City Council
Regular MeetingDeKalb, IL · May 9, 2022
Minutes
MINUTES
CITY OF DEKALB
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
MAY 9, 2022
The City Council of DeKalb, Illinois held a Regular meeting on May 9, 2022, in the Yusunas
Meeting Room of the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak Street, DeKalb, Illinois.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Barnes called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Recording Secretary Ruth Scott called the roll, and the following members of the City Council
were present: Alderman Carolyn Morris, Alderman Barb Larson, Alderman Tracy Smith, Alderman
Greg Perkins, Alderman Scott McAdams, Alderman Mike Verbic, Alderman Tony Faivre, and
Mayor Cohen Barnes.
Other in attendance included City Manager Bill Nicklas, Police Chief Byrd, and City Attorney Matt
Rose.
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Tammy Carson, Director of Facility Operations at DeKalb Community Unit School District No.
428, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
C. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION: Alderman Smith moved to approve the agenda; seconded by Alderman Morris.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
D. PRESENTATIONS
Mayor Barnes read the following proclamations in their entirety:
1. Proclamation: Motorcycle Awareness Month – May 2022.
2. Proclamation: Recognition of International Firefighter’s Day – May 4, 2022.
3. Proclamation: National Emergency Medical Services Week, May 15 – 21, 2022.
4. Proclamation: National Police Week, May 15 – 21, 2022.
E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Former Mayor Jerry Smith complimented each Council member and thanked them for their
service to the City of DeKalb. He also complimented City Manager Nicklas and his staff. In closing,
Mr. Smith stated he hopes the momentum this Council is achieving continues.
F. APPOINTMENTS
There were none.
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May 9, 2022
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G. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
1. Minutes Submitted by the City Clerk
There were none.
2. Minutes Submitted by the Recording Secretary
Mayor Barnes read the following by title only:
a. Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of April 25, 2022.
MOTION: Alderman Larson moved to approve the minutes; seconded by Alderman Perkins.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
H. CONSENT AGENDA
Mayor Barnes read the following Consent Agenda items by title only:
1. Accounts Payable and Payroll through May 9, 2022, in the Amount of $2,191,580.44.
2. Joint Review Board Meeting Minutes of January 28, 2022.
3. FY2022 Human Services Funding 1st Quarter Report.
MOTION: Alderman Faivre moved to approve the Consent Agenda; seconded by Alderman
Morris.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There were none.
J. CONSIDERATIONS
1. Consideration of a Proposed Intergovernmental Agreement Between the DeKalb
Community Unit School District No. 428 and the City of DeKalb.
Mayor Barnes read the item above by title only.
MOTION: Alderman Faivre moved to bring this item to the floor for discussion; seconded by
Alderman Larson.
City Manager Nicklas provided an overview of this item based on the information provided in the
agenda packet. The City of DeKalb and DeKalb Community Unit School District No. 428 have
been in discussions regarding this item for many weeks. The spike in calls for service to the City’s
School Resource Officers (SROs) has been cause for concern. Discussions between the school
district and City officials has focused on safety but none of the participants, especially members
of the DeKalb Police Department, believe the mutual respect and accountability necessary to
inspire more positive relationships can be found alone in crisis intervention. Restorative practices
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May 9,2022
Page 3 of 8
and accountability are not mutually exclusive concepts. The City’s Police Officers would much
rather be life coaches than arbiters of obedience.
Continuing, City Manager Nicklas stated that the school district board voted to enter into an
intergovernmental agreement (IGA) as described in the background for the purpose of hiring two
additional SROs, bringing the total to five. However, the agreement brought before Council calls
for six SROs. There would have to be some effort on both parts to agree on the number of SROs
and any other changes Council thinks is appropriate to the agreement. The agreement also looks
for a revised code of conduct, which is currently in draft form, that would attend to the behavior of
anyone working, attending, or teaching within the school district.
City Manager Nicklas further stated that the school district hired a third party to conduct a school
security audit; that audit recommends three SROs. City staff are of the agreement that the IGA
should not go forward without the code of conduct, regardless of the number of SROs decided
upon. Further, if revisions to the code of conduct are required, City staff shall be included in the
process. On the other hand, it’s also understood that the school district will be included in the
selection process of the SROs.
Mayor Barnes stated he attended the last school district board meeting with Police Chief Byrd
and a majority of the board voted for a minimum of two, potentially three, SROs. However, they
want to wait until the code of conduct and security audit are finalized before making that
determination.
