July 21, 2015

State of the City
July 21, 2015
Strategic Priorities
The City has developed strategic priorities to lead decision-making.
Action items have been aligned with the following categories:
Infrastructure
Strategic Planning
Financial Stability
Public Safety
Sustainable Operations Regional Airport
Overview of the Presentation
 Focus on businesses, projects and plans
 Explain organizational restructuring and succession planning
 Highlight success stories
 Outline steps taken to move DeKalb forward:
 Increase of communication
 Implementation of best practices
 Continuation of key partnerships
New Businesses
 Barb City Bagels
 Breathe, The Art of Yoga
 Certified Phone Repair
 Culver’s
 Dental Fields
 Diddy Dogs
 Elegance Landscaping
 Ellwood Steak and Fish House
New Businesses
 House Café (reopened)
 La Michoacana Ice Cream Bar
 Mega Grande Laundromat
 Montessori Academy
 Sleepy’s
 Supercuts
 TNT Video Games & Repairs
 Urban Grace
Completed Projects
 Ducky’s Formal Wear (relocation)
 Manning Ford (expansion)
 Small Town Skate Shop (relocation)
 Indoor skate park (coming soon)
Projects in Progress
 DeKalb Public Library
 University Plaza
 Chilton’s Sporting Goods
 Fatty’s Pub and Grille
 Burger King
 University Village
 Enterprise Zone
Construction Projects
 $1.5 million of capital improvements
 ADA accessibility sidewalk updates:
 Fisk Avenue
 10th Street
 Maplewood Avenue
 Grove Street from 5th to 7th
 Kishwaukee River bike path connection
Upcoming Projects
 3M at Park 88
 Oak Crest
 987,000 square ft. facility
 70,000 square ft. addition
 $40 million investment
 $9 million investment
Acquisition of Property
Protano’s site
Lot east of Police Department
Plans
 Housing Study – Phase II
 Comprehensive Street
Inventory
 Airport Governance Study
 Water Infrastructure Plan
& Rate Study (in progress)
 Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan
 Establishes a 10-year
plan for the City
 Incorporates extensive
community input
 Draft Plan to be
presented to the City
Council in October
Communication Efforts
 New City website
 Social media
 Popular Annual
Financial Report
 Annual Report
Succession Planning
 Departmental restructuring
Deputy Fire Chief
Jeff McMaster
Public Works
Support Services
Superintendent
Jake Keck
Police
Commander
Robert Redel
 Promotions
Police
Commander Jim
McDougall
Police
Commander Tracy
Smith
Deputy Police
Chief John
Petragallo
Success Stories
 Camp Power
 Code Red implementation
 Commercial Inspection Program
 Crime Free Housing
 Crime reduction
Crime Free Housing Program
 Reduce crime in rental property
 Improve communication and trust
Crime Reduction
 Part 1 Crimes are
at their lowest
point in the last 10
years.
 They peaked in
2011 and have
decreased 18%
cumulatively
during that time.
Crime Reduction
 Part 2 Crimes are
also at their lowest
point in the last 10
years.
 They peaked in 2008
and have decreased
32% cumulatively
during that time.
Award Winning
 America’s Best Communities (ABC)
Quarterfinalist
 Illinois Policy Institute Award for
Financial Transparency
 Tree City USA (17th award)
 Certificate Achievement for Excellence
in Financial Reporting (20th and 21st)
 Popular Annual Financial Report
(PAFR): Outstanding Achievement
America’s Best
Communities (ABC) Grant
 Purpose of the grant is to drive economic
development and revitalization
 DeKalb is one of 50 quarterfinalists
 Three grand prize winners will be named America’s
Best Communities:
 First Place: $3 million
 Second Place: $2 million
 Third Place: $1 million
PAFR Award
 First PAFR
 Provides information
on City’s financial
condition
 Achieved high marks
from GFOA
Customer Service Improvements
 One-stop shop
 Relocation of staff from the
Annex to City Hall
 Extended hours of operation
 Expanded work week to 40
hours
Best Practices
 Purchasing Manual
 Financial Policies
 FY16 Annual Budget
Community Partnerships
 Joint Planning
 Used Fire Ladder
truck purchase
 $420,000 cost
 NIU contribution
 Co-Policing
 Emergency Disaster
Planning
Looking Forward
 Glidden North Corridor Study
 Protano’s grant preparation
 Egyptian Theatre
 Development projects
 Long-range Capital Planning
(Streets, Fleet and Water)