Comments on: Approval of Annexation a Done Deal? A First Hand Account…

By: Carl

Carl — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:32:33 +0000

My unofficial opinion is that City Schools of Decatur would be delighted with the influx, since most new City residents don’t have kids. It’s not easy attracting young families with the current housing prices and City taxes. Every new condo owner supports the school system but only a handful have or ever expect to have children in the system. Interestingly, when the plans were unveiled for the first downtown condo development in the late 90s (Decatur Towne Square), one of the initial public arguments against approval was that the school system would be inundated. That idea is laughable now if you know the average age of the residents there. With increasingly more condos coming our way (clearly geared towards single people if the 315 development is any indication), the City needs to expand to ensure that more affordable single family homes can potentially feed the schools.

By: decaturite

decaturite — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:58:40 +0000

Outraged huh? That should get me some extra hits.

But seriously, I don’t claim to have been following this issue for any real extension of time. I’m just seeking clarification. While comments here indicate that some residents are well aware of this move for annexation, others (like myself) obviously were not.

If what’s been suggested by Outraged and Carl are true then both the city and CDS are fully aware of the annexation plan. Great! I’m glad to hear they’re in close communication.

But where’s the school’s plan for fitting these 500 students into the existing system? If the city decided it wanted to vet this idea to the papers, shouldn’t this element already have been in place prior to talking to the AJC? Now people are in a panic about an overcrowded school system and there’s been no response. Seems easily avoidable with a little planning.

Maybe I’m being impatient and need to hold my horses til the commission meeting next Tuesday, but if plan has been around for some time then its not like the city hasn’t had time to prepare for this.

By: Outraged Fifth Avenue Resident

Outraged Fifth Avenue Resident — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:23:50 +0000

That’s BS. The School Board has known for years that the city wanted to annex. In fact, that is one of the reasons I’ve been given that the school board has been holding on to the Fifth Avenue School property.

By: decaturite

decaturite — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:48:53 +0000

Carl, hope you don’t mind if I pick your brain.

Do you think that the view that the school board was caught off-guard by this is inaccurate? If its been talked about for years, than the school board must have had some inkling.

That’s my true concern. Not that the commission is farther along than many probably expect (a “done deal”), but that the school board has been kept out of the loop considering that the influx of students seems issue #1 to current residents.

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:32:57 +0000

Since they’ve talked about pretty much this same annexation plan for years, it’s no surprise that many in government would logically think of it as a done deal.

By: Decaturguy

Decaturguy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:41:27 +0000

Sorry for the scare. My information is wrong. The regularly scheduled meeting for January 21 is now January 22. Disregard my previous comment!

By: Decaturguy

Decaturguy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:29:27 +0000

Decaturite,

You should note that because of the MLK Holiday, there will be no January 22 meeting of the City Commission. The meeting will be TONIGHT! Better hightail it down there if you want to have a say:

http://www.decaturga.com/cgs_citygov_commissionmeetings.aspx
(and click list of 2007 meeting dates which will take you to a list of 2008 meeting dates)