The chambers of the DeKalb City Council erupted for several moments after a resolution passed 4-3 that stated that the city of DeKalb does not support a unilateral pre-emptive strike against Iraq.

The jubilation of the predominantly anti-war crowd was cut short by Mayor Greg Sparrow who calmly, but defiantly interrupted the cheers saying, “It has not passed yet, I will consider vetoing it and sending it back to the city council.”

The resolution and the discussion surrounding it forced the meeting to run well past 10 p.m.

“This is not opposing war under any circumstances,” said 3rd Ward Alderman Steve Kapitan, who proposed the resolution.

Fifth Ward Alderman Pat Conboy debated whether or not the DeKalb City Council had the jurisdiction necessary to deal with an international issue of this magnitude.

“I am bothered though, that the alderman are not qualified to make judgements about international affairs.” Conboy said. “You know what will happen next, we will be asked to take positions on other matters that go beyond the scope of the city.”

Sixth Ward Alderman Dave Baker worried about the implications of passing a resolution that went against the federal government and President George Bush.

“We may be sending a divisive action if we adopt this; does this make any sense?” he asked.

Fourth Ward Alderman Mike Knowlton echoed similar sentiments. “There is no way I am going to tie the president’s hands, there is no way I am going to undermine the president’s authority.”

Approximately 25 residents of DeKalb prepared speeches and delivered them to the council and the public after all of the alderman presented their initial positions.

“Do we act against a nation who has not directly attacked us yet?” asked DeKalb resident Paul Loubere.

After the first speaker from the public was finished, the pro-resolution and anti-war crowd broke out in loud clapping and cheers until the visibly agitated Sparrow cracked his gavel and threatened to cut the public speakers out of the proceedings.

Speakers who were against the resolution also presented their cases.

“It’s impossible for a local government to get the information necessary to make a decision,” said DeKalb native Allyn Davenport.

The vote was hotly debated and the stress of the lengthy public debate was visible when Baker attempted to abstain from the vote.

Sparrow urged him to explain his reasoning for abstaining or to simply vote one way or the other. Baker promptly voted against the resolution, along with 7th Ward Alderman Joe Sosnowski and 4th Ward Alderman Mike Knowlton.

In a tense moment before the final vote Cecile Meyer, a member of the DeKalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice, approached the podium without permission and began to speak. In response, Sparrow jokingly offered his gavel to her much to the delight of the crowd.

Conboy made a last moment crossover to supporting the resolution that caused the majority four votes necessary to pass the resolution.

DeKalb resident Joseph M. Gastiger summed up the nights proceedings during his time at the public podium saying that DeKalb must sound the alarm for the nation. “Towns like ours are like canaries in coal mines,” he said.