First, I want to give a shout-out to Misty Haji-Sheikh, who presented the findings of apparently self-initiated research into the likelihood and implications of a rail transfer station on the south side if the landfill expansion is approved. She recommends council anticipate these developments and put ordinances in place to protect us pronto. Thank you!…
Krugman Says the “D” Word
[Update 3:30 p.m.: “Downtowner” at the Progressive Fox brings it home to Illinois.] From the NYT‘s Paul Krugman: “The Third Depression”. Krugman’s lately been comparing the US situation with Japan’s “lost decade.” Neither the Long Depression of the 19th century nor the Great Depression of the 20th was an era of nonstop decline — on…
AG Accepts Request for Review of Denial of City Health Plan Participants’ Names
Last month CB reported that City of DeKalb’s legal counsel had denied a request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for the names of City Council members who are currently participating in DeKalb’s health insurance plan. I subsequently filed a Request for Review with the Illinois Attorney General, which you may recall is…
2009 Population Estimates
From today’s Chicago Sun-Times comes population estimates for 2009. Click here to discover how the estimates were calculated, and here to make individual searches of cities, counties and other geographical divisions. The (incorporated) City of DeKalb is estimated thusly: Census 2000 39,018 July 1, 2000 Estimate 39,196 July 1, 2001 Estimate 40,028 July 1, 2002…
Happy Dad’s Day
Sanitary District Catch-Up
A couple weeks ago, a neighbor asked about the status of the DeKalb Sanitary District’s pursuit of city approval for a “biosolids barn,” and I realized I haven’t read San meeting minutes since the DeKalb High School lift station fiasco. Here are few items of possible interest gleaned in the catch-up efforts. December 8, 2009:…
Migration Map
Click here to get to Forbes.com’s interactive migration map. The IRS reports U.S. inter-county migrations of 10 persons or more, and the Forbes map represents its data from 2008. [H/T J.W.]
Budget Fail
In a previous post, I listed perks that theoretically could be cut from the FY2011 budget. Car allowances, magazine subscriptions, dues to professional organizations, lunch reimbursements, and clothing allowances run into hundreds of thousands each year. (Sure, some of them are contractual — but did they even try to talk to the unions about them?)…
Gallagher Despairs of ‘Appeasing’ the Fairview 29
Two e-mails were forwarded to me today. The first is an appeal from one of the Fairview homeowners to be excluded from forced annexation. The second is 4th Ward Alderman Brendon Gallagher’s response. To: [City of DeKalb Council Members] Subject: Involuntary annexation 11 June 2010 Mr. Gallagher, Council and Mayor; I am writing to inform…
Strategic Planning Notes
Last month, Council and staff met at Ellwood House on a “retreat” to discuss the updating of the City of DeKalb’s strategic goals. One civilian showed up, and that person was John Salovesh, who graciously provided me with some of his notes. The delay in posting was partly due to work schedule constraints, partly to…