better part of a year now: According to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, filed by DeKalb County Online, the City hired an independent contractor, retired DeKalb Police Lt. James Kayes, to perform the duties…

Airport Business Plan

A fellow citywatcher told me I should ask for a copy of the DeKalb-Taylor Municipal Airport (DTMA) Business Plan. So I did. He must be laughing right now, knowing (I am sure) that there isn’t one. That’s right, the $350,000 per year black hole has no plan to change.

City Watcher Thought #2 on Friday the 13th: Rental Inspection Program

In reading the first of two ordinances critical to the proposed Rental Inspection program, I see nothing in the proposed “Chronic Nuisance Property Abatement” ordinance (start on p. 10) that limits it to rental properties. No property owner would be safe from being called a chronic nuisance and summoned to a legal proceeding at City…