DeKalb Times

City of Dekalb City Council met April 14.

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. Proclamation: National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, April 13 - 19, 2025.  2. Proclamation: Sexual Assault Awareness Month – April 2025. 

3. Proclamation: Disability Book Week, April 20 – 26, 2025.  

E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 

F. APPOINTMENTS 

None. 

G. CONSENT AGENDA 

1. Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of March 24, 2025. 

2. Accounts Payable and Payroll through April 14, 2025, in the Amount of  $3,876,021.02. 

3. Investment and Bank Balance Summary through February 2025. 

4. Year-to-Date Revenues and Expenditures through February 2025. 

5. Crime Free Housing Bureau Report – March 2025.  

6. Resolution 2025-038 Authorizing a Workers’ Compensation Lump Sum Petition and Order in the Amount of $25,927.75 (Christopher Ziola).

Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.

H. PUBLIC HEARINGS 

1. Public Hearing: Vacation of a Portion of Simonds Avenue. 

City Manager’s Summary: Later on this Agenda the reader will find an ordinance to vacate a portion of the southern end of Simonds Avenue. Several decades ago, the City acquired property rights for a potential extension of Simonds Avenue southward for future traffic circulation. With the development of the Target warehouse and other properties in Park 88, a through street is no longer possible or desirable. Additionally, Algus Packaging Inc. that purchased the former Del Monte properties years ago (1212 E. Taylor Street), has developed a secondary access road at their own cost. Their access road constitutes a continuation of the public portion of Simonds Avenue. The red highlighted area in the graphic below shows an intervening property between the north end of the Algus property and the south end of the finished surface of Simonds Avenue. The area in the red highlighted area is public property, owned by the City of DeKalb, that presently serves no useful public purpose. The proposal is to vacate the area within the red “square” so it can be maintained as a private drive connecting with the Algus property.

Transfer of this property does not negatively impact the public and represents a collaboration with a long-established business and the investments they have made in the past several decades. The right-of-way (ROW) of Simonds Avenue to be vacated is approximately 110’ x 66’ in dimension. The area south of the proposed vacated right-of-way was deeded to the City in the past but never dedicated as ROW. The intent is to approve the plat of vacation of the right-of-way first and then deed the area south of the right-of-way to Algus at a future meeting. (click here for additional information) 

I. CONSIDERATIONS 

None. 

J. RESOLUTIONS 

1. Resolution 2025-039 Authorizing the Approval of a Proposal from Fehr Graham for an Environmental Site Assessment of the Former Protano’s Auto Salvage Property at 1151 S. Fourth Street in the Amount of $120,300. 

City Manager’s Summary: On November 25, 2024, the City Council approved an intergovernmental agreement via Resolution 2024-115 that created a framework for the collaboration of local taxing bodies in the implementation of a tax increment financing (TIF) district centered on S. Fourth Street from Taylor Street to I-88. On December 9, 2024, the Council approved Ordinance 2024-060 establishing the TIF redevelopment plan for TIF #4, Ordinance 2024-061 defining the geographic map of TIF #4, and Ordinance 2024-062 on behalf of the TIF #4 financing scheme. A key property identified in the Redevelopment Plan was the former Protano Auto Salvage yard at 1151 S. Fourth Street, and a key objective of the Plan was the remediation of the remaining hazardous concentrations of lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other low-level concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) so the site could potentially be redeveloped for private purposes.

The site has been vacant since the City came into ownership in 2015. Environmental conditions at the site were evaluated in 2004 by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and then again by True North Consultants in 2013. With limited financial resources, the City did not go beyond this data collection with further investment in the site surveying and formal applications needed to enroll the City in the IEPA Site Remediation Program. Such enrollment can in turn lead to state financial assistance for the environmental cleanup itself. Such cleanup is required for the IEPA to issue a “No Further Remediation” (NFR) designation that opens the door to redevelopment.

The attached Fehr Graham proposal covers the additional site drillings and investigation necessary to enroll the site in the IEPA Site Remediation Program. Their proposal (attached) shows the locations needing further data collection and analysis, which should take about 120 days. Once submitted to the IEPA, the Fehr Graham report would be reviewed and agency enrollment should occur within 90 days of IEPA receipt. Actual remediation would likely be considered based on competitive bids in the spring of 2026, if the Council and TIF Joint Review Board were so inclined and the combination of IEPA and local TIF resources were adequate.

