DeKalb city officials and NIU administrators are at odds concerning a fire protection contract supplied by the city, and city officials warn next year NIU will be asked to pay an increased amount for the services.

The $237,848 price paid for fire protection and emergency medical services has not increased in three years, said DeKalb City Manager Mark Stevens. Yet technology has been upgraded and services have been expanded to include hazardous wastes, he said.

NIU administrators contend the university cannot increase the amount paid for fire protection because the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the state legislature and Gov. James Thompson have not authorized an increase in appropriations.

“We are not appreciative of the cooperation from the university,” Stevens said. “We understand there are things beyond their control from a funding standpoint… The city has placed NIU on notice this is unacceptable and the city will expect appropriate adjustments next year.”

Norden Gilbert, NIU associate legal counsel, said, “The legislature appropriates to us a specific amount of money for fire protection. We don’t take anything out of it. Everything we pass along for fire protection.”

But Stevens said that in other years, NIU has supplemented funding from the legislature with other money to provide a pay increase.

“If you think from an overall funding situation that the city provides a certain level of service and that service carries a certain cost, the city should be reimbursed for that cost,” Stevens said.

Gilbert said, “In terms of fire protection, where the Illinois General Assembly is giving us an appropriation, we don’t have a whole lot of discretion for supplementing this. It is frustrating. There have not been additional funds.”

Stevens said the current fire protection formula is outdated and does not provide for upgrading paramedic and fire suppression services or for adding hazardous materials to the city’s responsibilities.

City officials said they do not have an exact dollar amount in mind, but that the figure paid by NIU has not kept up with inflation. “We would like to see some percentage increase,” Stevens said. “We think that insofar as there has been no increase for three years, then there is a catch-up issue here—even if we assume the base amount is correct.”

The city also requested a letter of intent from NIU officials regarding hazardous materials usage and storage on campus.