The new DeKalb Police Station came one step closer to starting Monday night.

A motion was passed at the Committee of the Whole Meeting of DeKalb City Council to bring up an ordinance for the funding of the new DeKalb Police Headquarters. A committee consisting of Acting Mayor Kris Povlsen ; Ed Pevonka, police facility advisor committee member ; Marianne Anderson, finance advisory committee member; City Manager Mark Biernacki and Assistant City Manager Rudy Espiritu came up with three possible options for funding the police station.

The motion states that the $1.3 million remaining to pay for the station will come from multiple sources. The highlight of the option chosen was the fact that none of the revenue would come from property tax. To get the $1.3 million, it is necessary to increase Restaurant and Bar Tax by .5 percent, apply a utility surcharge of $85 per meter and raise Hotel and Motel Tax from 6 percent to 7 percent.

Facing opposition from some board members, Povlsen said raising the Restaurant and Bar Tax would be an effective way of spreading the burden to not just the people who live in DeKalb, but the people who visit as well.

“If you look at the restaurant and bar tax what that does is: one, it would tax discretionary spending and two, it would be a tax on visitors who come into this community and place a burden on our police department,” Povlsen said.

Povlsen said the utility surcharge will also be a way to have NIU pay for part of the police station.
“I believe NIU should be a player,” Povlsen said. “Because there are meters at NIU, the NIU organization would also be chipping in and paying for part of this police station which we believe is a benefit to NIU.”

DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen stressed that the community needs this project to get done as soon as possible.

“We’ve been discussing this for eight years,” Feithen said. “I think the time to act is now for a variety of reasons. We’ve certainly seen over the last eight years how the cost of this project has much grown because of inflationary factors. I don’t think we need to wait for financial consultants. It’s time to get it done.”

Feithen said the current police facility puts people in danger.

“I’m tired of putting the citizens of this city that are in this facility at risk and my people at risk. I had a citizen in that was a victim of a DUI accident just last weekend and he sat in the conference room and watched what went on out through the doorway. And he said that every citizen in this town should see what your putting up with here and what has to be done.”

Povlsen said the whole community has to be in this project together.

“We need to be sure that everybody pays their fair share for this and that we don’t overburden anyone,” Povlsen said.

This proposal will come up at the next council meeting and will be up for amendment.

City council also appointed Tom Teresinski to Second Ward Alderman after the spot was left vacant when Povlsen was made Acting Mayor.

An ordinance was also passed changing the speed limit in the Eden’s Garden subdivision to 25 mph.

An open meeting will take place Oct. 1 at 7 P.M. for citizens to talk about a proposed hotel at 663 South Annie Glidden Road.

Povlsen also agreed to contract terms with DeKalb municipal employees union through AFSCME Local 813 for the period of Jan. 1, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2010.

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