Archive for May, 2010

City Budget: Mulling Over Police, Fire and More

Author: yinn

May 6

In 2008, in the midst of a self-proclaimed fiscal crisis, City Council voted to allow the (former) Community Development Department to obtain a new SUV.

This is symbolic, see? The Police and Fire departments have had to put off replacing vehicles and some equipment since then. The Police Department, in particular, is getting nickel-and-dimed on old patrol cars that should have been retired last year, and the year before, and the year before that. But Community Development got exactly what it wanted.

And, as each new downtown brick paver is tamped into place, it must seem like a slap in the face. Read the rest of this entry

6 Comments
Filed under: Council/City Watch, Payment Due? | Tagged as: , , , ,

Group Urges Postponement of County Landfill Vote So Cortland Twp. Can Weigh In

Author: yinn

May 5

The following is a (very slightly edited) press release sent by the Stop the Mega-Dump group.

The Stop the Mega-Dump citizens’ group is asking the DeKalb County Board not to turn their backs on the citizens of Cortland again. Citizens of Cortland Township have petitioned the Cortland Township Board of Trustees for a special meeting to vote on a resolution that would prevent any landfill expansion in their township. The special meeting will be held on the evening of Tuesday May 18th, the day before the DeKalb County regularly scheduled board meeting. However, the county has added an earlier meeting of May 10th at 7:30 to vote on the landfill expansion application by Waste Management Inc. Read the rest of this entry

0 Comments
Filed under: Calendar, County Watch | Tagged as: ,

Open Thread 5/4

Author: yinn

May 4

Use this space as a catch-all for commenting on the city budget hearings, to give good link for the new Open Books page (I am particularly interested in a few good databases), or whatever else is on your mind.

Forgot to tell you that Norway Farms is parking at G&L’s Auto Repair on Thursdays from 11-1:30. Milt does this every year because the asparagus always needs pickin’ from about a month before the DeKalb Farmers’ Market begins. G&L is on South Fourth across from the Lehan’s-Dollar General building.

Last Thursday I bought two 1-lb bunches for five bucks and sauteed about 3/4 lb of the slenderest tenderest with green peas and thyme. Today the rest goes into soup.

The Farmers’ Market starts June 3.

4 Comments
Filed under: Calendar, Community Resources, Council/City Watch, Garden Blog | Tagged as: , ,

Changing Our Look

Author: yinn

May 2

Though the citybarbs.com site is mainly about the content, every once in awhile there’s a temptation to try on a new outfit. It’s not just about looks, either, but about updating so’s maybe we can test a couple different widgets and add pages.

Over time I’ve loaded up on themes I like. This week I’ll activate a few, so the site will look different every day or two. Some of them might look a little busy after 4-1/2 years of the relatively uncluttered Binary Bonsai. (OK, maybe a lot busy.) My main requirement is that it looks OK in a variety of browsers. Also, I’m pretty sure I’ll stick with a two-column format. Outside of those things I haven’t made any decisions yet, so if you care feel free to give me your two cents in the comments.

This first candidate is fairly tame (as in: not much different) and called RCG Forest. I really like the overall readability of it, and given enough time I might figure out how to exchange the forest view with a barbed wire graphic.

Update 5/4: Today’s theme is called Seasons. It changes automatically four times per year. I like the archiving and will try to add it no matter what we end up with.

Update 5/6: Now here’s something different. Thursday’s theme is Morning Coffee.

2 Comments
Filed under: Site News | Tagged as:

Lincoln Highway Association Seeks Memories, Art, and Photos

Author: Kay Shelton

May 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Kay Shelton, Illinois State Director
Lincoln Highway Association
1006 N. 15th St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone: 815-748-7211
E-mail: kayshelton@hotmail.com

Lincoln Highway Association Seeks Memories, Art, and Photos
Read the rest of this entry

0 Comments
Filed under: Calendar, Community Resources, General Happenings, Local History

City Budget Open Thread…Mayday! Mayday!

Author: yinn

May 1

money The proposed City of DeKalb FY 2011 budget has total expenditures going up by about $5 million over last year, mostly due to increased spending on the downtown TIF, health insurance and the airport.

The budget as drafted will be balanced IF:

  • there are cuts of 25-30 staff (or, alternatively, everyone takes a 12% pay cut)

  • the State pays its full share of the income tax

  • prices of commodities such as gas and road salt don’t go up

  • revenue projections are in the ballpark

  • they can continue to keep the lid on overtime

    • Read the rest of this entry

    2 Comments
    Filed under: Council/City Watch, Payment Due?, TIF | Tagged as: , , , ,
    « Go Back