Comments for City Barbs

Comment on Correction: Pilots, PILOTs & Water by EPI is Back : City Barbs

EPI is Back : City Barbs — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:16:26 +0000

[...] water utility to create a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) program (see more detailed correction here). The consultants are also recommending DeKalb centralize purchasing — which I thought we [...]

Comment on Correction: Pilots, PILOTs & Water by yinn

yinn — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:13 +0000

Though it is not on the table at the moment, I am still concerned about possible pushes toward water utility privatization because of fast-tracked state legislation and current trends in the context of cash-strapped communities such as ours.

Comment on EPI is Back by Correction: Pilots, PILOTs & Water : City Barbs

Correction: Pilots, PILOTs & Water : City Barbs — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:19:51 +0000

[...] In a recent post about the latest Executive Partners, Inc. (EPI) involvement with the City of DeKalb as its financial consultant, I expressed anxiety about a proposal to privatize the city’s water. [...]

Comment on New Council Gets a Good Start by Anson MacDonald

Anson MacDonald — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:46:02 +0000

Has any one at city hall prepared a long range analysis of the inventory of purchased properties which have been removed from the property tax rolls?

Is this ever reviewed in open session or does the city like to keep it on the QT in closed session?

Comment on New Council Gets a Good Start by Anson MacDonald

Anson MacDonald — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:44:31 +0000

On a related topic, any word whether the new mayor will continue to give his state of the city address to the council in a legitimate public meeting setting — or if he will follow the Van Buer – Povlsen precedent of kowtowing to the Chamber of Commerce?

Does anyone else see a problem with ReNew, the Chamber, Cornfest Committee and others sucking at the public funding nipple and yet not being accountable to the public for use of the funds?

Comment on DeKalb’s Pension Funding Progress by DeKalb’s Pension Picture Updated : City Barbs

DeKalb’s Pension Picture Updated : City Barbs — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:21:45 +0000

[...] added FY2012 numbers to the set of charts you’ll find in DeKalb’s Pension Funding Progress. They come from the latest Comprehensive Annual Financial Report [...]

Comment on City Claims Ellwood Plan a Product of Public Meetings. It’s Not by New Council Gets a Good Start : City Barbs

New Council Gets a Good Start : City Barbs — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:47:59 +0000

[...] And lastly, as longtime readers already know, I do not believe in allowing private organizations to discuss how to spend taxpayers’ money without having to follow the Open Meetings Act. [...]

Comment on Ellwood Historic Neighborhood Meetings by New Council Gets a Good Start : City Barbs

New Council Gets a Good Start : City Barbs — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:47:02 +0000

[...] Speaking of spending, does anyone know how EHN spent the $75,000 it was allocated for “streetscape” purposes? (PDF p. 115). And what about the $100,000 referred to here? (See bottom of table.) [...]

Comment on DeKalb’s Budgetary Reserves Do Not Mean What You Think They Mean by DeKalb’s Hiring Spree : City Barbs

DeKalb’s Hiring Spree : City Barbs — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:52:53 +0000

[...] Related post: DeKalb’s Budgetary Reserves Do Not Mean What You Think They Mean [...]

Comment on EPI is Back by DeKalb’s Hiring Spree : City Barbs

DeKalb’s Hiring Spree : City Barbs — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:52:07 +0000

[...] before we find ourselves in financial straits again and the administrators must know this because EPI is here. As in FY2010-11, they may very well decide to let go a bunch of Public Works employees — [...]