City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information)

2. Resolution 2025-040 Authorizing the Award of a Contract to Curran Contracting Company in the Amount of $4,083,655.11 for Asphalt Resurfacing with Staff Authority to Approve Change Orders Up to a Combined Project Total of $4,248,000. 

City Manager’s Summary: The City’s annual street maintenance program principally tackles asphalt pavement removal and replacement. By direction from the City Council, the FY2025 budget allocated up to $4.5 million to inflate the street maintenance budget to a historically high level in order to replace clusters of very worn street sections across the City map. The City’s Motor Fuel Tax Fund (Fund 210) will contribute $1.5 million, the Capital Projects Fund (Fund 400) will contribute $1 million, and the City’s General Fund balance will contribute $2 million.

The total street maintenance allocation for 2025 includes construction engineering services. On March 24, the Council approved a contract with Fehr Graham for such engineering services in an amount not-to-exceed $252,000 (Resolution 2025-030), leaving $4,248,000 for asphalt paving, including a contingency available for unforeseen issues or opportunities.

The City Engineer’s estimate of paving costs was $4,198,368.75. Two bids were submitted, and both aggressively beat the City Engineer’s estimate. The two bids are as follows:

Bidder	Base Bid	Alternate Bid 1	Alternate  Bid 2
Curran Contracting Company, DeKalb	$3,998,380.30	$85,274.81	$443,973.91
Schroeder Asphalt Services, Inc., Crystal Lake	$3,685,729.69	$72,118.25	$397,000.00

For the Base Bid, the Schroeder bid was 12.21% below the Engineer’s estimate; the Curran bid was 4.76% below the Engineer’s estimate.

Alternate Bid 1 pertains to the milling and re-surfacing of the City’s Vaughn parking lot, south of the Union Pacific tracks on S. Second Street, which was roughed up considerably when the bike path was extended in 2022.

Alternate Bid 2 pertains to the milling and re-paving of the large parking areas surrounding the DeKalb Community Unit School District No. 428 Administration Building on S. Fourth Street. City staff were approached to see if our larger annual paving contract could reduce the paving cost to the District (and local taxpayers). If this repaving project was bid alone, the District would pay more for their smaller job with higher mobilization costs per ton. The District has received the bid results and will make a separate determination as to the bid it will accept and will also separately contract with the paving contractor of their choice.

Recommendation 

The City awards its public works contracts to the lowest responsible bidder. The key word “responsible” relates to non-financial considerations such as the capacity to perform the work and also reliability in completing the work in a timely and reliable fashion. Herein lies an issue that does not typically arise. The lowest Base Bid was submitted by Schroeder Asphalt Services of Crystal Lake. Their Base Bid was lower by $312,650.61 (7.8%). Given the very large City allocation for street maintenance, the larger-than-normal number of neighborhoods impacted by the 2025 street maintenance program, and our staff’s unfamiliarity with the vendor, extra effort was invested in the review of Shroeder’s performance in recent years to address the question of the reliability of how and when it sources its asphalt mix.

City staff found that Schroeder Asphalt Services is restricted by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to 1,200 tons in any one contract specified by a local agency (see attached IDOT certificate). The overall hot mix tonnage for the 2025 DeKalb street maintenance program is 22,880 tons. In recent years, the overall restriction on tonnage has been waived by other communities who likewise received a low bid from Schroeder. DeKalb has never waived that restriction for several reasons. If the bidder is so restricted because it does not have its own batch plant, it may possibly truck its mix 30 minutes or more from a remote batch plant, which can impact the quality (e.g., temperature and texture) of the mix that is placed. Further, if the company is willing to pay more per ton from a competitor to secure local mix, it cannot always rely on availability if the competitor is busy loading its own trucks for other contracts.

After reviewing references, the City staff are not wholly confident that a project of this magnitude should be awarded under waiver conditions. Accordingly, the City Manager recommends rejecting the low Base Bid and low Alternate 1 Bid and awarding the 2025 street maintenance contract to Curran Contracting for the combined bid of $4,083,655.11, with authority to approve change orders up to a City project total of $4,248,000 (leaving a contingency of 4% or $164,344.89). (click here for additional information) 

3. Resolution 2025-041 Authorizing the Purchase of Traffic Signal Equipment through Mobotrex in an Amount Not to Exceed $32,834 and Appropriating $8,208.50 in Local Funds. 

