DeKALB – After being in office more than nine months, DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith will deliver his first official State of the City address during Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting.
Following this, the council will continue discussing tax incrementing financing phaseout options. With one of the city's two TIF districts set to expire, the council is looking for consensus on how to prioritize current and future development opportunities.
The city is looking into the creation of a new TIF district and recently approved a $43,000 proposal by Chicago-based SB Friedman to determine whether doing so would meet certain eligibility requirements.
During their regular meeting, which will start an hour later than usual, council members will discuss whether to amend outdoor smoking regulations established in 2014. Changing the ordinance could allow smoking on outdoor patios 15 feet of any entrance, exit, openable window, or ventilation intake for a place of employment.
Some council members were concerned about how the ordinance affected sales to bars and restaurants. However, restaurant and bar tax receipts have increase year over year since 2014.
The Citizen's Environmental Commission and DeKalb Economic Development Commission were at odds over the ordinance and submitted different recommendations to the council.
The committee of the whole meeting will be at 5 p.m. in the council chambers of the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St., followed by the regular council meeting at 7 p.m.