Alderman Larson asked if metrics were used to make certain determinations.
Tammy Carson, Director of Facility Operations at the school district, responded there were no
specific set of metrics used. The school district knows it will have a lot of work to do once the
security audit is finalized because there are so many different factors to consider throughout the
district, as well as the feedback from the current SROs, school administration, and any other
potential changes recommend within the audit.
Mayor Barnes stated the City will approach this from the standpoint that the school district will
require three SROs. If for some reason that isn’t the case, the third SRO will be absorbed into the
Police Department.
Alderman Larson asked Police Chief Byrd if he has discussed how things are going with the
current SROs. Police Chief Byrd replied discussions are held on a regular basis with him and/or
with the SROs Commander. For the Police Department, the metrics used to measure what’s
needed are the number of calls for service, the type of call, and the number of reports the SROs
are writing. Further, this item was brought to the forefront due to the number of fights and very
violent incidents taking place within the schools currently. He noted he will be monitoring things
very closely at the beginning of the next school year.
Alderman Perkins asked what milestones will be set in place between now and the start of the
school year, besides hiring additional SROs.
City Manager Nicklas added that timing is very important at this juncture and this needs to be
wrapped up within the next 60 days or there’s a possibility that the additional SROs will not be
placed until the following school year. Police Officers who will serve in the compacity of SRO will
be senior officers whose positions will need to be replaced and the hiring process takes time.
Mayor Barnes asked Ms. Carson when the security audit and the code of conduct will be finalized
and released. Ms. Carson replied that the security audit is expected to be finalized by the end of
May and then reviewed by administration prior to submission to the school board for review and
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May 9, 2022
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prioritization of where the focus will be prior to the school year. As for the code of conduct, it’s
being handled by the school district’s Student Services Department. Based on their input, it
sounds like it may not be completed until mid to late July, and possibly into the start of the school
year as input is being gathered from staff and families.
Mayor Barnes asked if there would be an opportunity for Council to also review a draft version of
the code of conduct. Ms. Carson replied there would.
Mayor Barnes stated the City will need to decide if it will begin the hiring process within the next
60 days and possibly doing so without having a finalized code of conduct as the IGA specifies it
must be in place. If not, the IGA will not be binding come the start of the school year.
Chief Byrd commented that another thing to consider is the police academy availability. Currently
two officers are signed up for the May academy, with another academy taking place in August.
Alderman Faivre asked if it would make sense to move forward with three new officers despite
the SRO program. City Manager Nicklas replied we will be moving forward, however, the
candidate list is almost exhausted. He added that the City is looking for a unique candidate,
someone with community values, compassion, and approachability, all of which will be critical in
de-escalating and diffusing situations; not everyone has those qualities.
Police Chief Byrd added there are candidates in the pipeline now, but he must be mindful to not
stretch a candidate to try to fit into the continuity of the Police Department. He further added that
the City is also in a recruiting war with other police departments in and out of Illinois.
Brief discussion ensued.
Alderman Smith asked if the IGA addresses truancy, noting he doesn’t think it should be the SROs
responsibility, but instead should fall on the Regional Office of Education.
Alderman Smith also stated that he’d like to see something in the IGA about how incidents on
school buses will be addressed.
Alderman Smith then asked when the next SRO school would take place. Police Chief Byrd stated
he was uncertain but those can be initiated quickly.
Mayor Barnes asked how long the SRO school lasts, with Police Chief Byrd replying four to six
weeks.
Alderman Smith asked about potential Police Officer retirements. Chief Byrd replied there are
some maybes and other officers not willing to put it on paper just yet. He only knows of one officer
who will be leaving in September.
Alderman Smith stated he’s concerned that the code of conduct will not be in place, and he won’t
vote on the IGA without it.
Continuing, Alderman Smith stated he’s spoken with residents within the community who’ve heard
about the additional SROs and want to know what’s being done for the rest of the community. He
added that he realizes there are issues in the schools but that’s on the school district. What about
all the traffic complaints? He would like assurance from the school district that that code of conduct
will be in place, and he doesn’t want to wait until August. If so, the school district will receive an
abrupt no from him, and he will be very vocal about the situation.
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May 9,2022
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Mayor Barnes stated it will most likely be the end of July before the school district has the process
wrapped up. Further, the IGA stipulates the code of conduct has to be in place otherwise the IGA
won’t become effective.
