Bond Project Background
In September 2006, Decatur voters approved a bond referendum that provides the City of Decatur with $16.4 million for much-needed large capital improvement projects and provides the City Schools of Decatur with $16.5 million to support major capital needs at Decatur High School and Renfroe Middle School. This is the first general obligation debt for the city since 1955 and for the school system since the late 1950s.
The city’s $16.4 million will be used in four activity areas:
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• Transportation Improvements |
$4,902,000 |
|
• Parks & Recreation |
$5,803,000 |
|
• Public Works Facilities |
$4,275,000 |
|
• Public Safety Facilities |
$1,420,000 |
Public Input
Before decisions are made to fund specific projects in each of these activity areas, there will be opportunities for public input and discussion. Over the next few months, more information about each of the four areas will be provided in the Decatur Focus and on this website.
Detailed information on project designs will be included as specific projects are initiated. A majority of these projects should be substantially completed or under way within three years of bond issuance, which occurred in January 2007.
Community Involvement
Potential projects and capital needs were identified through community recommendations contained in master plans and task force reports that had been completed during the last few years. Community involvement was a key component of all of these plans. Some of the resources used to define potential projects included the City’s Comprehensive Plan (updated 2005), Downtown Streetscapes Master Plan (1994), Strategic Plan (2000), Capital Needs Task Force Report (2002), Athletic Facilities Master Plan (2003), Preservation Corridor Master Plan (2005), Cemetery Master Plan (2006) and the Community Transportation Plan (to be completed in 2007).