With growth comes opposition, but in the case of the DeKalb City Council, ethics have been the highlight of recent debates.

Herbert Rubin, NIU sociology professor and DeKalb Plan Commission member, made comments in a recent letter to the editor in the Daily Chronicle that spawned a heated debate within the council, ignited by Mayor Greg Sparrow as a result of a letter he received from Construx owner Mike Suhadolnik.

In the letter, Suhadolnik, whose company wants to build the Savannah Green housing project, admonished Rubin’s opinionated stance on the 877-house development proposed to DeKalb as well as Rubin’s viewpoints on how the plan would affect the schools adversely and the city within DeKalb School District 428.

Rubin said his argument was not intended as a way to voice his discontent with the project. Rather, it was a call-out to the Plan Commission and the city council to analyze in great detail an effective comprehensive growth plan that would address all concerns.

“Right now, the city desperately needs to sit down and talk about growth,” Rubin said. “I don’t want things around here to grow on accident.”

Rubin said he was shocked to hear the outcry from city officials, most notably Sparrow, and that his opinions would become such a publicized debate.

“I didn’t think people would react in this way,” Rubin said. “I was referring more to the impact I thought the project would have on the schools and the referendum.”

Sparrow sent e-mails to all city aldermen and City Manager Jim Connors, stating reactions he and Suhadolnik had regarding Rubin’s comments. Sparrow said Suhadolnik was justified in fearing that Rubin’s comment may cause the yet-to-be-approved Savannah Green project to be viewed with more of a negative bias than deserved.

“The least [Savannah Green] deserves is to have an impartial commission listening to their plan after all the time and money they invested to present it to us,” Sparrow said. “I called out [Rubin] on his actions because as mayor, I should do so, and I wasn’t sure if anyone else would do so.”

Sparrow added that he’s not in favor of behind-the-scenes advocacy. Sparrow further questioned responses of those backing Rubin’s arguments, wondering what they were thinking when dissatisfied with the prospect of additional growth in DeKalb.

Sparrow felt Rubin should take the initiative of removing himself from the Plan Commission. He also frequently mentioned adopting a code of ethics from the American Association Plan into DeKalb’s Plan Commission. He highlighted that members should make independent judgments and refrain from expressing their opinions before any plan has been finalized.

First Ward Alderman Andy Small said these and the other code of ethics are an instrumental set of guidelines that should be considered in order to maintain objectivity within both the commission and council.

“I think all of us in our own positions have a code of ethics to follow, so it’s a good idea to look at those,” Small said. “I like the idea that once a Planning Commission member takes a seat, they would act as a citizen after decisions are made.”

While Small indicated Rubin may have exceeded limitations as a commission member, he felt the entire controversy has somewhat proved beneficial.

“This strengthens the debate about our community to see how far we grow and how fast and how we go about expanding our city,” Small said.

As Rubin said, that is the main point he was attempting to convey in his letter.

Rubin’s arguments primarily centered around the after-effects a new subdivision would have on district schools. This concern from Rubin was brought forth, as many school officials such as School Board President Don Robinson felt strongly that the school referendum would pass.

Now that the schools won’t receive referendum funding, Robinson said the proposed 877-house development would be disastrous.

“There would be no class space to place those kids,” Robinson said in response to the possibility of an influx of children entering DeKalb schools as a result of the Savannah Green project. “It would be disastrous if [Savannah Green] went into place.”

Robinson responded to the Rubin debate by saying the concern regarding growth shouldn’t fall on Rubin.

“The [school board] is very much appreciative of Mr. Rubin’s support for our schools,” Robinson said. “I see no conflict in interest with his arguments.”

Rubin concluded his arguments by relaying concerns about issues being pushed aside as many people in the city place sole focus on his comments and ethics.

“This has turned into such a he-said, she-said kind of thing,” Rubin said. “What I feel this has done is overshadow the fact that the real issue here is about growth.”

Rubin’s concerns about growth may be analyzed further as Plan Commission Chair Rich Fassig said he would attempt to find a time when the commission can meet with both the city council and the school board.