City of Dekalb City Council met March 9

City of Dekalb City Council met March 9.

Here is the agenda provided by the council:

A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

C. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

D. PRESENTATIONS

1. America250 Pause for Patriotism: The Fire Bell in the Night.

City Manager’s Summary: In more or less chronological order, our previous “Pauses for Patriotism” have focused on the revolutionary principles of the Declaration of Independence and the several generations who tried to memorialize them in law and everyday practice after the American Revolution, even as powerful external forces (especially warring European powers) and internal divisions (over constitutional government, and property rights) threatened that grand experiment. In the span of a little more than 40 years (from 1820 to 1863), our young country passed from what was known as an “era of good feelings” into a cataclysmic civil war, which led the national government into a second revolutionary period, ultimately corrupted, as Americans wrestled with the promise and the social challenge embodied in a “new birth of freedom.”

James Monroe and the Border Between Freedom and Slavery

In January 1815, the “War of 1812”, which was fought over maritime rights, ended with the triumph in New Orleans of an improvised American army of militia, French privateers, native Americans, and Creole settlers under the leadership of Andrew Jackson. They decisively beat a larger, professional British army consisting of regulars recently victorious over Napoleon at Waterloo. No one really won that war. The British depredations, which included the burning of the capitol city of Washington, were roughly offset by continuing American successes at sea. Two of these victories were widely celebrated: the American frigate captain, James Lawrence, briefly captured by the British, rallied his sailors with the immortal “Don’t Give Up the Ship” and prevailed. Another intrepid American captain, Oliver Hazard Perry, defeated a small British fleet on Lake Erie and famously messaged that “We have met the enemy and they are ours.” As if to remind us that timing is sometimes everything and to punctuate the end of a war that need not have been fought, the significant British losses in New Orleans came a month after the war actually ended with the Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) in December 1814.

When James Monroe was elected in 1816, the preoccupation of most Americans was the exploding migration into the Ohio Valley and the greater “West,” which by then included a million square miles annexed by the United States in 1803 with a payment of about $15,000,000 (4 cents per acre) to France. In his earlier role as American diplomat, Monroe, a Virginian, cut the deal. In the fall of 1816, Monroe became the fifth President of the United States (four of the first five were from Virginia). He was the last president to fight in the Revolution (he fought with Washington at Trenton).

Washington Adams Jefferson Madison Monroe

When he ran for a second term in 1820, Monroe was almost unanimously elected. He won 231 of the 232 electoral votes cast. The one dissenting elector voted for Secretary of State John Quincy Adams (John’s son) because he admired him.

Monroe’s presidency is notable for two historic measures that asserted much future influence. One was the so-called Monroe Doctrine, which was articulated in a speech to Congress in 1823 essentially declaring that the United States would not tolerate intervention in the Americas (North, South or Central) by European nations. This muscular diplomatic position was aimed at the crumbling Spanish empire and adventurous ambitions of France, in particular. It continues to be the basis for sometimes defensive and other times offensive military actions.

Ultimately, the most impactful of the two Monroe-era milestones was the Missouri Compromise. The massive real estate addition under the Louisiana Purchase invited a competition between expanding slave-based agricultural production in the South and free soil/free laborer ambitions in the North growing out of an industrial revolution that was transforming Northern cities from Maine to the Great Lakes. The political eruption that nearly led to a divided nation two decades before the election of Abraham Lincoln was over the admission of Missouri as a state.

The spark was the petition of the Missouri Territory for statehood in 1817. With Henry Clay of Kentucky taking the lead in finding a compromise, a heated three-year Congressional debate ended in 1820 with Missouri admitted as a slave state, Maine admitted as a free state, and slavery prohibited anywhere else north of Missouri’s southern border. Every politician, including Thomas Jefferson, could see the sectional lines that were emerging, and few believed the Compromise would forever resolve the problem. “This momentous question,” Jefferson wrote, “like a fire bell in the night, awakened and filled me with terror. I considered it at once the knell of the Union.” President John Quincy Adams, who succeeded Monroe in 1825, agreed when he stated that “the present question is a mere preamble – a title page to a great tragic volume.”

In a remarkable historical moment that belongs to the ages, Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy’s father, John Adams, died on the same day, July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration was approved. Benjamin Rush, another exceptional patriot who likewise served in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration, and served as a physician in Washington’s army, called Adams and Jefferson the North and South of the Revolution.

