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Decatur council adopts HSIP grant-matching ordinance and opens 2026 budget hearing
Summary
The City of Decatur Common Council adopted an ordinance establishing an HSIP grant-matching fund and opened public hearings on a $12.79 million 2026 budget and a $5,000 additional appropriation from the Redevelopment Commission; Clerk-Treasurer Eran Hackman presented levy and rate figures.
The City of Decatur Common Council on Sept. 16 adopted Ordinance 2025-12, creating a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Grant Matching Funds account, and opened advertised public hearings on an additional appropriation and the 2026 budget.
Mayor Rickord called the meeting to order before Councilmember Jenny Bowers-Shultz introduced Ordinance 2025-12 by short title. City Attorney Anne Razo read the ordinance by short title; Councilmember Bowers-Shultz moved for adoption and, following suspension of the rules, the council adopted Ordinance 2025-12 on its second and final reading by a roll call vote of 5-0.
The council then suspended the regular meeting to open two public hearings. City Attorney Anne Razo explained an additional appropriation of $5,000 from the Decatur Redevelopment Commission to the HSIP Grant Matching Fund. Clerk-Treasurer Eran Hackman presented the proposed 2026 budget totals: $12,793,807 overall, with $5,698,560 from the adopted tax levy and an adopted tax rate of 1.4377; home-ruled funds were presented as totaling $1,785,815.
When asked during the hearing about the process governing Police and Fire pensions, resident Steve Christner was told the city follows state law on those pensions. No members of the public spoke against the additional appropriation; the hearings were closed and the council reconvened.
Resolutions tied to the HSIP funding — Resolution 2025-12 (the $5,000 additional appropriation) and Resolution 2025-13 (the transfer of funds from the Redevelopment Commission fund to the HSIP Grant Matching Fund) — were introduced by short title and adopted following motions by Councilmember Bowers-Shultz.
Ordinance 2025-13, the ordinance for 2026 appropriations and tax rates, was introduced and adopted on first reading by roll call vote 5-0, then tabled to the Oct. 7, 2025 meeting for further consideration.
The council’s action establishes a local matching mechanism to support HSIP projects and sets the procedural record for the 2026 budget process; additional hearings and a future meeting on Oct. 7 are scheduled to continue budget formalities.
