The agenda packet for Monday’s special City Council meeting to discuss the Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) is missing a few things: 1) An analysis of how much this program could cost us. Surely the city must know how many of its employees are eligible, since only those with 20 or more full years of continuous…
Tag: city council
Letter: Council Puts Taxpayers on Hook
Freshly published in the Daily Chronicle: To the Editor: During the March 8 DeKalb City Council meeting, 4th Ward Alderman Brendon Gallagher made a plea to the community for support during the upcoming budget preparation period. According to the meeting minutes, Ald. Gallagher “asked that the citizens be empathetic with the current financial situation facing…
Biernacki: “Widespread Community Support” for Skating Rink
Northern Star‘s article on the impending demise of DeKalb’s synthetic skating rink: Because The Skate School was not at fault for the decline in patronage, Biernacki said he is sure the council will relieve the contract. “We pursued [the ice rink] with widespread community support,” Biernacki said. “That support did not translate into patrons.” Biernacki…
Two Mayors in the Paper Today
The mayors of DeKalb and Cortland each stood his ground on matters of conscience today in the Northern Star. –In a letter to the editor, Mayor Povlsen defends his decision to keep applicants to the 3rd and 7th ward alderman positions secret, equating and applying a “code of ethics” he followed as a counselor at…
City Must Reveal Aldermanic Appointee Applications
It’s Chicago we’re talking about, but it bodes well for the very similar DeKalb Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests made by our local dailies, does it not? March 5, 2010 (CHICAGO) (WLS) — The Illinois Attorney General’s office says the Mayor’s office must turn over job applications for the two vacant Alderman positions. The…
More Water Games
Minutes of the January 12 special joint meeting of City Council and Financial Advisory Committee yielded this: Mr. Espiritu discussed the fund balances along with suggestions to make them sustainable. He recommended that the General Fund build up a 25% fund balance with the City setting aside 5% per year over a 5-year period. Also,…
Advice & Consent
From Chapter 2 of the DeKalb Municipal Code (PDF p. 2): a) Pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 (f) of the Constitution of the State of Illinois (1970) and a Referendum Election held pursuant to Illinois Compiled Statutes, (65 ILCS 5/28-4), when vacancies in the office of alderman are occasioned by reason of resignation, failure…
Streetscape Subcontractors 2009
It has come to my attention that folks are asking whether former alderman Victor Wogen, as himself or as Masonry Works, LLC, landed city projects beyond the six post-demolition masonry repair projects of 2008. The answer is yes. In the fall of 2008, the 2009 “streetscape” project was approved, with Elliott & Wood as the…
Northern Star Fighting for 3rd Ward Names
The Northern Star has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain the names of the persons considered by the mayor for the vacated Third Ward alderman spot. With the questionable past of the 3rd Ward, it is interesting to see that the city has decided to withhold this information from the public,…
Word of the Day: Patronage
patronage [pey-truh-nij] —noun 3. the control of or power to make appointments to government jobs or the power to grant other political favors. 4. Offices, jobs, or other favors so controlled. 5. the distribution of jobs and favors on a political basis, as to those who have supported one’s party or political campaign: DeKalb became…