Alderman Smith stated he wants assurances for the citizens, reiterating that otherwise he will vote
no on the IGA. He suggested that the school board attend a Council meeting for further
discussion.
Mayor Barnes stated he agrees 100%, noting the code of conduct will have to be signed by every
student and parent by day one of the school year. Via conversations with the school board and
the school district’s superintendent, it’s also their priority to have the document in place by then.
Alderman Smith asked how incidents are handled at Cortland and Malta schools. Ms. Carson
stated SROs are not permanently placed in those schools and assistance is called in on an as
needed basis.
Alderman Smith asked if an agreement should be in place with the Sheriff’s Office. City Manager
Nicklas replied that agreements with other agencies can be worked out if needed.
Discussion ensued, with Alderman Verbic asking for a review of the police officer hiring timeline.
Police Chief Byrd reiterated that two officers are starting the academy in May, two others are
starting the academy in August, and there are two laterals in place. Time must then be allotted
for academy training, which is 14 weeks. Then there’s further training internally, with new officers
not being allowed solo patrol until after 10 to 12 weeks.
Alderman Verbic asked about recidivism data. Police Chief Byrd stated that the code of conduct
will be a big part of tracking the repeat offenders and allow for more accountability. Ms. Carlson
added that the school district can gather the information and provide it to the City at a later date.
City Manager Nicklas stated the IGA will be brought forward to Council as an action item at the
next meeting. He added that we won’t be able to wait until August for the school district to decide
if they need two or three SROs and asked Ms. Carson to deliver that message to the school
district.
2. Consideration of the Aggregate 2021 DeKalb County Real Estate Tax Bill on DeKalb
Taxpayers.
Mayor Barnes read the item above by title only.
MOTION: Alderman Faivre moved to bring this item to the floor for discussion; seconded by
Alderman Morris.
City Manager Nicklas provided an overview of this item based on the information provided in the
agenda packet. DeKalb residents and businesses recently received their 2021 tax bills in the mail.
Overall, taxpayers in DeKalb Township saw a 3.77% reduction in the aggregate tax rate, that
includes all participating taxing bodies listed on their tax bill (from $11.49927 per $100 EAV to
$11.06613 per $100 EAV). The City of DeKalb’s rate, including the combined general levy and
pension levies, dropped 7.73% (from $1.069 per $100 EAV to $0.986 per $100 EAV).
City Manager Nicklas added that for a number of years, the City has been aggressively aiming to
reduce its tax rate and there’s still a long way to go. He will be working with Finance Director
Dittman on upgrading the Financial Plan, which will then be brought back for review so that
Council can discuss what they think should be done in terms of collaborating with the other taxing
bodies to continue the pace.
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May 9, 2022
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Mayor Barnes stated he’s looking forward to those conversations, noting this is a singular moment
in the community where all taxing bodies can step up and do what’s right by the taxpayer and
further reduce DeKalb’s tax rate, making it competitive with the surrounding communities.
Brief discussion ensued.
K. RESOLUTIONS
1. Resolution 2022-043 Approving a Non-Profit Special Event Liquor License for the 2022
Corn Fest.
Mayor Barnes read the resolution by title only.
MOTION: Alderman Verbic moved to approve the resolution; seconded by Alderman McAdams.
City Manager Nicklas provided an overview of this item based on the information provided in the
agenda packet. This item seeks authorization for the Corn Fest committee to sell alcoholic
beverages within prescribed parameters during the festival. Approving the liquor license now will
allow the DeKalb Corn Fest board to apply for the required State of Illinois liquor license for the
event.
There was no discussion among Council.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
2. Resolution 2022-044 Authorizing the Award of a Contract to Curran Contracting, Inc. in
the Amount of $496,508.16 for Resurfacing and Concrete Repairs on Joanne Lane and
Various Other Locations with Staff Authority to Approve Change Orders Up to a
Combined Project Total Not to Exceed $521,333.57.
Mayor Barnes read the resolution by title only.
MOTION: Alderman Morris moved to approve the resolution; seconded by Alderman Faivre.
