The Planning and Zoning Commission on April 4 will review a proposal to renovate the vacant St. Mary’s Hospital building into an apartment building.

The proposal by Jon Sauser includes more than 30 apartment units in the four-story, 24,000 square foot building at 145 Fisk Ave. The current plans include nine two-bedroom units and 23 one-bedroom units. The 100-year-old building has been vacant since 1992.

As part of the project, the existing access drive to the property from Sycamore Road would be removed and relocated farther away from North First Street. Another access drive off Fisk Avenue would be reestablished. The plan includes 65 parking spaces in the lot between the rear of the building and Sycamore Road, more than the 57 required by code.

The Commission will not be taking any action on the project at the April 4 meeting, but rather the sketch plan will be reviewed. This will allow the applicant to receive input from the commissioners and public.

If the project moves forward, the applicant would come back to the Commission to rezone the property from a Neighborhood Commercial District to Planned Development – Residential District.

Also at the meeting, the Commission will discuss an update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

The Commission meeting begins at 6 p.m. Monday, April 4 in the Yusunas Meeting Room at the DeKalb Public Library. The full meeting agenda can be found here.

State Representatives Jeff Keicher and Tom Demmer were among the local lawmakers that met with City officials during the Illinois Municipal League’s Lobby Day on March 23 at the State Capitol.

The meetings allowed Mayor Cohen Barnes, Second Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson, Fifth Ward Alderman Scott McAdams and City Manager Bill Nicklas to discuss DeKalb’s priorities and how the state may be able to help the City meet them.

DeKalb will allow cannabis dispensaries in more locations which Council members hope will bring an important medicinal alternative to the City.

The City Council voted unanimously March 14 to allow adult-use and medical cannabis dispensaries as a special use in the Central Business, Planned Development Commercial and Planned Development Industrial districts. A required 250-foot setback from residential uses will also be removed.

The moves come after Mayor Cohen Barnes visited dispensaries in Naperville and North Aurora and talked with their owners and employees. He also talked with the mayor of Naperville.

Barnes said the dispensaries look like a typical retail business and all have security. He said they are located next to chain businesses and banks, and customers come and go with no one smoking cannabis outside.

“For me, seeing it firsthand, I see no problem whatsoever why that would be an issue in our downtown,” said Barnes. “Also, being a commercial property owner, spending so much time downtown, I don’t see how that would impact my business or my building, the value of my building, in any way, shape or form in a negative way.”

Second Ward Alderwoman Barb Larson (shown in photo) and Fifth Ward Alderman Scott McAdams note cannabis can be used medicinally to treat pain or cancer symptoms. Larson said it is an alternative to opioids.

“This is like a specialized pharmacy that’s coming, that’s going to meet the needs of a large portion of our residents,” said Larson.

Asked if dispensaries would add to the workload of the Police Department, Police Chief David Byrd said they would be treated no differently than any other business.

Each dispensary would be required to have a special use permit from the City Council to open. That way any concerns can be addressed by adding conditions to the permit, such as requiring appointments to avoid lines of customers.

Additionally, it is estimated each dispensary could generate between $250,000 to $400,000 in revenue to the City through a three-percent tax on sales.

Currently, DeKalb has approved special use permits for two dispensaries, which still need state licenses. Under state law, three dispensaries will be allowed in a ten-county region that includes DeKalb County.

The DeKalb City Council has approved sidewalk ramp repairs and water main replacements ahead of road resurfacing projects in the Knolls and on the City’s east side.

Before roads in the Knolls subdivision are repaved this summer, concrete repairs are needed at nearly all the street corners to bring the handicap ramps up to Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The work is estimated at $400,000.

The Council approved waiving the bidding process on March 28 to make sure the work is done on schedule and meets a requirement of the state grant which is funding the project that it be done by a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firm.

The City is also doing work on North 13th Street and North 14th Street. The Council has approved work related to the replacement of nearly 70-year-old water mains on both streets north of Clark Street. After the mains are installed, both roads will be fully resurfaced.

The total water main replacement costs will be nearly $1.7 million, around $80,000 more than budgeted. However, there are reserve funds available to cover the difference.

The public is invited to a Sixth Ward meeting with Alderman Mike Verbic to discuss opportunities and issues within DeKalb.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the DeKalb Police Department, 700 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, Illinois, in the Community Room on the second floor. The meeting will be held in person only. Those attending are welcome to record and/or live stream the meeting.

Alderman Verbic will provide opening remarks and City Engineer Zac Gill will join the meeting to support a discussion of Knolls road improvements. Further topics for discussion will include residential parking, vehicular speeding, current and future City projects and other Ward Six activities. Time will be allotted for citizen comment.

Please forward any other topics for discussion to mike.verbic@cityofdekalb.com. Those will be presented at the meeting and the feedback shared when possible.

Spring is in the air and everyone is getting antsy to get outside.

While planning for that new fence, deck, patio or gazebo, don’t forget to submit for your building permit from the City Building & Code Division.

This time of year is very busy for permit application, so be sure to get your information in at least 2 weeks before you plan to start.

For more information, click here. Are you tech savvy? Permits can be obtained online, or stop in City Hall to complete an application.

