Aren’t DeKalb’s Finances Recovering Nicely?

What a lovely surprise. I can’t wait! I can’t wait for the rollbacks to begin of the tax and fee hikes our city council has approved since 2008 to keep afloat. Shall we start with the property tax, sales tax, restaurant and bar tax, hotel-motel tax, utility tax or the first gas tax hike? When…

City Manager Oversteps His Bounds

During the April 11 Committee of the Whole meeting, the DeKalb City Council discussed whether to outsource any or all of its legal services. Here’s how it ended. MOTION Ald. Gallagher moved to direct staff to prepare a Request for Proposal, using Version #1 to out source the City Attorney’s position; seconded by Ald. Verbic.…

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…

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…

Meeting Comments & Questions

— Aldermen Gallagher, Baker and Kammes should be ashamed of themselves for voting against receiving and filing the Hope Haven emergency shelter expansion proposal. Instead of saying “no,” maybe they could talk about what it would take to overcome their misgivings. But, that would be too much work, I guess, and most of all too…

DeKalb Should Welcome Zombies

OK, I’m outing myself as a Halloween-o-phile. I’ve been thinking about this for a couple months. If we want to get NIU students, local teens and hip families downtown, DeKalb should host a zombie walk during Halloween weekend. Locate zombie headquarters at the Egyptian Theatre to tie into its Amenti Haunted House, and develop fabulous…