City Manager Nicklas provided an overview of this item based on the information provided in the
agenda packet. This project came in very close to the estimates provided a while back. The Phase
One focus of the 2022 general maintenance program is paid from State Motor Fuel Tax allocations
(Fund 210), and targets Joanne Lane from Ilehamwood Drive to Tilton Park Drive to resurface
streets that were excavated to install new water main in 2021. City Engineer Gill is recommending
the award of the contract to Curran Contracting in the amount of $496,508.16, as well as Council
support for staff authority to approve change orders up to a combined project total of $521,333.57
to address contingency items such as minor quantity over-runs and unforeseen repairs. He is not
recommending awarding the alternate due to budget constraints.
City Manager Nicklas added that Phase Two of the 2022 street maintenance will be performed in
the Knolls and on the N. 13th and N. 14th Street corridors. This contract will be let this summer and
will be funded by local capital dollars in Fund 400.
There was no discussion among Council.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
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May 9,2022
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L. ORDINANCES – SECOND READING
There were none.
M. ORDINANCES – FIRST READING
1. Ordinance 2022-021 Amending the Fiscal Year End December 31, 2021, Budget.
Mayor Barnes read the ordinance by title only.
MOTION: Alderman Larson moved to approve first reading of the ordinance; seconded by
Alderman Faivre.
City Manager Nicklas provided an overview of this item based on the information provided in the
agenda packet. There were 32 funds in the 2021 budget, nine of which are impacted in this
amendment. Of those nine, only three have a net impact on the actual fund balance, with the
general fund being the largest fund involved. He stated he was pleased to note that revenues in
the general fund exceeded expenditures in 2021 by approximately $4.8 million.
Continuing, City Manager Nicklas stated that in order to meet audit standards and protocols, when
a spending line item exceeds the budgeted amount, there has to be some adjustment made to
bring it back into balance. COVID played a big part in some of those line items being overspent,
specifically where overtime was involved due to additional call volume to the Fire and Police
Departments.
City Manager Nicklas then provided a brief description of the other amendments.
There was no discussion among Council.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
MOTION: Alderman Verbic moved to waive second reading of the ordinance and approve;
seconded by Alderman Perkins.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed.
City Manager Nicklas stated that 2022 fiscal year amendments will be brought forward for Council
review at the next meeting.
N. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Council Member Reports.
Alderman Faivre reported on the Ward 7 meeting, which was well attended. They discussed
parking, property maintenance, and speeding. He also thanked Andy Raih, Public Works Director
of Streets, and Dawn Harper, Chief Building Official, for the great work done cleaning up some
issues in the neighborhood recently. He encouraged citizens to contact their alderman if they’re
having issues within their neighborhoods.
Alderman Smith thanked City Engineer Gill for the work being done on N. 13th Street. He also
thanked the residents of the area for their patience throughout the project.
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May 9, 2022
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Alderman Morris reported on the special meeting/ceremony held prior to this meeting at the former
Hunter Hillcrest Shopping Center, which is scheduled to be demolished tomorrow. She noted it
was nice to see that come to fruition after having worked so long with the Council toward progress
in that neighborhood.
Alderman Larson reported that she drove through Tilton Park recently and noted the Joanne Lane
project is coming along very well. As Council Liaison to the Citizens’ Environmental Commission,
she also reported that the group is working with the DeKalb Park District to include information on
monarch butterflies to residents during their outdoor movie nights.
Alderman Perkins reported he’s planning a Ward 4 meeting on May 25, 2022, and encouraged
residents to reach out with topics they want to discuss.
Alderman Verbic reported that Northern Illinois University graduations, as well as various high
school graduations, are scheduled for this coming weekend.
Mayor Barnes also reported on the brief meeting/ceremony at the former Hunter Hillcrest
Shopping Center, stating it was great to bring a visual representation to the lack of tolerance the
City has for inappropriate behavior from a residents, businesses, or landlords within the
community. He thanked Council for their support on the project over the last year, as well as the
years before that that got us to this point.
2. City Manager Report.
City Manager Nicklas congratulated the Mayor and City Council on the event that took place today
at the former Hunter Hillcrest Shopping Center. He also thanked City Attorney Matt Rose, the
Police Department, and the Building Division for the work they put in to getting the City to this
point. He noted there’s still a lot of work ahead to find a development that makes sense within the
neighborhood.
O. EXECUTIVE SESSION
1. Approval to Hold an Executive Session in Order to Discuss the Sale or Lease of Real Property
as Provided for in 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(6).
Not acted on.
P. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Alderman McAdams moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Alderman Faivre.