City Manager’s Summary: The City of DeKalb and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) operate under a long-standing Traffic Signals Master Agreement, wherein the City performs maintenance and repairs on IDOT highway traffic signals and bills IDOT for associated costs. This agreement stipulates that IDOT is responsible for 100% of the expenses at the Illinois Route 38/Illinois Route 23 intersection and 50% of the costs at the Illinois Route 38/S. Third Street intersection.

The Street Division of the Public Works Department requests authorization to purchase Mobotrex traffic signal equipment to upgrade the 20-year-old systems at Illinois Route 38/Illinois Route 23 and Illinois Route 38/S. Third Street, maintaining a city-wide standard for such equipment. The purchase includes the acquisition of new traffic signal controllers, including spares, and Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units. These upgrades should minimize downtime and should contribute to better traffic flow during power outages.

The purchase of $32,834 will result in a City of DeKalb expenditure of $8,208.50, aligning with the 50% cost-sharing agreement with IDOT for the Route 38/S. Third Street intersection.

City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information) 

4. Resolution 2025-042 Authorizing the Purchase of Thirty (30) Police Portable Radios from J&K Communications in an Amount Not to Exceed $91,000. 

City Manager’s Summary: The Police Department joined the countywide public safety digital radio system beginning in 2017, which is primarily funded and operated by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. By utilizing this radio system, the Police Department was able to achieve significant savings on infrastructure, maintenance, and radio operating costs. The Police Department invested in 70 new digital portable radios in 2017 to replace its outdated and obsolete VHF analog portable radios. Last year, the Police Department purchased 16 additional digital portable radios for new officers, upgrading from the former model to the manufacturer’s latest edition. This radio has proven to be highly reliable and well-suited for Police operations. The original order of digital radios from 2017 will no longer be supported with component replacements or software updates by the manufacturer prompting the need to continue a replacement of existing radios. The Police Department budgeted $97,500 for 30 additional and replacement digital portable radios in FY2025.

The impacted FY2025 Budget line items are shown below:

100-20-21-52700: Investigative Equipment, Admin Portable Radios $10,000 100-20-21-61500: Maintenance – Equipment: Replacement Portable Radios $25,000 100-20-22-52600: Patrol Supplies & Equipment, Replacement Portable Radios $15,000 100-20-22-86300: Radio Equipment, Portable Radios for New Officers $26,000 100-20-24-53300: Investigations Equipment, Detective Portable Radios $15,000 Net Cost to City Not to Exceed $91,000 

City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information) 

5. Resolution 2025-043 Authorizing the FY2025 Payment for a Continued Law Enforcement Embedded Social Worker Agreement with Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center in the Amount of $135,714. 

City Manager’s Summary: The framework for this program was originally established in 2018 with the assistance of the Department of Justice as part of the Police Department’s federal grant initiative in the Police-Mental Health Collaboration Program. During that time, a strategic plan for enhancing mental health services was established and approved. The strategic plan identified gaps in service in Police responses to behavioral health concerns. It was determined that an embedded social worker within the Police Department was one of the highest priority items in improving behavioral health service delivery in the community. In the summer of 2020, as Department policies were reviewed and revised, and a strong commitment to the embedded social worker program was made by the City Council.

This program funds the social worker involvement in crisis situations that are reported to, or encountered by, law enforcement. DeKalb Police officers, who are now trained and certified in Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) concepts, can assess the needs of an individual and involve social workers when appropriate and necessary. The social worker then attempts to build rapport with the individual and provide strategies, resources, and services that directly assist the individual and reduce the need for ongoing or future Police officer intervention.

Since the inception of this program, the DeKalb Police Department has partnered with Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon (NMBG) and has continually upgraded the program to enhance service delivery. NMBG now provides three social workers to the Police Department, as well as supervisory and administrative oversight. The program continues to provide extensive referral and follow-up services, tailored to an individual’s needs, and offers more supportive, long-term resources for behavioral, wellbeing, or mental health assistance. When appropriate, the embedded social workers have also been deployed to the scenes of certain incidents to assist responding police officers when appropriate and safe to do so.

