Decatur Open City Hall Topics

Proposed Budget

2010-05-24T10:51:11-04:00

The City of Decatur’s Revised fiscal year 2009-2010 and Proposed fiscal year 2010-2011 budget has been presented to the City Commission and is available to the public for review. The City’s budget is scheduled to be voted upon by the City Commission on June 21, 2010. Do you support the adoption of this budget by the City Commission?

Introduction

City staff have prepared a balanced budget that maintains existing service levels and keeps the existing millage rate. Highlights of the proposed budget include:

No change in the millage rate
No change in service delivery levels; continued focus on providing quality services
Elimination of 5 vacant full-time positions
Regular merit, recurring compensation increases for non-probationary employees are replaced with a one week, one time salary adjustment
Continued funding for the Strategic Plan update
Customer-service oriented, technology improvements: website redesign, GIS services/online mapping, online property tax information
Pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements
Environmental initiatives (majority grant funded) and urban agricultural initiatives

The proposed 2010-2011 General Fund budget totals $18,488,060. This is slightly lower than the adopted 2009-2010 budget of $18,623,520. The proposed 2010-2011 budget anticipates using $700,000 of fund balance to close the gap between revenues and expenditures. This would result in a remaining fund balance of approximately $5,600,000 at the end of 2010-2011 or 30% of the operating budget. The City’s financial policies recommend maintaining a fund balance between 20-30% of the operating budget.

For more detailed information about the proposed budget and City priorities, you can visit the City’s budget resources page.

A summary of the budget and departmental goals can be found in these two documents:

The City Manager’s budget message (0.2 MB PDF file)
The department narratives (16.1 MB PDF file)

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Skateboarding

2010-04-28T19:10:13-04:00

Do you support the adoption of the proposed ordinance regulating skateboarding in downtown Decatur?

Introduction

The City Commission is considering prohibiting the use of skateboards and similar devices on public areas in downtown Decatur and on private property without the consent of the property owner.

The City has made significant capital investments in sidewalks, curbing, hardscapes and public art in downtown Decatur within the last ten years, including a $5 million renovation to the downtown Decatur MARTA Plaza completed in 2007.

The City continues to receive complaints about skateboarders who disregard pedestrians and cause unsafe conditions on crowded sidewalks and in crowded public areas. In addition, persons have used skateboards to “ride” on curbs and edges resulting in damage to property and to the surface of the plaza. Most recently, persons using skateboards have been sliding along the edge of the Celebration statue causing chipping and damage to the marble.

Private property owners have also seen property damage to curbs and edging as well as persons using skateboards going from the private property into the public street, particularly using the marble planters in front of 200 East Ponce de Leon Avenue to go into the right turn lane at East Ponce de Leon Avenue at Church Street.

Pictures of damage at the Square, along the rim of Celebration statue and to the marble planters at 200 East Ponce de Leon follow.

In 2003 the City secured grant funding of $70,000 which was matched by $20,000 of city funds to open the McKoy Skate Park so that a place would be available in the community for skateboarding. This park is open to the public at no charge. In June, 2007 the City invested an additional $25,000 to make upgrades and improvements at the skatepark.

Download Skateboarding Ordinance (0.1 MB PDF file)

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Bond Issue

2010-03-10T10:39:09-05:00

Please indicate to what extent you would support or oppose a bond referendum to raise funds for capital improvements to the Police Department, Fire Station No. 1 and the Decatur Recreation Center, if the bond issue resulted in a property tax increase of one mill ($200 per year for a property worth $400,000).

Strongly Support
Somewhat Support
Somewhat Oppose
Strongly Oppose

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Tax and Service Levels

2010-03-10T10:38:47-05:00

In today’s current economic condition, it is the City’s goal to maintain the existing levels of service at current property tax rates. If that is not possible, which of the following options would you prefer?

Maintain tax rate, decrease levels of service
Maintain levels of service, increase tax rate up to one-half of a mill ($100 per year on a $400,000 property)
Maintain levels of service, increase tax rate up to one mill ($200 per year on a $400,000 property)
Decrease tax rate no matter how much it decreases levels of service

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Railroad Crossing

2009-12-07T19:53:42-05:00

How would you redesign the existing railroad crossings at Candler and McDonough Streets to improve the safety and health of Decatur residents and visitors?

Introduction

As part of its capital improvements program, the City of Decatur is considering options for improvements to the railroad crossings at Candler and McDonough Streets in downtown Decatur. The purpose of the work is to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians, bicyclists and others using these facilities. Measures required to implement a Quiet Zone* in the railroad corridor are also being considered.

Additional information about the considered Railroad Crossing Improvements is available here.

The project is based on Decatur’s 2008 Community Transportation Plan. A major goal of the Community Transportation Plan is to encourage healthy lifestyles and active living in Decatur.

As you describe your thoughts about redesigning the railroad crossings, please answer these questions:

Q: Which of the following modes of travel do you or your family use to cross the CSX railroad line at McDonough Street and/or Candler Street:

on foot
in a vehicle
on bicycle
on a bus

Q: Of those modes, which one do you think is the most dangerous at the Candler Street intersection and needs safety improvements? At the McDonough Street intersection?

Q: Are you in favor of investing local resources in a Quiet Zone?

Q: Currently there are large areas along the railroad tracks that can be easily crossed by pedestrians. If implementing a Quiet Zone required erecting a fence the length of the railroad corridor through the city, would you still support implementing a Quiet Zone?

Thank you for your input on this redesign project!

*Railroad Quiet Zones

Locomotive engineers are required to sound the train horn at all public at-grade, highway-rail crossings 15-20 seconds before entering a crossing, but not more than one-quarter mile in advance of the crossing. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings effective June 24, 2005. The Final Rule does not prohibit blowing the whistle because it gives the locomotive engineer the authority to sound the horn in emergency or potential emergency situations.

The FRA Final Rule preempts any state or local laws regarding the use of the train horn at public crossings. Communities wishing to establish quiet zones must equip proposed grade crossings with adequate safety measures to offset the potential decrease in safety created when a quiet zone is instituted. The additional safety measures must be constructed at the community's own expense and must meet federal specifications.

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Cultural Arts Master Plan

2009-12-04T04:03:51-05:00

What cultural offerings in Decatur are you most proud of? Which offerings have you participated in? What would you like to see in the future? Did you attend a public input session?

Introduction

The City of Decatur has begun an intense process to solicit citizen opinion about present and future citywide cultural initiatives. Recommendations will ultimately be submitted as part of a Cultural Master Plan. The first Public Input Session was held at City Hall on Wednesday, November 17. Citizens were asked what cultural offerings they have participated in and are most proud of, what is missing, and what opportunities exist for the future.

For those citizens who were not present at the Public Input Session and those who wanted to provide additional input, please let us know your thoughts:

Q: What cultural offerings in Decatur have you participated in over the past year? (Including festivals, performances, cinemas, community/neighborhood events)

Q: What cultural offerings are you most proud of?

Q: Are there any additional cultural opportunities you would like to see in the future?

Q: Did you attend a public input session?

Thank you for helping us formulate our Cultural Arts Master Plan.

Decatur Open City Hall Topics

Proposed Budget

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Skateboarding

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Bond Issue

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Tax and Service Levels

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Railroad Crossing

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Cultural Arts Master Plan

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