City Council voted on new landlord regulations and held a public hearing regarding a tax levy for the incoming fiscal year at a Monday meeting.

The council passed an ordinance requiring landlords to pay a fee for each of their rental units, which would in turn help fund a new public safety program. The public safety program includes an initiative to enforce code violations in these rental properties, including more policing of alcohol and drug violations.

Members of the DeKalb Area Rental Association (DARA), like DARA board member Jim Mason, opposed having a yearly registration fee.

“Paying for this should be out of the public fund,” Mason said. “People pay property taxes already. Double taxation should not be allowed.”

During citizen comments, DeKalb resident Dan Porter said he felt the ordinance discriminated against the students and would discourage people from coming to NIU. He believes the incentive to go to college is declining, and that having fees imposed on rental properties will deter students more.

“The younger people who move through our community are overly policed,” Porter said. “How can we put the smackdown on them for things we all did?”

Some members of DARA said the cost of the new safety program is unfairly targeting rental properties.

DARA president Jim Morel said the cost of the program should be distributed more evenly between the city and the registration fees from landlords. .

Second ward alderman Tom Teresinski said landlord fees are more expensive at other communities with state universities and the landlords will benefit from this ordinance and the new safety program.

The new safety program will be under the jurisdiction of a new city appointed position, which will work closely with code inspectors and the DeKalb Police Department. Seventh ward alderman Monica O’Leary agreed with the decision to keep the program as its own entity.

“The police already have enough to do,” O’Leary said. “Why should this be left to them?”

The council voted to postpone a vote on a tax levy that would increase taxes on new construction. If the ordinance passes, existing homes will not see a property tax increase, though new constructions could see an increase of up to .7 percent in city property taxes. The vote is postponed until the Council’s next meeting.

City Council also announced and celebrated the promotion of two city employees. Wesley Hoadley was promoted to deputy chief of the DeKalb Police Department. Hoadley has been a police officer for more than two decades. Gregory Hoyle, who has 31 years of service in the fire service and who had spent time in the military, was promoted to deputy chief of the DeKalb Fire Department.

The Council also voted to approve funding to purchase a new fire truck for the DeKalb Fire Department. Council members also took time to congratulate the NIU football team and wish it good luck at the MAC Championship this Friday.