The agreement before the Council extends the program in FY2025 as described above. Costs have increased each year as the number of social workers has increased to meet demand and as the City, by agreement, has borne more of the total cost of the program.

Ongoing discussions have been held among DeKalb Police Department command staff, the Executive Director of the DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board, and the leadership of Northwest Medicine Ben Gordon Center. Other community service providers have been involved as well. It is readily agreed that this program has had a significant positive impact for those in need of crisis services and has reduced call volume for repeated behavioral health issues.

The FY2025 agreement will cost the City of DeKalb $135,714. This expenditure is included in the City’s adopted FY2025 budget in the Police Department’s Community Support Services line item 100-20-25-63800, Contracted Services.

City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information) 

6. Resolution 2025-044 Approving a Retail Tobacco Store License for Zone Tobacco & Convenience, Inc., Located at 110 E. Hillcrest Drive. 

City Manager’s Summary: The current owner of Lucky’s Tobacco, Safa Abedrabbo, is selling the business to Albasan Alfareh. Accordingly, an application for a Retail Tobacco Store (RTS) license has been submitted. Retail tobacco stores are defined as a business that either has 30% or more of its revenue or more than 25% of its floor area devoted to tobacco products and accessories. Mr. Alfareh is also planning to sell convenience food items at the store. If the license is approved, the City will receive an initial issuance fee of $3,735 and annual renewal fees of $350. Non-refundable fees for the RTS license application, background investigation for the new owner, and the required Fire Life Safety license in the amount of $500 have been paid. Mr. Alfareh’s background investigation results have been approved by the DeKalb Police Department.

City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information) 

7. Resolution 2025-045 Approving a Bar/Restaurant Liquor License for Iniga Inc., Doing Business as Iniga Pizzeria Napoletana, to be Located at 206 E. Lincoln Highway. 

City Manager’s Summary: The owner of Iniga (pronounced “In-ee-ga”, which means “fiery”) Pizzeria Napoletana, Tim Cottingim, has submitted an application for a Bar/Restaurant liquor license. If approved, the license will be considered “conditional” until the requirements laid out in the attached resolution are met, which includes receipt of a State of Illinois liquor license. The City will receive an initial issuance fee of $11,319 if the license is approved. Non refundable fees for the liquor license application, Fire Life Safety application, and background investigations for Mr. Cottingim and his manager, Susan Rowswell, in the amount of $766 have been paid. The licensing term for a Bar/Restaurant liquor license begins on January 1 and ends on December 31 with an annual renewal fee of $3,735. Background investigations for Mr. Cottingim and Ms. Rowswell have been approved by the DeKalb Police Department.

Approving the liquor license now will give Mr. Cottingim time to apply for the required State of Illinois liquor license while the building is still under construction.

City Council approval of the licenses is recommended, subject to the conditions described in the resolution. (click here for additional information) 

8. Resolution 2025-046 Authorizing a Land Lease Agreement with Iniga Pizzeria Napoletana for a Part of the Property Located on the East Side of S. Second Street at 206 E. Lincoln Highway for an Outdoor Patio. 

City Manager’s Summary: With the approval of the Iniga Inc. liquor license via Resolution 2025-045, the Council’s last official act on behalf of the opening of the new pizzeria and restaurant at 206 E. Lincoln Highway is the approval of a land lease for the use of the City right-of-way on S. Second Street for its outdoor patio (see graphic below). The attractive patio wrapped in iron railings has been in place for more than a decade but has not been used since Eduardo’s was closed. The attached agreement would restore the lease relationship at no cost to Iniga except for the required insurance to hold the City harmless for general liabilities not of the City’s making.

City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information) 

9. Resolution 2025-047 Approving a Bar Liquor License with Licensure for Supplemental Gaming for Redjepi LLC, Doing Business as Zana’s Woodfired Pizza, Located at 1406 Sycamore Road, Suite A-B. 