VOTE: Motion carried by an 8-0 roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Larson, Smith, Perkins, McAdams,
Verbic, Faivre, Barnes. Nay: None. Mayor Barnes declared the motion passed and adjourned the
meeting at 7:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_____________________________
Ruth A. Scott, Recording Secretary
Minutes approved by the City Council on May 23, 2022.
Click here to view the agenda packet for the May 9, 2022, Regular City Council meeting.
Click here to view the video recording of the May 9, 2022, Regular City Council meeting.
Agenda
DEKALB CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 9, 2022
6:00 P.M.
DeKalb Public Library
Yusunas Meeting Room
309 Oak Street
DeKalb, Illinois 60115
Pursuant to Chapter 2 “City Council”, Section 2.04 “Council Meetings”, persons wishing to
address the City Council during this meeting are required to register with the City Clerk or the
Recording Secretary by filling out and submitting a Speaker Request form, copies of which are
located on the table just outside the meeting room, along with copies of the agenda. Comments
will be limited to three (3) minutes. Further information for addressing the City Council can be
found on the Speaker Request form.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
C. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
D. PRESENTATIONS
1. Proclamation: Motorcycle Awareness Month – May 2022.
2. Proclamation: Recognition of International Firefighter’s Day – May 4, 2022.
3. Proclamation: National Emergency Medical Services Week, May 15 – 21, 2022.
4. Proclamation: National Police Week, May 15 – 21, 2022.
E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
F. APPOINTMENTS
None.
G. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
1. Minutes Submitted by the City Clerk
2. Minutes Submitted by the Recording Secretary
a. Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of April 25, 2022.
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 2 of 8
H. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Accounts Payable and Payroll through May 9, 2022, in the Amount of
$2,191,580.44.
2. Joint Review Board Meeting Minutes of January 28, 2022.
3. FY2022 Human Services Funding 1st Quarter Report.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
None.
J. CONSIDERATIONS
1. Consideration of a Proposed Intergovernmental Agreement Between the DeKalb
Community Unit School District No. 428 and the City of DeKalb.
City Manager’s Summary: Since early March, School and City officials have been
engaged in discussions about an upsurge in volatile and abusive student behavior,
particularly at the middle school and high school levels. One index of such threats to the
learning environment of all students is the log of “calls for service” kept by the uniformed
police officers assigned to our local schools as “school resource officers.” In this context,
“calls for service” do not include all contacts with students, parents, teachers, staff, and
administrators. They include responses to actual incidents, victim-sensitive interviews,
delayed arrests, court referral paperwork, conferences with parents, interviews with
witnesses to incidents, etc. For the three (3) DeKalb SROs currently assigned to the
DeKalb Community Unit School District #428, the number of calls for service far
surpasses the experience of SROs in other area school districts as shown in the table
below:
SRO Calls for Service: Mid-August 2021 to March 1, 2022
School Calls for Service No. of SROs
Kaneland Schools 54 1
Sycamore 84 2
Huntley 171 1
Naperville 210* 8
Carpentersville 232 2
Elgin 539 7
DeKalb 828 3
*This is a conservative extrapolation; only numbers since January 1, 2022 (105 calls for service)
were provided.
The DeKalb SROs are currently assigned as follows:
one in the high school;
one for both middle schools; and
one for the six elementary schools within DeKalb’s corporate limits.
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 3 of 8
The discussions between School and City officials have focused on safety but none of
the participants, especially members of the DeKalb Police department, believe that the
mutual respect and accountability that are necessary to inspire more positive
relationships can be found alone in crisis intervention. Restorative practices and
accountability are not mutually-exclusive concepts. Our Police officers would much
rather be life coaches than arbiters of obedience.
In response to a District request for additional SROs to settle eruptions of bullying that
are distressing students, School officials, and parents alike, the City Manager drafted a
new intergovernmental agreement (“IGA”) for the review of School and City officials. The
primary features of this IGA are as follows:
A term of three years to fairly judge the impact.
A complement of six (6) SROs, that is, an increase of three (3) SROs to the team
currently assigned to the District.
The assignment of two SROs to the high school; one SRO to each middle school; and
two SROs for the six elementary schools within the DeKalb corporate limits. The IGA
does not contemplate funding SROs in the Malta or Cortland jurisdictions.
