The city council announced that the Greek Row Revitalization Plan will begin Nov. 12.

“I’m very excited about what’s going on,” First Ward Alderman Andy Small said. “This is a big deal for my ward and everyone involved.”

Attending the meeting were members of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, including its president, junior political science major Jason Edmundson, who spoke to the council members about his fraternity’s goals involving this project.

“We hope other fraternities and sororities will follow us and try to make an impact on the campus and city,” Edmundson said. “We want to change the perceptions people have about Greek Row, and if we don’t help others in the community, they won’t help us.”

Edmundson said some of the simple things he and his fraternity, and maybe other fraternities and sororities, will do is to clean up garbage scattered around Greek Row, as well as making the overall appearance better for everyone.

The council addressed a letter to the editor in by Herbert Rubin, a member of the Plan Commission that reviews proposals for Savannah Green, in the Oct. 21 DeKalb Daily Chronicle. Rubin wrote that he is against the Savannah Green project and its effect on the upcoming proposed school referendum, specifically regarding ethics.

In the letter, Rubin made various points about the 877-home development. He said it would cause more referendum proposals and the additional expansion would hinder the effects of the proposed referendum. Rubin expressed hopes that the school board would write a written statement to the city council voicing its opposition of the Savannah Green issue.

Rubin felt that there should be no rapid growth within DeKalb until a more feasible plan to alleviate financial and overcrowding burdens of the schools is made.

The swirling problem is that Rubin is a member of the Plan Commission.

Mayor Greg Sparrow started the debate by saying he felt the article went “over the bounds.”

Community Development Director Paul Rasmussen presented an ethical statement that created more questions in terms of Rubin’s letter.

Small agreed.

“It’s certainly a touchy subject, and tough to say what action should be taken,” Small said.

“People should be able to voice their opinions,” Second Ward Alderman Kris Povlsen said. “It’s important to look at ethical principles in this instance.”

Fifth Ward Alderman Patrick Conboy was mentioned in Rubin’s letter as having a stance of suspending growth in the city until a plan to accommodate more residents is enacted.

“It almost undermines the Bill of Rights and freedom of speech amendment,” Conboy said. “I have no problem discussing Paul’s suggestions, but I feel uncomfortable discussing proprieties and improprieties up here with my fellows regarding freedom of speech.”

Conboy suggested the council put the issue behind them. However, it was decided to be brought back at a later date.

Another topic reviewed by the council were the problems with parking on Garden Road. Students recently were prohibited from parking on Garden Road outside Barsema Hall because residents complained of students parking alongside their properties and walking aimlessly among traffic.

“Safety has drastically improved around the ‘S’ curve along Garden Road since we’ve gotten rid of the parking around there,” Small said. “With 2,200 students in the college of business, would adding 30 to 40 spaces near Barsema Hall solve anything?”

Sixth Ward Alderman David Baker, also involved with the Garden Road parking, said realistically more than 100 parking spaces would be available for students. Baker maintained that he is a proponent of having parking available to students near Barsema Hall, and he hopes something will be solved to assist the student’s parking needs.

Small said that some locations could be looked at again if this issue continues to be a pressing one.

Feithen said that the exclusion of student parking alongside Garden Road was a necessary measure to take given the conditions.

“It created anxiety for citizens because you had people cutting between cars on foot and bicycles,” Feithen said. “On Garden, students were crossing all over the place.”

Baker concluded by emphasizing that the students elected him and Small to deal with these situations, and that the two should be open to student input. The council finalized the debate by deciding to wait until the Nov. 12 meeting before making any final decisions regarding student parking alongside Garden Road.

Police Chief Bill Feithen presented a proposal to allow another three months of public input regarding various towing issues prevalent throughout the city. The council members approved the request in order to analyze such issues as a rotating towing service in which towing companies would be designated to certain areas at certain times in a rotating manner. Star Poll