News & Updates

One of our supporters wrote this letter to the editor for the Herald & Review.

ChangeDecatur is an opportunity for the citizens of Decatur to make a remarkable difference in the environment they live in. Next February, voters will take to issue a ballot referendum that potentially can change the landscape of Decatur politics for years to come.
For anyone inside or out-side the community, you will deal with one person who speaks clearly and efficiently for the city. That person is also held responsible for all actions of the city. Under a strong mayor form, you know who the leader is.

Alderpersons represent the people and the neighborhoods from which they live in. They focus their effort on a smaller segment of the citizens in order to provide the attention that is needed. Moreover, the vested interests of the citizens and businesses within that area are heard. Under a strong mayor form, you can once again be proud to know that you have a voice of representation.
Not only does a strong mayor form of government empathize with the citizens, but it turns the attention to the topics which have not been paid attention to, such as urban growth and renewal. Decatur must have a solid core of economic stability centrally before developing outwards.
Currently, fingers point between legal counsel, city manager, and mayor under our current format. Under the strong mayor format, our city’s mayor will not have his hands tied behind his back. The voice of our mayor can become the true leader of our city.
It is impossible to “pitch in” to a city you care so deeply about when you have no representation as a citizen. Our voices can not be heard, nor understood with the system currently in place. It is time to ChangeDecatur.

Celestino A. Ruffini

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This article was written by one of the supporters of ChangeDecatur. 

It really makes little difference if the Mayor has an “administrator” (in an strong mayor form of government). In our current system the City Manager has multiple assistant managers and department heads who know their areas. Why wouldn't the Mayor?

The difference to me is: Who is “the boss” of the city, its departments and the city workers? 

In the current form of city government, the City Manager is "the boss" that runs the city.  Problems or issues that are reported to the elected officials, the Mayor, or Council members are given to the City Manager to deal with.  The elected officials are left powerless except to fire him if they are unhappy.  [Ed - For those interested, we encourage them to click on this link to see a legal analysis of the authority of the Mayor, Council and City Manager.]It is an all or nothing choice that renders them somewhat powerless unless he is horrible enough to fire.  The elected Mayor or Council have no involvement in day to day operations.  That is what I want to see changed. 

Even when they vote to fund something like a commission, or funding for an idea, it is up to the manager to implement it or not. Citizens should ask Mayor Osborne if this is the case.  When the neighborhood commission was approved by council and still not implemented over a year later …….. we were told it still was in the hands of city staff and mayor/council had no power to make it happen.  If you have ever heard some of the dealings that some have had with the city, I will tell you – that these negative experiences are common among average citizens and small businesses.

My city government affects me every day.  The home I live in and my neighborhood are a tremendously big part of my day-to-day life.  The services I receive, or don’t receive, in my neighborhood can cost me drastically.  A home is biggest investment most people make.  It is costing those who have invested in our neighborhoods only to see the extreme deterioration that is allowed to occur around them. This occurs to many at just the time in life that many are unable to relocate. This is wrong. 

And it is being allowed to happen because our form of government: 1.) Is elected at-large which virtually disenfranchises those in deteriorating areas.   2.) The City Manager (the CEO) does not have a real connection or relationship with the community (meaning the people of the city), and, 3.) The City Manager is not expected to.

What matters to me is “Who runs the city”.  I want that person to be elected.  

Additionally, I believe that all areas should be represented, no matter how few vote in them. I cannot make my neighbor vote but my vote should still count for something.  I say this as a citizen, investor and customer.

It may be flawed but it sure seemed to me better than what we have now. 

And one last question for some: “Just when was the last city manager fired?” “Ever?”

Sue Barnhart

Posted by SDD at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Many have expressed a concern with the possible cost of better and more representative government proposed by ChangeDecatur. We believe the additional cost will be modest and worth the investment. The two primary possible sources of additional cost are the fees paid to the city council members and the full time mayor as head of city government. The payment levels to the council members and mayor will be set by the current city council according to statute.

Current Costs

• The Mayor is paid $8,000 per year.
• Each council member is paid $4,000 per year or $24,000 in total.
• The city manager is paid $131,000 per year, plus car allowance.
• The total of these annual costs are $163,000, or more.

The cost of all these services are currently just about $2.11 per citizen per year.

ChangeDecatur will not be responisble for setting the compensation of the mayor and council under a strong mayor form of city government. Illinois law places that responsibility on the current city council.  We like other voters will only be able to offer our opinions on the compensation levels.

Possible Reasonable Costs of New Form of Government

• Mayor $100,000 per year
• City Council $4,000 per year each; total $80,000
• City Manager $0
• Total $180,000

These costs equate to just over $2.33 per citizen of Decatur. The increase is $.22 per citizen per year or approximately $17,000 per year.

Some have asked: "Won't we need assistants to help the Mayor run the city?" The answer is yes and we already have them.

The city currently has 4 assistant city managers and several additional department heads. By law, the mayor in a strong mayor form of city government is entitled to assistants whose qualifications are set by the city council and whose compensation is agreed to by the mayor and city council. Those familiar with the current city structure believe that there are enough professional managers in place to assist the mayor without additional costs.

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