An exhibit (Exhibit A) that details the SRO costs. SROs are experienced officers vetted
by both City and School officials for their collaborative and compassionate approach to
problem-solving. If new SROs are provided, the Police department would have to
“backfill” those positions with new recruits to serve in patrol and other capacities. For
the example detailed in Exhibit A, the costs of five-year veterans with full family health
coverage are detailed. The language of the Agreement requires the payment of actual
costs, based upon the collaborative selection process historically conducted with the
District as new SROs are chosen. For example, if the joint selection process results in
two new SROs with four years of experience and one SRO with seven years of
experience, the actual SRO costs would be billed at the wage levels for those years of
experience in the FOP union contract. The insurance and pension benefits do not
differ dramatically across the seniority thresholds in the union contract, but any
differences in detail would need to be taken into consideration.
A School contribution toward vehicles for the three officers. The contribution would be
75% of 33% (or 25%) of the overall vehicle cost. Since the vehicles would only be
used for school duties an average of eight hours a day, and the same vehicles would
be available to the City for an average of 16 hours a day, this seemed fair. The last
Police squad purchased by the City at the state purchase price in late January 2022
cost $46,585.
The requirement of a revised District Code of Conduct that would be updated as
needed on at least an annual basis. It is assumed there is agreement that the success
of the SRO program is critically dependent upon the fair and consistent application of a
detailed Code of Conduct by the District, every day. It is also assumed that the District
will require all students, parents, guardians, contractual security employees, teachers,
administration, and other District employees to sign and adhere to the District’s code of
conduct, as it may be amended from time to time. A draft copy of a new Code of
Conduct has been prepared by District staff but has not yet reviewed or approved by
the Board of Education.
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 4 of 8
All parties to the growing discussion about School safety recognize that how students
arrive on every school day impacts their performance and the tone of interactions in
school buildings. The proposed IGA does not presume to prescribe ways that the District
might address the apparent frustration, anxiety, or volatility of arriving students, and how
their levels of trust and respect can be enhanced. It is assumed that the largest
challenge for the DeKalb community is outside the four walls of the attached IGA and
that City officials are willing to help as our partnership and our professional experience
may be useful.
It should be noted that the Board of Education has engaged a third party to conduct a
“safety audit” of the District 428 system. Such a review will logically have a bearing on
further discussion once it is completed and distributed for public discussion. City
Council direction is recommended. (click here for additional information)
2. Consideration of the Aggregate 2021 DeKalb County Real Estate Tax Bill on
DeKalb Taxpayers.
City Manager’s Summary: On Monday, May 2, DeKalb residents and businesses
received their 2021 tax bills in the mail. On the whole, taxpayers in DeKalb Township
saw a 3.77% reduction in the aggregate tax rate that includes all participating taxing
bodies listed on their tax bill (from $11.49927 per $100 EAV to $11.06613 per $100
EAV). The City of DeKalb’s rate including the combined general levy and pension levies
dropped 7.73% (from $1.069 per $100 EAV to $0.986 per $100 EAV).
The following table shows the recent City levy and rate history. A fuller report will be
presented at an upcoming Council meeting.
Tax Levy Year Rate-Setting EAV: City City Levy City Rate
2011 582,504,715 4,196,890 0.7205
2012 533,805,903 4,244,718 0.7952
2013 485,923,623 4,270,457 0.9809
2014 464,966,381 4,270,540 1.0245
2015 468,077,742 5,094,730 1.1942
2016 503,861,829 5,565,384 1.2021
2017 529,629,464 6,004,594 1.2268
2018 547,947,687 6,017,140 1.1883
2019 585,726,839 6,269,649 1.1541
2020 610,333,062 6,522,507 1.06868
2021 694,171,673 6,845,317 0.98612
The next table depicts the recent trend in actual tax dollars paid to the City of DeKalb by
a homeowner whose house has a market value of about $300,000:
Twp DeKalb
Year Base EAV New EAV Homestead Final EAV DeKalb Tax
Multiplier Rate
2019 $97,906 1.0351 $101,343 -$6,000 $95,343 1.1541 $1,100.35
2020 $101,343 1.0409 $105,488 -$6,000 $99,488 1.06868 $1,063.21
2021 $105,488 1.0162 $107,197 -$6,000 $101,197 0.98612 $997.92
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 5 of 8
K. RESOLUTIONS
1. Resolution 2022-043 Approving a Non-Profit Special Event Liquor License for the
2022 Corn Fest.
City Manager’s Summary: The attached resolution seeks authorization for the Corn Fest
committee to sell alcoholic beverages within prescribed parameters during the festival.
