A few days ago, I described an observation of a mayoral candidate who apparently doesn’t want to hear your complaint unless you have the solutions already worked out. This I take as disregard for the oath of office, specifically as concerns equal treatment for all.
Tag: city council
DeKalb City Manager Oversteps Purchasing Authority Again
Recently I came across this City of DeKalb memo circulated via a council meeting agenda in October: With former Commander Smith’s retirement in June, the City faced an immediate crisis by not having on-call IT personnel who are familiar with the City’s specific computer systems and able to keep them operational at all times. On…
What Kind of Municipal Elections Does City of DeKalb Have?
City of DeKalb candidates for municipal offices in the spring elections are not all using the same ballot petition forms. For example, of the four mayoral candidates, three of them are filing as “independents” and one of them filed a “nonpartisan” form. A similar pattern has occurred with the aldermanic candidates. There are differences. “Independent”…
Ald. Jacobson’s Budget Remarks
Many thanks to DeKalb County Online for isolating DeKalb council member Dave Jacobson’s comments of November 28 on the proposed 2017 budget. The two men showing disrespectful body language are Mayor Rey (far right) and Fourth Ward Ald. Bob Snow (second from right).
DeKalb Council Votes for Convenience over Public Safety
If we’re to change anything in DeKalb city government, we need city council members who understand their role as policymakers and as supervisors of the bureaucrats. Have I ever passed this on to you? During a conversation last spring about the clerk issue, I was told that council members are fellow city employees. Who told…
Sycamore Versus DeKalb: Comparison of City Clerks
Once upon a time, City of Sycamore and City of DeKalb had duly elected, full-time city clerks. Sycamore still has one. DeKalb’s, however, was destroyed in 2013. Low compensation and transfer of powers to the city manager’s office have deprived us of elected clerks and clerk candidates ever since. Whatever the city thought it was…
No, Daily Chronicle. The DeKalb City Clerk has Not Received a Raise
The compensation ordinance that will apply to our next city clerk has NOT received final approval. So there is no, or at least not yet, a “hefty raise” for the clerk as claimed by the newspaper today. It was only first reading. They only reveal this fact in the final sentence of the article. The…
Council on Track to Deprive Us of Another Election
On Monday, the city council discussed the compensation ordinance that will go into effect upon installation of the city’s elected officers in May. This was just the first reading. Passage is expected during the regular council meeting on October 25. Council at this point is on track to continue to deprive us of another election…
DeKalb Council Will Discuss Compensation of Elected Officials Tonight
No closer than 180 days before newly-elected city officials take office next May, the city council must, per state law, set compensation for them via ordinances. This could happen tonight, at the next regular meeting, or possibly in early November if all else fails. Compensation is set now in order to help eliminate the conflict…
Questions Regarding Custody of City Seal & Handling of Documents
DeKalb city clerk Jenny Johnson does not know where the official seal of the city is located, or whether it is secure. We found this out last Saturday, when she held a meeting to inform citizens of her current role, and to gather information about what we envision for the future. A dozen citizens attended,…