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RSSChange in government bid revived: Group again hopes to have aldermanic choice on city ballot
Search By Issue DECATUR - A group of citizens is restarting efforts to make big changes to city government, hoping for approval by Decatur voters in the Feb. 5 primary.
Steve Daniels, a member of Change Decatur, is leading a petition drive to get measures on the ballot that would ask Decatur voters if they wish to abandon the "council-manager" form of government and adopt the "strong mayor" form of government.
The group is holding a news conference at 10 a.m. today at the northeast corner of Main and Main streets.
The change the group seeks would eliminate the position of city manager and establish the mayor as the sole chief executive of the city. It also would create an aldermanic system for the council in which members would be elected from specific wards rather than at-large.
"We think a council representing neighborhoods will be more reflective of the goals and aspirations of the community," Daniels said.
The group had attempted to get similar measures on the ballot for the April municipal election but withdrew the petitions after the group was found to have failed to secure enough valid signatures from registered voters who live within city limits.
Daniels said the group needs to collect about 650 signatures in this election cycle to gain a ballot spot.
If approved, Daniels said, the new system would divide Decatur into 10 wards, with two aldermen from each ward and the mayor forming the new 21-member council. Six at-large councilmen and the mayor make up the council now.
Both Daniels and fellow Change Decatur member Brian Burcham stressed their petition gathering is not about dissatisfaction with current City Manager Steve Garman but based in their belief that city government has been flawed for years and a new system would attract more interested participants.
"There's no personal vendettas in anything like this," Burcham said. "It's just a different form of government to give the people representation."
He said he hopes a larger city council with aldermanic representation will create a more deliberative body that operates with more transparency.
Both men cited the city council's decision last month to narrowly approve spending $7.12 million to purchase the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel, shortly before it was to be auctioned, as a move that was made too quickly with too little public input.
Some officials who could see their positions affected by any change to the city's form of government said Tuesday that they are taking a wait-and-see approach to the petition drive.
"If that's the choice of the people, that's the choice of the people," said Mayor Paul Osborne. "I guess I don't fear any referendum item because if people are educated as to what they're voting on, certainly the will of the people should be honored."
Councilman Shad Edwards said he would look forward to finding out more about the proposal and supports community debate over what government is best.
"If they choose to change the form of government and I'm one of the odd guys out, I could live with that," he said.
Edwards said he could see potential benefits to the aldermanic form of government because of the difficulties that can arise from having responsibility "for all the needs for all the people in the community" as an at-large councilman as opposed to addressing the needs of just one neighborhood.
Mary Tallon can be reached at mtallon@herald-review.com or 421-7984.
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