Fresh off city council elections that witnessed two NIU students claim the 1st and 7th wards and two occupants retain their seats, DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow said the likelihood of a non-cohesive, indecisive city council is highly improbable.

First Ward alderman and senior NIU sociology major Karega Harris took over the seat originally held by Andy Small. Seventh Ward Alderman and graduate student James Barr took over for Joseph Sosnowski. Both men shouldn’t have any difficulties in adjusting to city issues, said City Clerk Donna Johnson. She said it’s a regular occurrence to see students run for these wards because they are mostly made up of students.

But how will both adjust to a position in a city that has many challenging decisions to make in the months to come?

Sparrow first noted the experience of newly elected Barr in terms of his position in county board and as DeKalb township trustee as a real advantage.

“James is an independent thinker; he’ll speak his mind,” Sparrow said. “He may take his position [immediately] and run with it.”

Barr felt confident in regards to Sparrow’s initial assumptions.

“I think I’ll fit in well enough,” he said. “I’ve enough ideas on other elected boards with the same values. I had conversations with the other alderman. I’ll be ready.”

Sparrow said newly elected 1st Ward Alderman Karega Harris may need a few months to become familiar with his duties, because he’s yet to hold a city position and make decisions on city issues.

“In some cases, new aldermen come in, sit back, listen and get acclimated,” Sparrow said. “It may take [Harris] a little while and he might be in awe and nervous. But he’ll be a very open-minded individual.”

Sparrow is satisfied with two students representing the two wards, he said.

“Some of these kids come in and outshine the entire council,” Johnson said. “They bring new perspectives and added enthusiasm. To them, it’s an internship or a better part-time job.”

Sparrow denies any direct candidate involvement

Sparrow said he’s completely opposed to any criticism that implies he tried to encourage candidates to run for alderman positions solely to back him up on various issues.

While Sparrow was an advocate for Christine Vesta, he said it was a situation where she approached him, had an interest in the position and was looking for someone to support her.

“She ate, slept and breathed this campaign,” Sparrow said. “But I have never gone out and tried to get someone to vote.”

Sparrow also denied having any party preferences.

“There’s not a Republican or Democratic way to pick up garbage in a city,” Sparrow said.

He said, though, there had been a group of aldermen, or “block,” that maintained some of the former mayor’s theories and ideas, and in a way, acted as “checks and balances” on issues he felt were important as mayor.

“Ninety percent of the time we agreed on issues,” Sparrow said. “But ten percent of those issues we wrangled over.”

Sparrow did, however, acknowledge that the new city council may have more of a majority vote or ideology similar to his, but that it doesn’t mean he’s conducting a rubber stamp council, he said.

“When I bring forth an issue, I feel strongly with trying to get four votes,” Sparrow said. “I don’t tell people what to do. But as mayor, I’m going to lead. But while I may endorse people doesn’t mean I vote them in.”

Future council to attack significant issues.

Barr said he’s wary of new development in DeKalb because of overcrowded schools and a poor budget. Therefore, he feels an alderman and the city as a whole should seriously analyze further commercial developments, and most importantly, industrial developments.

“The best thing we can do, and it’s a growing consensus, is to get a stronger industrial base,” Barr said. “This could alleviate the burden of property taxes to residents.”

Development must be monitored because the burden would be too great to the schools and only increase the already taxing road congestion throughout the city, Barr said.

Sparrow said he’d favor development fill-ins, like the Ken Nelson proposed development at the end of Ridge Street, but that bigger projects, such as the Savannah Green project, with a proposed 877-new houses, is not something the city can endure.

“The big projects we’d have to shelf or put on hold,” Sparrow said. “We should focus on the commercial and industrial, especially the industrial.”

Sparrow said he hopes to see DeKalb increase its potential for positive revenues before seriously considering great strides in additional developments.