NIU students in both residence halls and rooming houses now have to search for alternative lighting fixtures as the city council voted unanimously on an ordinance to ban torchere halogen lamps.

As stated in the council agenda, the ordinance in Section 14.21 states that “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation partnership, or association that owns, conducts, keeps, manages or operates a dormitory or rooming house as defined in this Chapter 14 to permit torchere style halogen lamps, as defined herein, to be present anywhere in said dormitory or rooming house.”

City Clerk Donna Johnson said such an ordinance goes into effect 10 days after the council approves it. The ordinance first was proposed thanks to a recommendation from Fire Prevention Lt. Dean Richardson, who learned that a good number of rooming housing own these lamps that can easily cause dangerous house fires.

Johnson said another topic at the council meeting that received some debate, despite receiving a unanimous vote, was the resolution to appropriate motor fuel tax funds for maintenance on various DeKalb streets.

The resolution calls for $1,200,000 in Motor Fuel Tax Funds to be delegated toward various streets projects that otherwise would be funded through state and/or general funds. Johnson said because of budget restraints and poor funds returned from the state, the city would have to dip into the Motor Fuel Tax Funds in order to fund various projects that include the 2003 Annual State Maintenance, salt purchases, street lighting and electrical charges.

Johnson said the debate surrounding this resolution basically centered on the aldermen making sure the city had to resort to using Motor Fuel Tax Funds for these citywide needs.

Finally, a consideration unanimously passed through the city council that proposed the Center of Governmental Studies conduct a citizens survey reflecting their opinions about Growth Summit issues. Johnson said the survey would cost about $7,000 and would be a good indication of what citizens really want to see in terms of growth discussions and actions taken within the Growth Summit.

“We encourage people who get called to answer because it is for a legitimate purpose,” Johnson said.