Decatur City Council to discuss 5-year capital plans and changes to council policies on September 23

The next city council meeting will consist of voting on a contract for workers compensation and general liability coverage as well as a study session consisting of the Treasurer’s Report for August, discussion of Capital Improvement Plans, and possible revisions to City Council Policies.

1) MULTI-YEAR CAPITAL PLANS COVERING ROADS, SANITARY SEWER, STORM SEWER, AND WATER TO BE DISCUSSED – Projected funds available for local roads from state and local motor fuel tax dollars are likely to be flat for state motor fuel tax (except dollars for the Brush College grade separation) and variable for local motor fuel tax (but significantly lower compared to the start of the program). State motor fuel tax projects will total $9.9 million in 2020 (of which $7.9 million will be for the Brush College project), followed by $2.7 million in 2021-2024 (with $.1.5 million for the Brush College project in 2021 and $1.2 million in 2022).

Local Motor Fuel Tax funds will support $1.3 million in projects in 2020 followed by a projected $700,000 in 2021, $650,000 in 2022, $600,000 in 2023, and $1.8 million in 2024. As reported in previous posts, it is unclear how lower levels of funding in the coming years for local road projects will be able to maintain current overall road conditions.

The City of Decatur will have spent over $160 million to dredge Lake Decatur, but the projected spending to prevent sediment and nitrates from reaching the Lake and entering our drinking water is limited. In 2020, it is proposed that $25,000 be spent on non-point source pollution control and $35,000 be spent on Lake Decatur sediment control. By 2024, the projected spending increases to $35,000 and $45,000 respectively.

2) CITY COUNCIL POLICIES TO BE DISCUSSED – The city council will be discussing possible changes to policies such as meeting procedures and annexation and new policies such as general fund cash reserves. Three preliminary options have been provided for general fund reserves including increasing cash reserves to 60 days, increasing cash reserves to 90 days, and prohibiting the general fund from falling below $2,000,000. Currently, the city has a cash reserve of $8 million which is 43 days of reserve. To reach 60 days would require a reserve of $11.2 million and to reach 90 days of reserve would be $16.7 million. According to the monthly Treasurer’s Report, “The best practice reserve is a 45-60 day cash reserve or $8-11 million.”

Meetings take place at the City Council Chamber 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, and 3 minutes per citizen is allotted for public comment near the beginning of each meeting. An agenda to each city council meeting can be found at: https://www.decaturil.gov/mayor-and-council/council-meetings/