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Neighbors and Beacon Hill groups urge board to halt ECLC work at 346 West Trinity Place, seek archaeological review and more transparency
Summary
Multiple community speakers told the board they oppose building the Early Childhood Learning Center on 346 West Trinity Place in the Beacon Hill historic district, requested a professional archaeological survey, and called for more transparent engagement and independent financial review before the district proceeds.
A string of public commenters at the June 11 board meeting urged City Schools of Decatur trustees to pause development of the proposed Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) at 346 West Trinity Place and to consult outside archaeological and historical experts before any further work.
Doris Sims Johnson, speaking for Beacon Hill elders and neighborhood groups, asked the board to preserve what she described as sacred historic ground and to do a formal archaeological phase‑1 survey through the Southeastern Archaeological Conference or a comparable independent team at no cost to the district. She said the land is central to Beacon Hill’s history and that community trust has eroded.
Several other speakers — parents, longtime residents and community organizers — echoed those calls and asked for a second independent evaluation beyond the initial assessments the district shared. They said that one opinion on a multimillion‑dollar decision is insufficient and requested documented commitments to community partnership, greater transparency on land use and a clear timeline for archaeological work.
Public speakers also called for independent financial transparency on how ECLC and other major capital decisions would be funded, with one commenter suggesting a formal independent review of expenditures and procurement on major projects. Others asked the board to recommit to a clear diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy and to more inclusive community governance going forward.
District staff and trustees heard requests and acknowledged next steps: legal and facilities staff will follow up; the board repeatedly said it would return to the ECLC topic in August when financing details are expected to be clearer.
Ending: The board did not remove the ECLC appropriation from the FY2027 budget; community groups left the meeting seeking a formal archaeological phase‑1 survey and a publicly documented plan for community participation and financing clarity.
