Has Decatur changed its trajectory with its new city manager?
It’s been just over a year since the city manager returned to the city for a second time. A year ago, council members were asked by the manager to propose actions for the City of Decatur to take. Below are ten actions I proposed a year ago with a description of the progress that has been made since the city manager returned.
1) Make changes to the city’s animal welfare ordinance that provides further protection to outdoor pets during extreme weather conditions. Success – On September 3, 2024, the city council approved a revised ordinance that provides additional guidance on the appropriate treatment of animals and eliminates many gray areas to better keep pets protected.
2) Renovate the former Wee Folks building and bring a much-needed childcare center to the urban core thereby reducing a major barrier to filling jobs. Incomplete – Renovations are being made, but the childcare center has yet to become operational despite hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent. When operational, this facility is expected to provide quality childcare and allow a large number of adults to join Decatur’s workforce.
3) Modify the utility tax loophole such that Decatur residents will see tax relief from their utility bills. Incomplete – The loophole was modified by the city council on November 4, 2024, such that the largest users are now paying a utility tax, but there was no reduction in the tax to residents. While I would have preferred reducing costs for residents, the city council did vote for tax parity and gain revenue needed to provide city services.
4) Discuss ways to reduce the record number of alarm calls to the Fire Department. Is now the time to institute a paramedicine program? Failure – Nearly a year and a half after the former fire chief wrote “In the future, the City and the fire department will need to decide what alarms the department will continue to respond”, the city council has yet to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, calls for service are on a record pace for 2025 leading to excessive wear and tear on the equipment as well as the firefighters.
5) Develop a plan and work with utility companies so that the Oakley Sediment Basin and the farmland the city owns in DeWitt County can be converted to solar farms. Incomplete – Excessive water has now been drained from the basin. However, years after dredging Lake Decatur, the city still lacks an economic development plan for the hundreds of acres that comprise the basin whether that be a solar farm, nature preserve, or recreational area.
6) Improve public safety and promote economic development by demolishing no less than 200 delipidated properties in a one-year period. Failure – From May 2024 – April 2025, the city has demolished 98 properties with 0 demotions since the beginning of 2025. The city needs to demolish 200 properties per year to keep pace with the rate of blight. Instead, the city is on track for the lowest level of neighborhood improvement in years. Furthermore, despite funding in the 2025 budget, the city has yet to move forward with creating a community revitalization plan for Decatur.
7) Create redevelopment agreements for the Central TIF that provide direct benefits to the residents of the neighborhoods within the TIF. Failure – The #1 general objective of the Central TIF Plan is “To alleviate blight, ensure safe conditions, and enhance the efficiency of the infrastructure networks.” To date, city staff have yet to demonstrate the benefit of this TIF to residents let alone alleviate blight.
8) Take actions that result in a significant decline in the amount of sediment and nutrients entering Lake Decatur. Incomplete – The good news is that sediment and nutrients are being reduced thanks to implementation of the city’s watershed management plan and grants from the federal and state government. The bad news is that it will take tens of millions of dollars more to see “significant” declines and to fully implement the plan. Thus, the lake continues to fill up with sediment, slowly negating the benefits of dredging.
9) Collaborate more with Decatur Public Schools to assist in their success. DPS is scantly mentioned in the council's strategic priorities, yet their success is essential to the city's future. Failure – While the city has superficially collaborated with DPS, the city has yet to engage the school district with specific initiatives that will be most beneficial to student success. For example, to whatever extent the neighborhoods in which students live influence student outcomes, it is city government that is responsible for ensuring that neighborhoods are of high quality and safe.
10) Examine why people are leaving Decatur. The city has suffered decades long population decline. Why are we, and what issues are unique to Decatur that the city can address? Failure – The city has not taken any specific action to investigate reasons for the city’s population decline. If anything, the city’s actions including raising its portion of property taxes in 2024 by 6% will likely be a hinderance to growing the city.
NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IS JUNE 2
The Decatur City Council will meet on June 2 at 5:30 PM in the council chambers located on the third floor of the Decatur Civic Center (1 Gary K. Anderson Place). Free parking is available in the lot immediately south of the entrance. Citizens are encouraged to attend meetings and express their views. Citizens are allotted 3 minutes per person near the beginning of each city council meeting. In addition, citizens can provide comments regarding one regular agenda item per meeting for up to three minutes provided they notify the city in advance (and prior to the start of the meeting). You can request to speak on a particular agenda item at a council meeting by filling out an on-line form at: https://www.decaturil.gov/FormCenter/Mayor-Council-11/Advance-Request-to-Speak-at-Council-Meet-60.
AGENDAS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE
An agenda and information about each agenda item for each city council meeting can be found at: https://www.decaturil.gov/mayor-and-council/council-meetings/.
CITIZENS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
If you would like to discuss city issues with a council member, phone numbers and email addresses for each council member can be found at the following link: https://www.decaturil.gov/300/Mayor-Council.