DeKALB — The DeKalb City Council met Monday to discuss the city’s 2025 property tax levy, public transportation contracts and funding to support local housing programs.
A Truth in Taxation “Black Box” opened the meeting, discussing the 2025 property tax levy. The proposed corporate levy totals $8.98 million, representing a 7.65% increase from 2024. The DeKalb Public Library’s proposed levy also showed a 7.65% increase, which makes the combined total amount $13.38 million between the library and city levies.
The council also held a public hearing regarding the Community Development Block Grant to reallocate $50,000 to the Family Service Agency’s Roots to Rise Transitional Youth Shelter. The shelter supports youth ages 14-24 facing homelessness or housing instability.
“It was once, a long time ago, a three-story house. It has to be broken up into units that would be for individual youth. That work is about to start if certain things fall into place, including general funding,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.
Also approved was a new three-year contract with Transdev Services Inc. to continue providing DeKalb’s public transit services including fixed routes, ADA Paratransit and Dial-a-Ride services from Jan. 1 through December 2028.
A resolution was also approved to amend a purchase agreement with Gillig, LLC, which increases the not-to-exceed amount from $4,005,384 to $4,064,155 for six new buses funded by the Rebuild Illinois Capital Grant.
“I love how we continue to adjust and own more and more of our own fleet. I think it’s great for our future options,” Mayor Cohen Barnes said.
Additionally, council members approved the authorization of five farm lease agreements for 318 acres of land at the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport. Halverson Farms was the top bidder at $287.50 per acre, earning a three-year contract totaling $91,425 annually.
“We’re excited to see this contract go to a multi-generational DeKalb farming family,” Barnes said.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of the final development plan for a proposed solar farm at the southwest corner of Illinois Route 38 and John Huber Parkway.
The project involves a grid-tied solar energy system with interconnection to ComEd’s distribution center. Site work is set to begin in the first quarter of 2026, with a fully functioning facility running by the fourth quarter of the year. Once the solar farm is fully operational, it will generate renewable electricity for 900 to 1,000 homes per year and is expected to operate for 25 to 30 years.
The next DeKalb City Council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 24 at the DeKalb Public Library in the Yusunas Meeting Room.
