Council upholds preliminary denial of Champion Home Builders’ 2026 tax abatement

The Decatur Common Council on June 2 voted to adopt Resolution 2026-5, upholding the preliminary denial of a 2026 tax abatement for Champion Home Builders Inc.

At a public hearing, Jay Chappelle, development manager for Champion, addressed council and explained changes since the company’s earlier filings, including an expanded automation division and new hires; he said, “I’ve been with Champion since December 2nd,” and outlined hiring and production challenges tied to recent market conditions. Council members said the CF‑1/SB‑1 forms the council relied on when initially granting abatement did not match the company’s current staffing and wage figures, citing a shortfall (council referenced a roughly 40–50 percent discrepancy in some counts). Council members also noted the company missed the May 15 deadline for submitting certain materials and that clerk staff had provided special consideration only to accept a late submission for review.

Council concerns focused on employment counts, base wage reporting and timely representation. A council member said the governing body must be able to rely on CF‑1 information when giving up tax revenues and that failing to meet deadlines or provide credible data makes it difficult to justify an ongoing abatement. After discussion a motion was made and the council voted to introduce and adopt Resolution 2026‑5, which documents the factual basis for upholding the preliminary denial for the 2026 tax year. The resolution covers both real property and personal property for 2026; the action will be recorded with the county auditor and assessor and provided to the company.

Next steps: Council members invited Champion to return with updated CF‑1/SB‑1 documentation in future years and said the company remains welcome to reapply; the council indicated it wants clearer, timely filings and better documentation of wages and hiring before granting abatements.