Agreement reached between Decatur's fire union and city
The City of Decatur and Decatur’s Fire Union (I.A.F.F. Local 505) have reached a tentative agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement that will be voted on at the next city council meeting. Among the most notable changes to the contract is the return of fire inspectors.
I want to thank Decatur Fire Fighters for the work they do every day to protect the lives, safety, and property of our citizens. Decatur citizens are very fortunate to have such dedicated and courageous public servants. As the city’s population continues to decline, the need for fire fighters continues to increase. In 2022, the fire department responded to the highest number of alarms ever (n = 13,108) and there were 143 structure fires in 2022, the most since 2008.
CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON PURCHASING THREE NEW FIRE TRUCKS
The Decatur city council will likely approve spending $2,325,000 for the purchase of 3 Pierce Saber Pumpers. The three new fire engines would replace three older vehicles that each have the equivalent of over 400,000 miles of use. It is expected that the fire engines will be in service in the second half of 2025 or early 2026. The city council is also likely to approve the purchase of 12 additional Opticom Traffic Preemption Systems for use by the fire department. These devices are already located at 37 city intersections. Reducing response time saves lives and more devices will allow the fire department to arrive on the scene faster.
MORATORIUM ON NEW VIDEO GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS TO BE EXTENDED
In January, the city council approved a 6-month moratorium on new video gambling establishments in the city. The city council is likely to approve an extension of the moratorium through December 31 so that it has additional time to deliberate further changes to the city code. 85% of respondents to a recent city survey indicated there were too many gambling establishments. The Decatur City Council can ensure the number of gambling establishments goes down by capping the number of gambling licenses issued at a level lower than the current number of establishments.
CITY RECIEVES $250,000 IEPA NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL GRANT
The City of Decatur will receive a grant to implement best management practices that will reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients entering Lake Decatur. While the city successfully increased its water supply through dredging, the city has not stopped sediment at its source, and will see its newly enlarged water supply reduced over time. According to a previous report by Northwater Consulting, Lake Decatur accumulates an estimated 160,000 tons of sediment annually and based on this accumulation rate, it will take 46 years for the lake to fill with sediment to the level prior to our latest dredging effort. Since 2014, when the dredging was initiated, ~$10 million of sediment has entered Lake Decatur. Through this grant, the city will reduce 257 tons of the 160,0000 tons of sediment annually accumulating (0.0016%). It is time to accelerate the city’s efforts in a way that will result in significant reductions in the amount of sediment entering Lake Decatur. This grant is a start.
PLEASE EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING
The approval of the collective bargaining agreement, moratorium on new video gambling establishments, and other agenda items will be voted on at the next meeting of the Decatur City Council on Monday, July 17. Meetings take place at 5:30 PM in the council chambers located on the third floor of the Decatur Civic Center (1 Gary K. Anderson Place). Free parking is available in the lot immediately south of the entrance. Citizens are encouraged to attend meetings and express their views. Citizens are allotted 3 minutes per person near the beginning of each city council meeting. In addition, citizens can provide comments regarding one regular agenda item per meeting for up to three minutes provided they notify the city in advance (and prior to the start of the meeting). You can request to speak on a particular agenda item at a council meeting by filling out an on-line form at: https://www.decaturil.gov/mayor-and-council/advance-request-to-speak-at-council-meeting/.
CITIZENS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
If you would like to discuss city issues with a council member, phone numbers and email addresses for each council member can be found at the following link: https://www.decaturil.gov/mayor-and-council/council/.
AGENDAS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE
An agenda and information about each agenda item for each city council meeting can be found at: https://www.decaturil.gov/mayor-and-council/council-meetings/.