The DeKalb City Council discussed the progress made on the new police facility at a meeting Monday.

The council heard reports from subcommittees and commissions and introduced new resolutions and motions, among which was a proposed referendum regarding the position of city clerk.

The designing of the new police station, to be located on Lincoln Highway, is underway, and the council heard a progress report from PSA Dewberry, the architecture firm leading the project. The report included planned layouts for the interior and exterior of the new complex, with a partial basement housing a training center and a possible firing range. Larry Hlavacek, business unit manager for PSA Dewberry, said the plan should come in on budget and will not exceed the maximum spending cap of $12 million.

The DeKalb Police Department received recognition from Bob Schwieder of the Employer Support of Guard and Reserve committee, a committee of the Department of Defense. The police department was awarded the Patriotic Employer Award for employing members of the National Guard and Reserves.

“It’s great to see such dedication from these men,” Schwieder said. “Having employers that support the Guard and Reserve is incredibly important.”

Presentations to the council included a proposal for the City of DeKalb to invest in preventative measures for the emerald ash bore that is infecting DeKalb’s trees.

“DeKalb has about 1,200 ash trees, and with proper preventative measures, we can extend the lifetime of at least 500 of these trees with an investment of about $25,000 a year for five years,” said T.J. Moore, director of DeKalb Public Works. The vote on this measure was pushed to the next meeting in order to gather more statistics on the issue.

A proposal for the city to invest in a documentary covering DeKalb’s history from the producers of the recent documentary on the City of Sycamore was presented to the council.

“Imagine the uses of having such an incredible collection of DeKalb’s history,” said documentarian Shela Lahey. “The magic of these movies can reach out to kids in school, the people of the city, and anyone who wants to see the intangibles of what DeKalb is; what makes this city so special.”

A proposal for a referendum to change the way the city clerk is elected passed 6-2. It will allow residents to vote in November on whether they want the office to continue to be an elected position, or would like to have the clerk appointed by the city manager with consent and advice from the mayor and city council.

The DeKalb City Council next meets at 7 p.m. April 23 at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St.