[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6178232,"mediaKeyId","5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1","parentId",5324968,"title","Council approves vacation of portions of Grove and Sycamore streets; one member voices concern about precedent","audioSeconds",173,"startMs",3293000,"endMs",3466000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1&start=3293&end=3466","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1/thumbnail_3293000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6178232/Decatur-City/Morgan-County/Alabama/Council-approves-vacation-of-portions-of-Grove-and-Sycamore-streets-one-member-voices-concern-about-precedent","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178232-742acc4adc167a84fab14f7362f1d454/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509340&Signature=EBM05X3AgzQqehe8X9EFP9S6eEBk1owG0MqyznDUXuiGdSKZKLnZkz6ZhbcQTfug0YhWjmbyHxNV65BQ6WHUwZtb8hAiw5CGxwh8-KUBJd2aC2Ot966ggPkGBsrIceQwY-DyV5StenTpU36oXid4LGbfXlfYWzY8IlWN5XfMDOF0ztNxAPeHFlSP0zh~91YPTQsTYPnSIMyJhdMuZ9KtcwejzIx5q1jmpDLyOtq6C6d84CZQjA5OP~if5UtKoV6SfL5bCiPgsDQGQVINp8mSBL4QZFmXeXMoZciPHTGmKwoZi-H353B4KAQZLaLX1UBvXqjUZQUgq-JCl6SFhIMMdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Decatur City, AL","date","2025-07-08T08:46:52.237Z","article","The Decatur City Council approved two resolutions to vacate portions of Grove Street Northwest and Sycamore Street Northwest, actions that would transfer portions of city right-of-way to private interests while reserving specific easements, city planners and council members said during the meeting.

What was proposed: Tommy Woods of the planning department told the council the Grove Street request sought vacating 0.6 acres of Grove Street located between Market Street and Warner Street; the city would reserve a portion for public drainage, utilities and telecommunications easement. Woods said the application had come before the planning commission in November 2024 and that the applicants had long been using the fenced area.

Public record and council debate
A council member questioned the practice of vacating city property that private parties had fenced and used, asking rhetorically, “If a person in our city just fences off some property, then we should just is that what we’re gonna do from this point on?” That member said they would not support the Grove Street vacation that evening.

Council members and staff noted the city would reserve portions of the vacated areas for public ingress, egress, and utility use in at least one of the vacates; staff said the city would not vacate the entire corridor in the Sycamore request and would retain a 0.7-acre public ingress-and-egress reservation.

Council action
The council approved Resolution 25-1-43 (Grove Street vacation) by a 4-1 vote. Resolution 25-1-44 (Sycamore Street vacation) was approved by the same margin. One council member voted no on each measure and stated opposition on record.

Why it matters
Vacating public right-of-way transfers control or ownership to private parties and can affect access, utilities and long-term public planning. Council members asked whether long-standing informal private use of city land should govern formal transfers and said they would consider, in future cases, whether sale rather than an outright vacation would be appropriate.

Follow-up
Staff indicated the city will retain specified easements as part of the vacations. The council did not set further conditions or a repurchase process during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Agenda Work Session & Council Meeting 07:07:25","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved two resolutions vacating portions of Grove Street Northwest (Res. 25-1-43) and Sycamore Street Northwest (Res. 25-1-44) to McIntyre LLC and related parties, while reserving utility or ingress/egress easements. One council member opposed, saying the city should not automatically give fenced-off public land to private users.","taxTitle","Decatur City, Morgan County, Alabama","taxId",5148,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178236,"Council approves transfer of donations to buy animal-services truck after public questions about donor intent",252,3510000,3762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1&start=3510&end=3762","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1/thumbnail_3510000.jpg","/articles/6178236/Decatur-City/Morgan-County/Alabama/Council-approves-transfer-of-donations-to-buy-animal-services-truck-after-public-questions-about-donor-intent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178236-50495ea47647d76a94f10ad947954581/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509340&Signature=MlR~wZo~Tv1pP~6ngZ-2r6O3u14gDIJf292EsuoUgsyUPyJtmaiybMmC2FOichsB2ABpxcVx1tks4lncG0vZoNmJLSMI4-neeDqSW3pTUT9rmis7QS~bwdpLkigaFthoS8thS7WFBYCH2ugdvX7QRRBVsbZt12zqkEExvtxptORknIig2mmsSZ0rJz2JO1MbkKfl3dXY1RgQl3pyQ-O8fg4qeKK9qsO7ny~h4mGfNg3naBxETpvhUUkBnP6my5Smv0StAupa2nIWaJpYnP1kEclmmMcTFeGa4kjq~hImgAML2KhW2T8akvxnZ0rAkcs8niMhYI88KwjVeMQnu5q7iA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Decatur City Council voted unanimously to transfer $19,250 from a bridal-services donations fund to the motor-vehicles fund for purchase of a specialized animal-services truck, city staff said at the meeting.

Why it matters: The transfer redraws unspecified donations to buy a vehicle that the Parks and Recreation department said will provide “safe and comfortable transport of animals” to the animal services facility. Several citizens said donors expected their money to support direct care items and asked the city to notify donors before repurposing funds.

Finance explanation and donor designation
Dawn Roediger of the city finance department explained how the city tracks donations and the policy for designated versus unspecified gifts. She told the council the bridal-services fund contained $26,727.20 from current and prior years and that donors had not specified a particular purpose. Roediger said, “A donation has to be specified by the donor at the time it is donated in order to be used for some set purpose that the donor wishes it to be used for.”

Roediger said department heads may recommend uses for unspecified donations, but any change requires council approval because it involves a budget amendment.