City Manager’s Summary: Zana’s Woodfired Pizza has held a City of DeKalb Restaurant/Low Alcohol by Volume (ABV) liquor license since April of 2023. The owner, Chefli Redjepi, is requesting approval from the Council to reclassify the liquor license to a Bar liquor license so that six video gaming terminals can be placed within a recent addition. If approved, the City will receive an initial issuance fee of $11,319 with annual renewal fees of $3,735. The City will also receive an initial fee of $1,000 for the placement of six video gaming terminals with annual renewal fees of $500 per video gaming terminal ($3,000). Background investigations approved by the DeKalb Police Department are on file for Mr. Redjepi and his manager, Fateme Redjepi.

Zana’s current liquor license was recently renewed for the May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026, term in the amount of $1,523.50. If approved, their renewal schedule will change to the January 1 to December 31 term. Staff respectfully request the pro-ration of the first renewal fee for the Bar liquor license, which would be due on December 1, 2025, thus reducing the initial fee from $3,735 to $2,211.50.

City Council approval of the licenses is recommended, subject to the conditions described in the resolution. (click here for additional information) 

K. ORDINANCES – SECOND READING 

None. 

L. ORDINANCES – FIRST READING 

1. Ordinance 2025-015 Approving a Plat of Vacation for Simonds Avenue. 

City Manager’s Summary: In the Public Hearing at the top of this agenda, the public was invited to comment on a proposed City action to vacate the portion of the southern end of Simonds Avenue shown in the graphic below. The area in the red highlighted area is public property, owned by the City of DeKalb, that presently serves no useful public purpose. The proposal is to vacate the area within the red “square” so it can be maintained as a private drive connecting with the Algus property. The City has no need for this connection but it is critical for trucks leaving Algus that are trying not to drive through the older residential neighborhoods to the north and west.

The transfer of this property does not negatively impact the public and represents a collaboration with a long-established business and the investments they have made in the past several decades. The platted but unbuilt part of Simonds Avenue is approximately 110’ x 66’ in dimension. The area south of the proposed vacation was deeded to the City in the past but never dedicated as ROW. The intent is to approve the plat of vacation of the right-of way first, and then deed the area south of the right-of-way to Algus at a future meeting. City Council approval is recommended. (click here for additional information) 

2. Ordinance 2025-016 Approving the Rezoning of Property Located at 209 Grove Street from the “LI” Light Industrial District to the “CBD” Central Business District (Michael Warfel). 

City Manager’s Summary: The applicant, Michael Warfel, has requested approval of the rezoning of 209 Grove Street from the “LI” Light Industrial District to the “CBD” Central Business District. The building, formerly known as the “Whizzer Building,” has about 1,100 square feet of usable space. The applicant has gutted the interior of the building and is interested in establishing retail service uses or office space. In April 2024, the City Council approved an AIP grant in the amount of $23,380 (Resolution 2024-033) to allow Mr. Warfel to work in the building to accommodate office or retail space. The project included HVAC and plumbing work, new windows and doors, and a new ADA sidewalk. Mr. Warfel purchased the property in 2022.

The proposed “CBD” zoning will allow more uses that are compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. The area on the north side of Grove Street between S. Second Street and S. Third Street is zoned “LI” Light Industrial. This one-time industrial area has become more commercial in nature in recent decades. As described in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), the intent of the “CBD” is to accommodate those retail and office uses that are characteristic of the downtown commercial core of the City. Additionally, the City’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan recommends commercial uses for this “LI” zoned area.

The “LI” Light Industrial District is no longer compatible for the subject site and surrounding area. The size of the building and lack of on-site space for parking and loading makes the site incompatible for industrial-type uses. The proposed “CBD” classification is appropriate for the building and will accommodate the proposed uses. It is also consistent with the zoning and land uses in the surrounding area. The subject site is in an area where on-site parking is not required according to the UDO. Public parking is available in the nearby Vaughn Lot (82 spaces), Embree Lot (75 spaces) and Gurler Lot (139 spaces).

The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing regarding the rezoning petition at their meeting on April 7, 2025. By a vote of 6 to 0, the Commission recommended City Council approval of the rezoning of the subject site at 209 Grove Street from the “LI” Light Industrial District to the “CBD” Central Business District.

City Council approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation is requested. (click here for additional information) 

M. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS 

1. Council Member Reports. 

2. City Manager Report. 

N. EXECUTIVE SESSION 

1. Approval to Hold an Executive Session Meeting to Discuss Executive Session Minutes as Provided for in 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21). 

O. ADJOURNMENT

 https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04142025-2683