Celebrating the South Fourth Street Neighborhood

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce deserves some props for some nice community event promotions this past week.

If you’re from DeKalb and didn’t stop at the South Fourth Street Fun Fair at the District 428 Administration Center you missed seeing some friends. A lot of them. You also missed a chance to bend the ears of several City of DeKalb officials.

I chatted with Mayor John Rey, Police Chief Gene Lowery, Fire Chief Eric Hicks, Chief Planner Derek Hiland and Roger Hopkins, the EconDev guy for the city. I got to talk a little with Matt Duffy and Josh Waddle with the DeKalb Chamber. Talked shop with DeKalb Township Supervisor Eric Johnson. I saw interim City Manager Rudy Espiritu and 4th ward Alderman Robert Snow but we didn’t get to chat.

There is a proposal to create a new TIF District in the South Fourth Street neighborhood. Based on those attending the fun fair there is some excitement in the buzz among the neighbors for investment in their part of town.

The required public hearing on creating the new TIF District is coming up August 12 (another TIF is proposed for a couple of parcels of land on Sycamore Road). Details of the TIF plans are available here (South Fourth Street TIF Plan) and here (Sycamore Road TIF Plan). I’m still studying it too so stay tuned and I’ll share what I learn. Keep your eye on the Daily Chronicle and City Barbs for their analysis as well.

Eric Hicks

But what a cool event. Simplicity wins. There were lines of kids waiting to get up close to a fire truck and talk with a DeKalb Firefighter. Flippin’ Eggs restaurant provided a continuous long line of parents and kids with free ice cream. Lehan Drugs, the Growing Place, State Farm Insurance and Kish Health Systems provided shade and information from their tents and booths. Mostly it was neighbors excited to talk with others interested in renewing their neighborhood. Well done, Matt Duffy and Chamber crew.

Here’s what I learned from my chats. Roger Hopkins hasn’t changed much over the 30 years I’ve known him. If you want something developed he’s a good guy to talk with because that is his mission. It’s been his career and he’s excelled at it. During his stint with the DCEDC he was recognized as one of the top economic development directors in the nation. Guess what he thinks of the South Fourth Street and Sycamore Road plans?

“We’ve just got to find the funding,” Hopkins said. “Because the opportunity for renewal is here.”

Regardless of how the TIF proposals pan out police and fire protection will be ready and willing to serve the public. Police Chief Gene Lowery exudes leadership and conveys his military background well. His job is to prepare and lead his department through removing any threat to the public’s safety. He was still thrilled from being able to add new members to his staff. Lowery’s introduction of the men and women joining the DeKalb Police Department and recognizing those who earned promotions and awards at Monday’s city council meeting was powerful as he stressed how high his expectations of them were and how much each of them meant to the community.

Gene Lowery

He was glad to hear that people are paying attention and appreciating his work since becoming our Chief of Police. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him since he joined the force, replacing Bill Feithen (retired). I was glad to get to talk with Chief Lowery. He seems like the real deal.

I met Chief Eric Hicks while on the city’s finance advisory committee. He’s a sharp guy and a deeper thinker. I had an agenda of promoting the use of a little pay-as-you-go TIF as an enticement to get middle income earners to own and occupy a South Fourth Street neighborhood home. He told me that the DeKalb Fire Department recently adopted a hiring process that gives bonus points to applicants that live in DeKalb. They need to fill a couple of positions soon.

A fireman today may be much more complex than in the past. Emergency responder requires many skills. But Hicks said to let any 19 year old out there that would like to start a career as a fireman know they’re at the perfect age to start. He himself started by enrolling in Kishwaukee College’s program and has since worked his way up to DeKalb Fire Chief.

So that’s why Mayor John Rey’s job is so important to DeKalb. Rey’s about the nicest person most will meet. As a new mayor he is bubbling with his vision for the city. The math could be wrong but I estimate he starts out 38.6% of his sentences with, “I see a […].” Here’s hoping he’ll be open to what others are seeing for DeKalb because many I’ve talked to see real challenges in the near future for the city.

Roger Hopkins

I lobbied for my agenda for using pay-as-you-go TIF carrots to get middle income earners who already work in DeKalb to live here, too. We can’t and shouldn’t force people to live here just because they work here but a little encouragement could go a long way. DeKalb’s been the big shoulders city for affordable low income housing for a good number of years. Middle income earners are people, too.

Rey smiled just like former Mayor Kris Povlsen did when I proposed a similar program to the finance advisory committee. Povlsen’s was a non-productive smile. The proposal was buried soon after I passed it around the table.

I told Rey I thought Dave Baker did the community a great disservice when he said the council should pass on the Irongate proposal without the consideration to receive and file the application because ten years ago it would have easily passed on first and second reading. It wouldn’t have passed because there was a moratorium on new annexations. The public deserves facts and figures sans the spin.

The city is going to revamp its Comprehensive Plan. It was last done in 2005 but a few piecemeal additions have been added, according to Mayor Rey. He said the proposed DeKalb Government Center has been added. I haven’t seen the proposal at least enough to be fully informed but it does sound like an expensive proposition. Sure hope we can afford it!