Grilling: Fire is unavoidable when it comes to preparing the perfect kabob or rack of ribs on the grill, which means you’ve got some inherent risks right from the get-go. Here are some fire safety tips for the grill:

Outdoor Fire Pits: The necessary safety precautions for an outdoor fire pit are much the same as for a grill, plus a few others:

Receive important notifications from the City by signing up for ALERT DeKalb. Text, email, and phone messages are used to alert the public to emergency situations, severe weather, and traffic disruptions.

Users can also text ALERTDEKALB to 67283 to report criminal or suspicious activity and quality of life concerns.

The DeKalb Police Department would like to thank the DeKalb Township for their generous contribution!

DeKalb Township Supervisor Mary Hess and DeKalb Township Trustee Dale Thurman presented the Department with a $20,000 contribution.

$15,000 will aid in the purchase and training of a K-9 and $5,000 will offset costs associated with reinstating the Police Bicycle Program.

LRS will resume seasonal collection of landscape waste on regularly scheduled pickup days beginning April 1st.

Residents are reminded of general guidelines:

• Landscape waste must be placed in approved biodegradable landscape waste bags or open garbage cans not larger than 32-gallon capacity - no plastic bags or boxes.

• LRS also offers Yard Waste carts for an additional, small monthly fee. Please call (815) 770-7550 to request a Yard Waste cart.

• Brush must be cut to 4-foot lengths and bundled with string or baler’s twine, (no wire or plastic rope) not to exceed 50 pounds.

Questions may be directed to the Public Works Operations Division at 815-748-2040.

The DeKalb Fire Fighters Local 1236 is proud to partner with the DeKalb Fire Department and provide a matching Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) program.

The DeKalb Fire Fighters plan on filling a need that is vital to our community. Local 1236 will provide a matching funds grant to help businesses, places of worship, and other places of gathering purchase an AED. All places wishing to apply must be covered by the DeKalb Fire Department.

Studies show that lay person Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and AED use prior to trained EMS professionals arriving increases the chance of survival by as much as 40% (source: American Heart Association). DeKalb Fire Fighters Local 1236 and the DeKalb Fire Departments goal is to make the City of DeKalb and our coverage areas a HeartSafe Community.

If you are interested in applying for a matching funds grant, click here.

If you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact President Noah Millard at president@iaff1236.com or Lt. of EMS Dave Delille

at fire.ems@cityofdekalb.com.

Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) will continue the Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) home collection services in 2022. Collections for HHW will begin in April.

Residents must submit their requests with LRS to schedule a pickup. Residents may submit a request online here or by dialing 815-770-7550. A collection time and date will be scheduled within 48 hours of the initial request, excluding weekends and holidays.

Instructions on packaging and material placement will be provided via the method of contact chosen during your initial request for the HHW collection service.

For further information on the program, visit LRS online or contact LRS at 815-770-7550.

The City of DeKalb is celebrating a $50,000 grant that will be used to create murals and public art to bolster community spirit.

Representatives from T-Mobile presented a ceremonial check at the City Council meeting on March 28 recognizing DeKalb as one of 25 communities across the country to receive a Hometown Grant.

DeKalb’s grant was pursued by the City’s Community Enhancement Commission and will be used to fund a three-year public arts program.

“I have to thank the City Council and the City of DeKalb for all that they’ve done in support of the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission,” said Commission Chair Brad Hoey. “We put together, as you remember, the mural policy, and we’ve been looking for projects for public art for the last several years and really looking for opportunities to fund many of those projects.”

Mayor Cohen Barnes thanked the Commission and T-Mobile.

“Thank you, T-Mobile team,” said Barnes. “It’s great to have partners like that in the community helping us fund just such a wonderful program.

News releases will be issued and updates will be posted on the City’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages as details on the public arts program are finalized by the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission.

Voices of Belonging is an interactive audio exhibit that aims to deepen the communiversity's understanding of belonging and othering by exploring lived personal experiences of campus and community members, as well as the insights of local and national belonging thought leaders.

Find more information about the exhibit here, see more events on NIU's Event Calendar.

This modern musical comedy by Mel Brooks won multiple Tony Awards and has thrilled audiences since it opened on Broadway in 2000.

Purchase tickets here, and view the theater's full schedule.

Meet at the NIU Nursing Building, 1240 Normal Rd, for the group's first clean-up of the spring season. Look for the big blue tent. Trash bags, grabbers, gloves, wagons, and beverages will be provided.

See the group's Facebook page for more collection dates.

Comedian Drew Lynch captured the hearts of America with his Golden Buzzer performance on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, where he finished in second place. Since then, Drew has amassed over 2 million subscribers on YouTube.

Purchase tickets here. Learn about more events on the Theatre's Events Schedule.

With the use of interview and performance clips, Gary Wenstrup will discuss this album’s music, concept, packaging and the overwhelming world-wide reaction to its release. The event is free and no registration is required.

More information on the event can be found here, and see all of the library's programs on its calendar.

Submit your event to be consider for the e-News Community Events Calendar by e-mailing here.

Find more events by visiting the Community Events Calendar on the City's website.

City Hall          

Monday - Friday  

DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport    

City Clerk 815-748-2095 

City Manager's Office 815-748-2090

Community Development Department 815-748-2070

DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport 815-748-8102

Finance Department 815-748-2000

Fire/Police Emergency 911

Fire Non-Emergency 815-748-8460

Mayor's Office 815-758-1886

Police Non-Emergency 815-748-8400

Public Works Department 815-748-2040