Approving the liquor license now will allow the DeKalb Corn Fest board to apply for the
required State of Illinois liquor license for the event. Resolutions pertaining to the special
event agreement and regulation of traffic on Lincoln Highway during Corn Fest will be
provided for Council review at a future meeting.
City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information)
2. Resolution 2022-044 Authorizing the Award of a Contract to Curran Contracting,
Inc. in the Amount of $496,508.16 for Resurfacing and Concrete Repairs on
Joanne Lane and Various Other Locations with Staff Authority to Approve Change
Orders Up to a Combined Project Total Not to Exceed $521,333.57.
City Manager’s Summary: The annual street maintenance program undertakes the
removal of deteriorated surface pavement and asphalt re-surfacing. Typically, the annual
street maintenance program also includes associated sidewalk maintenance and some
curb and gutter repairs. The Phase One focus of the 2022 general maintenance
program is paid from State Motor Fuel Tax allocations (Fund 210), and targets Joanne
Lane from Ilehamwood Drive to Tilton Park Drive to re-surface streets that were
excavated to install new water main in 2021. Alternate #1 was focused upon the re-
surfacing of Tilton Park Drive, if the resurfacing budget was adequate. Bids were
solicited by City Engineer Zac Gill and the following bids were submitted:
Company Name Base Bid Alternate 1
Curran Contracting Inc $496,508.16 $162,607.25
William Charles Const. $573,444.94 $178,564.86
The City Engineer recommends the award of the contract to Curran Contracting, Inc. in
the amount of $496,508.16. The City Engineer does not recommend awarding the
Alternate due to budget constraints. The City Engineer does recommend Council
support for staff authority to approve change orders up to a combined project total of
$521,333.57 to address contingency items such as minor quantity over-runs and
unforeseen repairs.
City Council approval is recommended. Phase Two of the 2022 street maintenance
will be performed in the Knolls and on the N. 13th and N. 14th Street corridors. This
contract will be let this summer and will be funded by local capital dollars in Fund 400.
(click here for additional information)
L. ORDINANCES – SECOND READING
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 6 of 8
None.
M. ORDINANCES – FIRST READING
1. Ordinance 2022-021 Amending the Fiscal Year End December 31, 2021, Budget.
City Manager’s Summary: The City Council’s legal level of budgetary authority is at the
fund level, meaning that the budget officer may transfer amounts between departments
within a fund, but transfers between funds must be approved by the City Council.
Additionally, expenditures may not legally exceed budgeted appropriations at the fund
level, even if overall revenues comfortably exceed expenditures.
Finance Director Carrie Dittman has outlined the following 2021 budget amendments to
“clean up” mostly the expenditure side of a number of funds. The numbers correspond to
trial balances achieved through the recent auditing of 2021 Budget figures and bring
transparency to the City’s financial operations.
Items #1 & 2 relate to reclassifications between departments of the General Fund
related to budgeted pension contributions. Item #1 reclassifies several Police
Department accounts, and item #2 reclassifies Fire Department accounts. There is no
net effect to the General Fund.
Item #3 relates to three accounts of the General Fund that expended over budget in
Fiscal Year 2021. In total, the General Fund expenditures exceeded budget by
approximately $680,000. There were many accounts in the General Fund that were
under budget, but three accounts experiencing a significant increase in expenditures
were police patrol overtime, firefighter overtime, and firefighter wellness bonuses (due
to a contractual change). Amendments are proposed to increase these accounts by
$218,000, $350,000, and $128,000, respectively.
The principal reason for the overages in budgetary overtime is the substantial impact
of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly in the first six months of 2021. Many more calls
for service occurred in this period and both the Fire and Police departments were
seriously impacted as they tried to maintain minimum shift levels while their own
members were quarantined as a result of contracting the virus while on duty. However,
it is important to note that overall General Fund revenues outperformed the budget by
approximately $4.8 million as numerous revenue sources in the General Fund
exceeded expectations. None of the individual revenue line items can be specifically
tied to the expenditures above, so no revenue line items need to be amended. The
financial impact to the General Fund in this amendment is an increase to
expenditures of $696,000.
Item #4 relates to ground maintenance in Special Service Area (SSA) #3, the Heritage
Ridge SSA. A total of $525 was budgeted for maintenance, which did not cover
additional and needed work performed in the subdivision’s common areas in Fiscal
Year 2021. The total expenditures for this line item were $798, so a minor overage of
$273 occurred. Because this is essentially the only expenditure of the fund, an
amendment of $275 is recommended to bring the fund into budgetary compliance; the
financial effect is an increase in expenditures of $275.
