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Wednesday, May 14, 2014
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Sycamore parks mull referendum Commissioners’ proposal would help fund district’s Vision 2020 projects By ANDREA AZZO aazzo@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – Sycamore Park District commissioners likely will vote in a month or two on pursuing a referendum to fund their Vision 2020 plan, which includes creating new amenities such as a community center. Voters could be asked to approve a property tax rate increase of 18 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value in order to issue $8 million
in bonds. The funds would be used for projects including a zero-depth aquatic play area for children, a dog park, and a 22,400-square-foot community center with basketball courts, a running track, exercise area and programming space. Funding also would be sought from private donors, park officials say. “We think it’s do-able,” park board member Ann Tucker said, “and we think it’s what this community needs.”
An 18-cent tax rate increase would add about $90 a year, or $7.50 a month, to the tax bill of the owner of a $154,000 home who claims the homestead exemption. The average Sycamore home is assessed at about $154,000, park officials said. A survey of park district residents indicated that many would be willing to pay $10 more a month for amenities in the plan, park officials said, and this proposal would meet that price point for many res-
idents. Overall, commissioners hope to fund about two-thirds of the project costs with increased tax revenue and rely on community donations for the final third. When it comes to adding two to three miles of trails to connect existing trails, only 20 percent of the $2.3 million cost would come from local sources; the rest would come from state grants. The park district recently purchased 25 acres of land across from the sports com-
plex on Airport Road where they expect to house future facilities. Unlike most of the district’s other property, it is not within a floodplain, giving the district a freer hand in what it can build there. The district already has applied for a state grant to fund building the community center, which will include a gym, fitness space, multipurpose rooms and administration space, Park District
“This [longterm project] is about investing in our community and making it better for everybody.” Ted Strack, Sycamore Park District board president
See REFERENDUM, page A7
DeKalb eyes TIF funds for city hall
PREPARE FOR THE STORM
Constructing new building an option By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – City staff have a few more suggestions for changes to DeKalb city hall now that the police station has relocated, but not all aldermen are convinced they should spend $100,000 to research them. Aldermen were told Monday that although they thought the only option to address problems at the nearly 50-year-old municipal building at 200 S. Fourth St. was to renovate, building a new city hall could be a possibility. The building falls within a tax increment financing district, a funding mechanism in John Rey which the city DeKalb mayor diverts property tax money into a special account that is used to rehabilitate blighted areas. That money is not included in the city’s general fund, which council members were told Monday faces a deficit expected to reach about $600,000 in fiscal 2015. Attorney Kathleen Field Orr explained to aldermen that TIF money could be used to build a new facility as long as it puts a public building onto the tax rolls and uses part of the old building. City officials would consider selling the annex building across Fourth Street and consolidating city operations at city hall, Mayor John Rey said. Also news to aldermen was that $8.4 million in TIF money could be available for use in the district. Officials previously believed they had $5.5 million to use for city hall renovation. There is some urgency to the project because the TIF district will expire in March 2018. Before any decisions are made about city hall,
Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia.com
Lightning flashes in the sky behind the DeKalb County Courthouse on Monday night as severe weather hit DeKalb County. The CodeRED mobile alert app texts or emails the user with severe weather, wind, heat, flood, and cold warnings, as well as community alerts, within the distance radius set by the user. The app is free for basic functions.
Spring storm season expected to stretch into July, meteorologist says By KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com DeKALB – With Illinois among the top 10 states to be hit with tornadoes, the threat of severe weather is real. The best way to be protected from the very real threat is to prepare, emergency officials say. According to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois ranks fifth in the United States for the number of tornadoes per square mile. The city of DeKalb is likely to be hit by a tornado every 30 years. The last one to touch down in the city destroyed a house on Perry Road in 1994, Northern Illinois University meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste said. The DeKalb area also gets hit
On the Web For a spring and summer weather forecast, scan the code with your smartphone or visit www. daily-chronicle.com.
Photo Illustration by Danielle Guerra – dguerra@shawmedia. com
at least twice a year with thunderstorms that produce winds of 58 mph or faster, hail the size of a quarter or larger, or a tornado. “Obviously, we do have a severe weather threat here in DeKalb,” Sebenste said. April through June is considered peak season for severe weather in
See STORM, page A7
Tips for preparing for severe weather n Have someone monitor weather conditions, regardless of the time of day. Many deadly tornadoes occur at night. Monitor watches and warnings in your areas using a weather alert radio, cellphone app, local TV, local radio or the Internet. Do not rely solely on outdoor warning sirens, especially if you are asleep. n Keep all of your important records and
documents in a safe deposit box or another safe place away from the premises. n Insure your property and possessions. Make an inventory of your possessions using paper lists, photographs and/or videotapes of your belongings. Give a copy to your insurance company. Update your inventory and review your coverage with your insurance company periodically.
See DeKALB, page A6
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