DeKalb mayoral candidates discuss climate change during virtual forum

DeKALB – Candidates vying to be DeKalb’s next mayor took part in a virtual forum Monday night about climate change.

The forum, hosted by 350Kishwaukee, was attended by mayoral candidates DeKalb Ward 1 Alderman Carolyn Morris and local businessman Cohen Barnes, owner and founder of Sundog IT.

Both Morris and Barnes, who are both running for DeKalb mayor in the April 6 Consolidated Election, answered questions from 350Kishwaukee and the community in a question and answer-format meeting.

Among other topics, the candidates discussed greenhouse gas emissions, flooding, fossil fuels and renewable energy, such as solar and wind power.

During their introductions, both Morris and Barnes both addressed how climate change is affecting DeKalb and the surrounding community.

Morris said climate change’s “primary risk here locally” is to farmers.

“I think that as we’re considering this climate crisis progressing, we’re looking at increasingly dry summers, increasingly wet seasons … climate we cannot manage anymore because it’s behaving in ways it hasn’t in the past, due to the climate change,” Morris said.

Barnes agreed and spoke about the need for advocacy in the community.

“You know, DeKalb has to figure out how to do its part, in our community and in the global community, and I think one of the biggest threats that we face is a lack of action, lack of advocacy,” he said. “By not trying to champion the cause, by not trying to actively participate in it causes complacency, and that causes people to not be educated on … how important it is to take care of our environment. So for me, I think complacency is one of the biggest threats we face as a community, as a state, as a nation and as a world, as a global community.”

When asked about the city’s 2014 sustainability plan, both Barnes and Morris admitted they were not familiar with it. Barnes said “maybe it’s time to revisit it,” and Morris said it should be more “at the forefront of the community.”

The two candidates also discussed allowing backyard chickens within the city limits of DeKalb, a topic that’s cropped up in recent months as citizens look to rally the City Council to approve an ordinance to allow the animals. The most recent action came as council decided to discuss further the possibility of a referendum appearing on the April 6 ballot.

Morris said that she “absolutely supported it, 100%,” and Barnes said that he cannot make a statement on the topic “without further studying” and awaits the voters’ decision at the polls on the ordinance amendment.

One of the last questions asked to the candidates was how they talk to the children in their life about climate change.

Morris said that she discusses the topic “just as straight-forward as the Black Lives Matter movement.”

“You need to tell them the real, hard truth,” she said. “They need to understand that the environment that they’re going to live in in 20 years is not going to be the same. We’re already experiencing … wetter springs and drier summers. Those are the stark realities they’re already facing, and I try to be straightforward with them.”

Barnes said he and his family have always believed “it is human beings on earth that are affecting climate change.”

“Climate change is going to be an incredible economic burden on the U.S.,” he said. “Maybe it’s my business background, maybe it’s more about the economics of it … because that’s going to be the driver, ultimately, that is going to change the habits of a lot of government and a lot of businesses out there.”