Public comments and dog-park concerns
Sarah French, a resident who spoke during public comment, said she had been contacted by at least 20 residents and relayed their objections to using the donations for a truck. French said donors “gave it for direct support for the animals such as blankets, toys, and treats,” and argued the city should notify donors if it plans to use those funds for something else. She added that citizens would prefer a temporary dog park in the city center because many residents who rely on central parks cannot travel to a replacement park on the city’s outskirts.

Council action
The motion to designate the unspecified bridal-services donations for shelter operations and to authorize the transfer for the truck purchase was moved by Council member Patrick Pepper and seconded by a council member; the council approved the transfer 5-0.

What the transfer does not resolve
Roediger said the donations are being recommended for shelter operations “specifically to aid in the purchase of an animal services specialized truck.” The council did not adopt a separate policy change for donor notification; Roediger described the existing practice of tracking designated vs. unspecified donations and requiring council approval for use of unspecified funds.

The council approved the transfer at the regular meeting; staff did not provide a timeline for when the vehicle would be purchased or placed into service.","Decatur City Council voted unanimously to reassign $19,250 from a bridal-services donations account to the motor-vehicles fund to buy a specialized animal-transport truck, while members of the public urged greater donor notification and a downtown temporary dog park.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178242,"Decatur council adopts citywide security-checkpoint ordinance amid concerns about administration",285,4089000,4374000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1&start=4089&end=4374","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5324968-c75661087c7710a855816619d646e2f1/thumbnail_4089000.jpg","/articles/6178242/Decatur-City/Morgan-County/Alabama/Decatur-council-adopts-citywide-security-checkpoint-ordinance-amid-concerns-about-administration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178242-b203353002efae432642680532b268fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770509340&Signature=OyuaoNS27pzUk~feSSUDoFb2BME0KPzD49BcwTbBz-NO2A0dcZERiyNtrXCRVqGvfV-w-6NcwAaNPRwIg~DH6LUv6K5D6iAMzAg9oWbec-nmVS91D8n4lWUY64sa3eF~ANyEglSo806rfPdCa83Y8jkX2zLN4xplmKS2bjzWJWymOc6erq1S4FYsNtOAiNl-EvF3DBCK2TvIgRRfBsxUrYO5sbu-CRajmbXk4E~idxbVluPkraD2hAK3Ax71W7ajfaAtLOKLAkecJ6H7IpqWb3H4mN3P1FOuEr2ea5GcaTDlmSlssE7BqXv4pPnCn8qCh1N0AhvLl8BIbPhfaIZTSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Decatur City Council on Wednesday approved Ordinance 25-46-11, a citywide ordinance that makes it illegal to bypass security checkpoints or to assist someone in bypassing them, officials said during the meeting at Decatur City Council Chambers.

The ordinance, which council members said was drafted with input from the Decatur Police Department and the city legal department, “would pertain to all security checkpoints in the city” and defines prohibited acts including ignoring directions of attendants, a staff member explained during the meeting.

Why it matters: Council members and members of the public said the law affects where and how security checks can be conducted across Decatur — from sporting events to other sites that decide to screen entrants — and they pressed for clarity about who must pass through checkpoints and how city employees and officials will be treated.

City staff and police described the ordinance as modeled on similar laws in other municipalities. A staff speaker said police researched other cities’ ordinances and that the draft was intended to provide an easier-to-prosecute offense than existing trespass rules. The staff member told the council, “We decided that other municipalities had specific laws that would be easier to understand and easier to prosecute. That's what we did in this.”

Public comment and council concerns
Mike Farooqi, a resident who spoke during public comment, criticized the timing and readiness of the ordinance, saying, “The ordinance was not ready for prime time, but it was approved.” He and others said questions raised at earlier meetings had not been answered before the vote.

Several council members expressed support for the ordinance’s goal but voiced reservations about administration and equal application. One council member said they “don't have a problem with the ordinance in itself,” adding that they also had “concerns about the admin — administering who who comes through and who doesn't.” That council member and others noted that city employees and certain officials often pass checkpoints without screening and asked how the rule would be implemented so it applied consistently.

Implementation and next steps
Council members were told that the ordinance applies citywide to any location that establishes a security checkpoint and that the legal department and police are discussing potential tweaks to the administrative procedures for entry and exit. A staff speaker said that any changes to operational procedures would be developed separately from the ordinance: “We are discussing legal and the police department discussing the potential of tweaking the security of how to get in and out. And if that comes to pass, we'll do that.”

Council action
The motion to adopt Ordinance 25-46-11 was moved by Council member Kyle Dukes Pike and seconded by a council member who was recorded as the motion’s seconder. The council approved the ordinance by a 4-1 vote. The roll call in the record shows Jackson — aye; McMasters — aye; Pepper — no; with the final tally recorded as four in favor and one opposed.

What the ordinance does not yet resolve
Council members and multiple public commenters asked for clearer administration rules and said the public had limited time to vet outstanding questions before the vote. City staff said the ordinance includes a definition of “security checkpoint,” and that the police department will continue to refine procedures. The council did not specify an implementation date beyond the ordinance’s approval.

The measure was presented and passed at the council's regular meeting; staff said any operational changes would be addressed by legal and the police department after the ordinance’s adoption.","The Decatur City Council approved Ordinance 25-46-11, making it illegal to bypass or assist in bypassing security checkpoints at any location that establishes a checkpoint. Councilmembers and public commenters raised concerns about how the rule will be administered and whether it was ready for a vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves vacation of portions of Grove and Sycamore streets; one member voices concern about precedent

Council approves transfer of donations to buy animal-services truck after public questions about donor intent

Decatur council adopts citywide security-checkpoint ordinance amid concerns about administration