DeKalb Times

City of Dekalb Citizens' Community Enhancement Commission met Aug. 16.

Here are the minutes provided by the commission:

The Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission (CCEC) held a special meeting in the First Floor Conference Room of DeKalb City Hall, 164 East Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, Illinois.

Chair Brad Hoey called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.

A. ROLL CALL

Roll call was recorded by Management Analyst Scott Zak and the following members of the CCEC were present: Chair Brad Hoey, Melissa Beck, Jeanine Holcomb, Aaron Robertson and Ellingsworth Webb. Absent at the time of roll call were: Kenneth Brown and Helen Umbdenstock. Also in attendance was Mayor Cohen Barnes and Assistant City Manager Joshua Boldt

B. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA – ADDITIONS / DELETIONS

MOTION

Mr. Webb moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Ms. Holcomb. VOTE

The agenda was approved by unanimous voice vote.

C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 19, 2021

MOTION

Ms. Beck motioned to approve the minutes, seconded by Mr. Webb. VOTE

The agenda was approved by unanimous voice vote.

D. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

No members of the public spoke.

Commissioners Helen Umbenstock and Kenneth Brown, NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Paul Kassel and NIU School of Music Director Andrew Glendening joined the meeting at 4:08 p.m.

E. NEW BUSINESS

1. Assistant City Manager Joshua Boldt-City Hall 1st Floor interior design project

Assistant Manager Boldt asked the Commission’s assistance in designing signage for the first floor of City Hall to make it more welcoming. He notes currently, hand sanitizer is the first point of contact for visitors and the walls are bland. He said the first goal is directional signage.

Discussing ideas, Chair Hoey said clings would be removable, Mr. Kassel noted there are digital assistance available and Mayor Barnes said using vinyl is an option. There is no deadline for the project. Chair Hoey suggested possible artists for the project be sent to Mr. Zak.

Assistant Manager Boldt left the meeting following this item.

2. Lincoln Highway reconfiguration ideas

Chair Hoey explained the construction project to narrow Lincoln Highway between First and Fourth Street from four lanes to three lanes including a turn lane has been delayed until next year due to an IDOT requirement. Mayor Barnes added this provides time to add different ideas to the project, and he challenged the Commission to come up with public art ideas for downtown DeKalb.

Commissioners shared ideas for downtown public art they had found. These included wall art in Hinckley; large downtown planters; mosaic in the sidewalks; DeKalb, NIU and barbwire sidewalk imprinting and strings of lights over downtown streets. Mayor Barnes also shared photos with ideas, including hanging wires decorated with garland and lights that create Christmas trees above downtown intersections. He also shared photos of construction walls being used as temporary murals and wrapped utility boxes with QR codes that provide more information on the artist. Other ideas included iron fencing with DeKalb and NIU images and a Riverwalk under the Lincoln Highway bridge.

Mayor Barnes encouraged the Commission to advocate for public art and concentrate on two or three ideas. It was agreed the next step is to bring City Engineer Zac Gill to a meeting to discuss what types of ideas will be possible with the reconfiguration project.

3. Commissioner Umbdenstock’s meeting with Paul Kassel

This item was moved up on the agenda. Commissioner Umbdenstock and Mr. Kassel shared their thoughts following their meeting on a program where businesses would pay $20 a month to be able to schedule NIU student musicians to perform. Mr. Glendening would be in charge of selecting the students for the requested performance, and the DeKalb Area Arts Council would take the contributions from businesses and pay the students.

Commissioner Umbdenstock said businesses could be reached through postcards and social media with follow-up phone calls and that getting music in the downtown is essential. Commissioner Holcomb said the idea could be presented to the Downtown Merchants group.

Mr. Glendening shared some of the types of musicians available, including several talented guitarists. There is a new large brass group where the performance payment would not go to an individual student but rather to support the entire group. Mr. Kassel said choirs are also available.

Other ideas that were discussed included students interested in installation art, a long term goal of creating a performance venue and storing NIU-owned pianos at businesses.

It was agreed that the next step would be to present the idea for student performers to the Downtown Merchants group next month.

Mayor Barnes, Commissioner Umbdenstock, Mr. Kassel and Mr. Glendening left the meeting at 5:07 p.m.

4. T-Mobile grant

The T-Mobile Hometown Grants for community projects are up to $50,000 and applications are accepted year-round. It was discussed that the Commission could work with downtown beautification groups or the DeKalb Chamber’s Leadership Academy and the grant could fund murals or ideas to go along with the Lincoln Highway reconfiguration. Commissioner Holcomb noted the Commission has already done work that could help with a grant application for murals, including a mural policy, mural website, identification of public spaces and media coverage. She said she could work on the wording for the grant. Information will also be shared at future meetings on grant opportunities from ComEd and the Union Pacific.

Commissioners discussed the idea of using the House Café as a music venue owned by the City but determined that would best be left to another entity because of staffing needs such as someone to handle booking.

5. Downtown fiber art

Local business owner and fiber artist Michele Costa has done two knitted bikes in the downtown and approached the City about doing more downtown projects, including knitting a bench in front of the House Café. Commissioners are interested in hearing suggested locations for additional projects but are not interested in a knitted bench or more bikes along Lincoln Highway. Side streets are still an option. The Commission would also like to know the plan for upkeep of the pieces. Mr. Zak will share this information with Ms. Costa.

Commissioners discussed an idea to use the downtown kiosks to feature local artists, and this will be pursued further.

6. Paint-A-Plug applications

MOTION

Mr. Brown motioned to approve the Paint-A-Plug applications for the hydrants at the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Lincoln Highway, the southeast corner of First Street and Pine Street, the southeast corner of Second Street and Lincoln Highway and the corner of Pleasant and 11th Street, seconded by Mr. Robertson. VOTE

The applications were approved by unanimous voice vote.

F. OLD BUSINESS

1. Downtown planters

It was agreed that the Downtown Merchants should be included in discussions about the planters.

2. Traffic box painting

No additional information on traffic box painting was shared here. 

G. ADJOURNMENT

MOTION

Ms. Holcomb motioned to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Webb. VOTE

The motion was approved unanimously by voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 6:09 p.m.

https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08162021-2048