About a dozen DeKalb residents attended Thursday’s open house to share concerns, find answers or meet elected officials.

City Manager Mark Biernacki said the meeting was useful although the attendance was lower than they had hoped.

Biernacki said people brought concerns regarding the city’s redesigned Web site, storm water drainage, flooding, property maintenance, sidewalks, traffic and parking.

Paul McMenamin, 2nd Ward resident, said he was concerned about the Huskie bus line running on city streets before they start to operate.

He said the city officials told him they would discuss the issue with the Student Association.

Bill Feld, 5th Ward resident , said since the city is federally funded, its Web site is required to meet Section 508 requirements and it is currently in violation of them.

“Mysteriously, just before the election, [the city] has redesigned and redeployed the city Web site,” Feld said. “A lot of material is under construction, which makes no sense as it was functional before.”

Don Floyd, DeKalb resident and campaign worker for mayoral candidate Frank Van Buer, voiced his concerns regarding the city’s usage of taxpayer dollars at the open house.

“I have some concerns that we’re giving away too much of our tax money to attract businesses when DeKalb is already a growing community,” Floyd said.

Former City Manager and 2nd Ward resident Jim Connors said DeKalb is lagging in providing substantial and adequate impact fees [to developers.]

“Sycamore increased their fair market value to $115,000,” Connors said. “The neighboring towns provide greater support for their schools and parks.”

Fair market value is the value for an acre of land. The higher the dollar amount, the greater the impact fees paid by developers to the city in cash or land, Connors said.

DeKalb’s current fair market value is set at $75,000.

Connors said DeKalb was one of the last towns to levy impact fees. He said the city should keep up with other towns as a relief to the tax payers.

Kris Povlsen, 2nd Ward alderman, said he supported Connors’ views on impact fees.

“We take all this information and assign it to a sub-committee called the Neighborhood Services Committee,” he said. “They determine what, if any, questions can be answered and bring it to the city council.”

Biernacki said the next Open House is scheduled for May and it will be designed so city officials will walk the neighborhood in pre-designated routes in the Northeast and Southwest parts of town.