Security in the municipal building has left something to be desired, according to some city officials, since the city police moved out of the municipal building to their station on West Lincoln Highway.

Previously, the municipal building, 200 S. Fourth St., was secured by the police department. The lobby of the building doesn’t have a reception desk, just an informational monitor, and a glass window in which a DeKalb police officer once sat.

Now that the police department has moved, the elevator and stairs to the municipal offices are left unsecured. The security concern at city hall will be addressed at today’s City Council meeting

“I would say that there is some security in place, but it could be better,” said DeKalb Police Chief Gene Lowery.

Lowery said adequate security processes are taken during court, but more can be done when there are large court calls.

“There is overall security concern for city employees in the building,” said Mayor John Rey. “If you have someone who is there for unethical purposes or illegal purposes, it would be well to have that screened upon entrance to the building.”

A bailiff is on duty during court proceedings in the building, and two DeKalb police officers manage a magnetometer that screens visitors.

“Obviously the staff feels rather uncomfortable now without the police there in case there is an issue,” said first ward Alderman David Jacobson.

“I have been up there on court days, and on court days I think the process of how we do the intake into the courtroom probably is not ideal, and I do think that process has created the potential for a problem to occur.”

Rey expects to have a reception area in place as a temporary measure until city hall is remodeled. Rey said a temporary solution is expected to be put in place by the end of the month.

Jacobson advocates looking into permanent solutions he thinks will be cheap, like moving the City Council chambers, where court is held.

“My personal feeling is that this issue is being leveraged for a call to spend millions of dollars in TIF money on city hall,” Jacobson said. “And while I realize this is an important issue and it’s one that does need addressing and attention to, I think there are considerably cheaper ways to fix the problem.”