Although much of Sycamore is presumed to fare well, a study estimates the school district could accumulate an $8 million deficit over the next 10 years.

The NIU Center for Governmental Studies presented a study based on recent development trends during Monday’s city council meeting.

The study projected an overall surplus for the park district, library and city if the council continues enacting policy as it is now.

As of now, the city has a balanced tax base that draws proportionally from its industrial, commercial and residential entities, said Roger Dahlstrom, the study’s principal coordinator.

City Manager Bill Nicklas expressed concern over the school district’s projected deficit. He said it is the only taxing body that could experience a loss and asked Dahlstrom what could be done to prevent it.

Dahlstrom proposed increasing the one-time education fee from the current $1,000 to a number more in line with the Illinois average.

He also recommended waiving the fee for new residents who have no children.

“It’s essentially an impact fee,” Dahlstrom said. “If there’s no impact, there shouldn’t be a fee.”

Because the city limited the number of new dwellings it will allow to 250 units per year, the fee will generate less money. The limit was imposed to prevent an exaggerated influx of students the schools could not handle, Dahlstrom said.

The deficit projection is based on how the government is currently functioning and does not take into account hypothetical actions the council may take in the future.

The beauty of this plan is that it allows a government to preventively re-examine its current policies, Dahlstrom said.

The city also passed an ordinance that drew a definite boundary line between Kane and DeKalb counties.

“What is proposed is a modest plan,” Nicklas said.

The agreement does not specify zoning restrictions, but merely acts as a buffer between Burlington and Sycamore to prevent them from growing into each other, he said.