With five DeKalb officials up for election, candidates for 2nd Ward alderman predict community growth will play a major role in who will prevail.

The office of the mayor, city clerk and aldermen in Wards 2, 4 and 6 are up for election, City Clerk Donna Johnson said.

The candidates seem most concerned with the issue of growth in the community, Johnson said.

There have been two different attitudes toward growth, she said. Some candidates advocate preserving farmland and trying to control growth. Others encourage more growth in the community, she said.

City officials said the community still could attract new businesses and manage the growth at the same time.

“I consider myself a very fiscal conservative,” said 2nd Ward Alderman Kris Povlsen. “I am very vigilant with the taxpayers’ dollars.”

Povlsen said he believes the council should evaluate the costs of economic development, such as adding more personnel, firefighters and schools.

Proper planning would help ensure increased revenue would pay for the cost of development, he said.

Opponent Edward Pevonka said he is not opposed to moderate and controlled growth, but is more concerned with the raw sewage that floods local homes in heavy rainfall.

“My opponent has been in office for eight years, and we still don’t have a program that provides relief for people with raw sewage backing up into their homes,” Pevonka said.

Although the council is working on a solution, the problem could have been prevented if it were discussed, Pevonka said.

“We have $26 million in our budget,” Pevonka said. “And if we can discuss ways to sweep garbage off the streets, we can find a way to clean the sewage out of these homes.”

The election will be on April 5.