District granted input on growth

By Libby John

An intergovernmental agreement with the DeKalb Board of Education will headline Monday’s city council meeting.

The agreement will allow District 428 to extend its input and recommendations for annexation agreements for residential development in the city.

Though the school board always was allowed to give its input, the agreement will make it more formal.

“It’s important to represent the economic unity in the community,” Acting City Manager Linda Wiggins said.

This item was postponed from the Jan. 26 meeting so City Attorney Margo Ely could review language changes proposed by attorney Dave Witheft, a representative of the Builders and Developers Association.

The public works department will recommend to the council to allow the Federal Highway Administration to install automated train horns at South First Street, South Fourth Street, North Fifth Street, North Seventh Street and 10th Street.

This is part of the city’s project to reduce the noise of the trains that go by, Wiggins said.

The department also will look into other safety measures that would incorporate quiet zones, including additional gates and eliminating crossings.

“If people are looking for a quick fix, it ain’t going to happen,” Wiggins said.

The council also will look at a consideration from T-Mobile Wireless to put a communications antenna on the water tank along Dresser Road. The company proposed a monthly rent of $1,432.

The council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday at the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St.