As reported in Reductions in Force Outcomes, one of the decisions the City of DeKalb made last year in implementing the Reduction in Force (RIF) was to lay off AFSCME-affiliated workers in June even though it was contractually obligated to pay them their regular compensation through December 2010. Nobody questioned it much at the time,…
Last in Line
As predicted in Sunday’s post, suddenly DEKALB’S FIRST RESPONDERS ARE #1 PRIORITY AND OMG WE MUST BUILD THE POLICE STATION RIGHT NOW, according to our city council. It offends me deeply, because the The NUMBER ONE PRIORITY statement is a BIG LIE. The people who really have made public safety the priority are the folks…
Special Meeting on Muni/Police Building & Financing
A special meeting Monday of the DeKalb City Council and the Financial Advisory Committee is set to examine two Municipal Building remodeling/building options with emphases on police station space needs and improved access for people with disabilities. The Good One of the options presented includes a proposal to sell off city property worth $2.2 million…
Be Prepared
Zombie forecast: 99.9% chance of infestation in DeKalb today. This is a few Halloweens old, but the advice is timeless.
Zombies Lurch Into Town Tomorrow
Daily Chronicle: Zombies are slated to meet at 5 p.m. at the Holmes Student Center at NIU, then walk along Lincoln Highway, Annie Glidden Road, Lucinda Avenue and along the DeKalb Nature Trail near the East Lagoon. Brown said Saturday’s walk is a test-run and he hopes to help organize another one closer to Halloween.…
Code Enforcement & the Sign Ordinance
The City of DeKalb’s Safe/Quality Housing Task Force met Tuesday. Greek Row safety was a popular topic of discussion, and so were code enforcement issues. The Quality Subcommittee had several suggestions about the latter, including: Condense and summarize housing codes for public consumption where possible. Institute a tracking system for code complaints, preferably an online…
Workers Comp in DeKalb
You may recall that DeKalb would like to join the Municipal Insurance Cooperative Agency (MICA) instead of continuing to self-fund its liability “insurance,” but MICA calculated the premium at $1.1 million per year up front and we can’t seem to find the money. The premium was based in part on a five-year average of actual…
Cohen Barnes for School Board PAC
[Update 4/7: Do not miss the comments on this story.] Cohen Barnes for School Board Committee: Schedule A-1, Report of Contributions of $1000 or more.
Redistricting Clock is Ticking
Recently while doing some lookups in Chapter 3 of the Municipal Code, I came across this: 3.02-5 REDISTRICTING THE CITY. The wards of the City of DeKalb as heretofore established and as may hereafter be established shall be reapportioned according to population. In the formation of the reapportioned wards the population of each shall be…
Public Library Accused of Promoting Tax Referendum
From the Buffalo Grove Patch publication: [Activist and Buffalo Grove resident Rob] Sherman alleges that the [Indian Trails Public Library] illegally used tax revenue to promote the referendum. Voters on Tuesday will decide whether the library’s improvement plans warrant an increase in the district’s tax levy. […] Governing bodies such as library and school districts…