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 7 of 8
Item #5 relates to the 924 Greenbriar Special Service Area (SSA) #28. As all
fraternity/sorority houses are now required to have a sprinkler system, the City
extended a Water Fund loan to the fraternity to install the system at 924 Greenbriar,
and the SSA was created to track the repayment of the loan. During Fiscal Year 2021,
the property was sold, and the balance of the loan was paid early and in full. As a
result, the SSA #28 fund collected unexpected loan proceeds and was able to transfer
those funds to the Water Fund to pay off the loan. Both a revenue and offsetting
expenditure of $20,019 were incurred, and amendments are necessary to reflect both
transactions. There is no net effect to the fund.
Item #6 relates to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fund. In Fiscal
Year 2021, several projects were undertaken by the City using both CDBG Entitlement
and CDBG Covid-19 funds that were not budgeted; these projects were offset 100%
by federal grant income. Thus, an increase to budgeted revenue of $520,500 offsets
an increase to budgeted expenditures within various categories of $520,500. There is
no net effect to the fund.
Item #7 relates to the General Debt Service Fund. The paying agent fees for six bond
issues were about $1,100 higher than budgeted; this was more than offset by
hotel/motel taxes, which exceeded budget by over $15,000. Thus, an increase to
hotel/motel tax revenues of $1,100 and an increase to financial services expenditures
of $1,100 is recommended. There is no net effect to the fund.
Item #8 relates to the Capital Equipment Replacement Fund. The city entered into an
arrangement with Enterprise Leasing to lease eight vehicles during the Fiscal Year
2021, which will continue for a five-year period. Six of these vehicles benefit general
city operations and two benefit the Water Fund. The six vehicles have a value of
approximately $305,464, which is reported as both lease proceeds (revenue) and
vehicle lease purchase (expenditure) in the Capital Equipment Replacement Fund. A
revenue amendment of $305,464 and offsetting expenditure amendment of $305,464
are recommended. There is no net effect to the fund.
Item #9 affects operations of the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport. The Airport’s fuel
sales exceeded expectations and were offset by a corresponding increase in fuel
purchased for resale. In addition, two significant federal grant projects occurred in
2021: the resurfacing of runway 2/20 and relocating and replacing of navigation units
on runways 2, 20 and 27. This resulted in increased capital spending offset by an
increase in grant revenue. A total of $495,000 is proposed as an increase to revenue
along with a corresponding $495,000 increase in expenses; there is no net effect to
the fund.
Item #10 is a “housekeeping item” to correct a typographical error in the Fiscal Year
2021 budget. A transfer of $500 was budgeted as revenue into the General Fund from
the Special Service Area (SSA) #14 Fund, the Heartland Fields SSA (revenue side).
However, the corresponding transfer out (expenditure) of $500 was budgeted in the
Market Square SSA #29 in error. The proposed amendment reverses the Market
Square SSA #29 transfer out and moves it to the Heartland Fields SSA #14. There is
no net effect to the overall budget.
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda
May 9, 2022
Page 8 of 8
Item #11 relates to the Foreign Fire Insurance Tax (FFIT) Fund. The FFIT Board
develops a budget for the fund which it forwards to the city to be included in the city’s
overall budget. In Fiscal Year 2021, about $14,250 more in foreign fire insurance tax
was received over the budget; a corresponding revenue amendment is proposed.
Additionally, several expenditure line items exceeded the budget, totaling about
$33,000, and amendments are recommended for the line items of supplies/parts –
buildings, firefighting supplies and equipment, and office furniture and equipment.
There is a net increase in expenditures of $18,250, which will be drawn down
from the built-up fund reserves of approximately $83,000.
City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information)
N. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Council Member Reports.
2. City Manager Report.
O. EXECUTIVE SESSION
1. Approval to Hold an Executive Session in Order to Discuss the Sale or Lease of
Real Property as Provided for in 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(6).
P. ADJOURNMENT
REGULAR AGENDA PACKET – MAY 9, 2022
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
COVID-19 Notice: The corporate authorities of the City of DeKalb intend to conduct this meeting in-person with a physically present quorum that is open
to the public and in compliance with all applicable public health requirements. Pursuant to current public health guidelines, persons attending this
meeting are not required to wear protective face masks/coverings.