At the time of their deaths, there were 24 states: 12 Free and 12 Slave. Ten days before his death, Jefferson penned a last letter – a sort of testament to the creed that still bound the nation. “May it be to the world, what I believe it will be (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves.” It is a “palpable truth,” he continued, “that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God… For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights and an undiminished devotion to them.”

Next: The Halls of Montezuma and the Narrowing Path to Civil War.

E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

F. APPOINTMENTS

None.

G. CONSENT AGENDA

1. Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of February 23, 2026.

2. Accounts Payable and Payroll through March 9, 2026, in the Amount of $3,226,801.51.

3. Investment and Bank Balance Summary through January 2026.

4. Year-to-Date Revenues and Expenditures through January 2026.

5. Crime Free Housing Bureau Report – February 2026.

6. Resolution 2026-033 Authorizing a Workers’ Compensation Lump Sum Petition and Order in the Amount of $31,377.60 (Jacob Watson).

H. PUBLIC HEARINGS

None.

I. CONSIDERATIONS

None.

J. RESOLUTIONS

1. Resolution 2026-034 Adopting a Civility Pledge for the DeKalb City Council.

City Manager’s Summary: In April 2023, the Illinois Municipal League (IML) introduced a Civility Pledge to encourage respectful dialogue, reduce conflict, and rebuild public trust across Illinois’ 1,295 municipalities. The pledge was created in response to growing political division and rising tensions in government meetings nationwide, underscoring the fact that civil discourse is essential for addressing complex community issues.

The pledge outlines four principles: listening, respecting others, recognizing a shared responsibility for improving the community, and valuing diverse ideas that contribute to that goal. It aims to strengthen relationships, support open communication, and reinforce the notion that, despite political differences, officials are working toward the common purpose of bettering their municipality.

The pledge states: “In the interest of civility, I pledge to promote civility by listening, being respectful of others, acknowledging that we are all striving to support and improve our community, and understanding that we each may have different ideas for achieving that objective.”

President Abraham Lincoln ended his first Inaugural Address by reminding the nation, “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.” He urged Americans to preserve the bonds of affection despite rising tensions. That message remains relevant today, highlighting the need for local officials across Illinois to take the lead in fostering civility and strengthening community dialogue.

If approved, the Civility Pledge document will be circulated for each Council member’s signature.

City Council approval is encouraged.

2. Resolution 2026-035 Approving the Regulation of Traffic for the Purpose of Holding a Cinco de Mayo Celebration on Illinois Route 38 (Lincoln Highway) Between First Street and Fourth Street on Sunday, May 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

City Manager’s Summary: The requested closure of Illinois Route 38 on May 3, 2026, supports the community’s annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. The event, which began in 2023 and has grown steadily, previously took place on S. Third Street, then expanded to Lincoln Highway in 2024.

The move to Van Buer Plaza last year proved too limited, prompting organizers to seek a return to Lincoln Highway and part of S. Third Street based on community feedback. The planned activities closely follow the 2024 layout, including a parade, entertainment stage, food vendors, a beer garden, and children’s activities, with the only notable change being an extended end time of 8:00 p.m.

Organizers have provided the required insurance documents, and the primary City cost involves Public Works staff setting up and removing barricades.

City Council approval is recommended to ensure timely coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation.

3. Resolution 2026-036 Authorizing the Transit Manager to Act as the Authorized Official to Submit Grants and Sign Certifications and Assurances on Behalf of the City of DeKalb for the Federal Transit Administration CY2026 5307 Transit Grant.

City Manager’s Summary: As the designated recipient of federal and state transit funding for the DeKalb Urbanized Area, the City must appoint an authorized representative to perform required grant functions. This resolution assigns that role to the Transit Manager, granting authority to execute all Federal Transit Administration grant activities in CY2026, including applications, agreements, payment requests, and the annual Certifications and Assurances. It also designates the City Attorney as Legal Counsel for FTA matters.

Although the FTA does not require annual reauthorization, the City Manager presents this resolution each year as a best practice for program compliance. Approval preserves the City’s ability to execute necessary grant documents and maintain access to Section 5307 funding, with more than $13 million available across current awards as of February 13, 2026. These funds are managed through Transportation Fund 200.

Assistant City Manager Bob Redel will oversee the ongoing grant processes as the City Manager’s designee.

Council approval is recommended.

4. Resolution 2026-037 Authorizing the SFY2027 Downstate Operating Assistance Agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation in the Amount of $11,555,810.

