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The Herald & Review Archives
Herald & Review (Decatur, IL)
December 23, 2007
Section: Opinion
Page: B5
Changing Decatur offers government a bad idea
ITAPPEARS likely that Decatur voters will have a choice Feb. 5 to either keep the city manager form of government or revert to a city commissioner form of government. The Illinois Supreme Court could change the ballot if it chooses to rule on an appeal from ChangeDecatur, the group proposing that Decatur change its form of government. Whatever the court’s decision, however, the community has already spent too much time discussing a bad idea that has been supported by questionable decisions. ChangeDecatur had petitioned to place two questions on the ballot. The first was whether to retain the city manager form of government, and the second was whether to enact a strong mayor and alderman form of government. The city is currently overseen by six council members and a mayor who are elected at-large and hire a city manager to operate the city. In a strong mayor system, an elected mayor would be the chief officer and the city would be divided up into 10 wards with two alderman elected from each ward. But the strong mayor question is not currently on the ballot. Realtor Carla Brinkoetter, backed by the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce, appealed a district court judge’s decision to put both questions on the ballot. A three-judge panel of the Appeals Court took the strong mayor question off the ballot, ruling that Illinois law states a strong mayor election can only be held during a general municipal election. The next general municipal election is in April 2009. If the ballot stays in its current form, Decatur voters will be asked to retain the city manager form of government. If that’s rejected, the city would revert to a commissioner form of government. That was not the original intent of ChangeDecatur. Switching back to a commissioner form of government would be a giant step backwards for Decatur. If the ballot remains as is, the choice for Decatur voters should be easy - keep the city manager form of government. This is ChangeDecatur’s second attempt at getting this issue on the ballot. The first attempt was marred by sloppy signature gathering and an unclear understanding of how the issues should be placed on the ballot. In the latest attempt, ChangeDecatur addressed those issues. But the group made the decision to place the issue on a primary ballot although Illinois law on when cities can hold strong mayor elections is cloudy. In effect, ChangeDecatur decided to risk having the election in February, as opposed to waiting a year for a sure thing. Whether that was a strategy or bad advice doesn’t really matter. The result of that decision is the situation we have now. Changing the form of Decatur’s government is a bad idea. The manager/council form of government, in fact, gives Decatur the best chance to succeed in the future. Changing the form of government will be costly, confusing and there is no guarantee that the change will improve the city or the way it operates. That’s not to say Decatur’s city government is functioning efficiently or effectively. The city manager’s office has taken, or been given, too much decision-making power. In a true manager/council form of government, the council sets policy and makes decisions, and the manager’s office carries out those policies and provides information for solid decision-making. There are many examples of where the city manager’s office appears to be leading the council instead of the other way around. ChangeDecatur has overemphasized the value of changing the form of government. At the same time, Chamber of Commerce leaders have also overemphasized the effectiveness of the current city operations. Change in how the city operates is needed but within the structure of the manager/council form of government. The debate over changing the form of city government has already taken a lot of energy and has led to some divisions in the community. We believe that everyone involved in the debate has the best interests of Decatur as their goal. With that in mind, the energy and time spent discussing a change in the form of government would better be used making the current government more effective and improving the city as a whole.
Copyright, 2007, Herald & Review, Decatur, IL