City Manager’s Summary: This resolution authorizes the Transit Manager to execute the SFY2027 Downstate Operating Assistance (DOA) Agreement between the Illinois Department of Transportation and the City of DeKalb, providing operating funds from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. DOAP will reimburse 80% of eligible expenses up to $11,555,810, serving as the primary funding source for the City’s Public Transit program, with Federal 5307 funds and Northern Illinois University (NIU) contributions supplying the required local match.

DeKalb is the designated recipient of federal and state transit funding for the DeKalb Urbanized Area and has participated in the DOA program since 2005. The City currently contracts with Transdev Services Inc. for transit operations. The Transit Manager is responsible for executing the agreement and submitting required documentation, consistent with standard City practices for state and federal transit grants. DOAP funds support transit services in DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland, and NIU, and provide access to the Elburn METRA Station.

The SFY2027 allocation reflects a 39 percent increase from the prior year due to amendments to the DOA Act that expanded statewide transit funding and increased the reimbursement rate from 65 to 80 percent. The City has budgeted $14,662,384 in operating expenses for SFY2027, with DOAP covering 80 percent and the local match supplied through NIU contributions, Federal Transit Administration operating assistance, and fare revenue. Under the City–NIU intergovernmental agreement, NIU’s share will equal 35 percent of total costs in future years.

These funds, managed through Transportation Fund 200, will support Transdev operating expenses, fleet maintenance and fueling, and City administrative and personnel costs for the transit program.

City Council approval is recommended.

5. Resolution 2026-038 Authorizing the Purchase and Equipping of Two 2026 Chevrolet Tahoes through Miles Chevrolet for the DeKalb Fire Department in an Amount Not to Exceed $118,208 Using Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) Funding.

City Manager’s Summary: The Fire Department is requesting approval to purchase two Chevrolet Tahoes from Miles Chevrolet in an amount not to exceed $118,208. One vehicle will replace an aging 2014 Ford Explorer with rising repair costs, and the other will be available to battalion chiefs and deputy chiefs on any given day. Miles Chevrolet has committed to providing two 2026 models that meet the department’s specifications, and funding for the purchase is included in the FY2026 GEMT budget (Fund 130).

The vehicles will serve multiple functions within the department, including daily staff use, incident command duties, and the transportation of personnel and equipment. Miles Chevrolet has also offered a $3,000 trade-in allowance for the 2014 Ford Explorer which has over 73,000 miles.

The purchase will utilize pricing available through the State of Illinois Central Management System and the NWMC Suburban Purchasing Cooperative contracts, which meet or exceed state public bidding requirements. This approach complies with the City’s Purchasing Manual and removes the need for a separate bid process.

City Council approval is recommended.

K. ORDINANCES – SECOND READING

None.

L. ORDINANCES – FIRST READING

1. Ordinance 2026-010 Publishing the Official Zoning Map of the City of DeKalb.

City Manager’s Summary: The Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-13-19) requires the City to publish an Official Zoning Map annually. The attached map includes all zoning changes approved over the past year, along with any necessary corrections. It reflects updates such as rezonings, special use permits, and annexation-related actions, with special uses also shown on the Interactive Zoning Map on the City’s website.

Planning Director Dan Olson will post the updated map online.

City Council approval, along with the waiver of second reading, is recommended.

2. Ordinance 2026-011 Amending Chapter 38 “Intoxicating Liquors”, Section 38.07 “Classifications of Liquor Licenses”, by Adding a Hotel Suite Liquor License.

City Manager’s Summary: City staff were recently contacted by Pramit Patel, president and CEO of eo5 Hotels, which owns and operates the Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites on Annie Glidden Road, regarding a request to offer single-bottle beer and wine for sale in the hotels’ “suite store”, which would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, and be managed by the front desk clerk.

The proposal includes adding two rows of bottled beer and two rows of half-bottle wines in a cooler similar to the example shown in the photo below.

The City staff and City Attorney recommend establishing a new liquor license classification, “Hotel Suite,” with an initial fee of $500 and an annual renewal fee of $500. Additionally, the participating hotel will need to have any cooler area staffed at all times by a staff member who is 21 years of age or older to prevent under-aged individuals from acquiring alcoholic beverages.

City Council approval is recommended.

M. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

1. Council Member Reports.

2. City Manager Report.

N. EXECUTIVE SESSION

None.

O. ADJOURNMENT

https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03092026-2821