Over the January 29th-30th weekend, Decatur’s City Commission retreated to Smithgall Woods in Helen, Georgia to discuss the future of Decatur.

If you’re curious about what our mayor and city commissioners want Decatur to look like in 5 years and/or what their main goals & projects are for 2010, this is a must-read.

You’ll find the full report after the jump!

[h/t: DNO]

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After a very long meeting yesterday evening, Decatur’s Zoning Board of Appeals tabled its decision on whether to allow the Peer Support and Wellness Center to continue operating in the Decatur Heights residential neighborhood.

Here’s a round-up of reports from the scene…

• AJC: Challenge to Decatur Mental Health Center ongoing
• InDecatur: Decatur ZBA hears 444 Sycamore arguments
• DNO: 444 Sycamore Gets Late Night Zoning Board Hearing

Good luck board members.  Either way, people are going to yell at you.

An amazing before and after.

Before: This pic was taken April 13, 2009

After: Scott took this pic the other day.

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For the past three years, Decatur’s “official” cheering station for the ING marathon – i.e. the one that could win prize-money – was in front of Fellini’s on Commerce Drive.  But according to this year’s info, the station has been moved up into the heart of the city along Ponce in front of the Old Courthouse.

From 231 Sycamore…

New Cheering Section will be held on the square The ING Georgia Marathon will come through our city on Sunday, March 21, and Decatur invites you to participate as a hydration and/or cheering volunteer. As the marathon organizers say, “Volunteers are the heart and SOLE of the marathon.”

Hydration Station Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to staff two Hydration Stations, one at the East Lake MARTA station and one in downtown Decatur. Your duties will be to hand out water to the runners and to cheer them on. To volunteer for the Hydration Stations go to www.doitsports.com/volunteer/join-protected-group.tcl?event_id=174848.

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Apparently the Georgia House of Representatives thinks so.

In a 137 to 33 vote yesterday, the AJC reports that the House approved legislation that would give the governor power to remove local school board members, based on a recommendation by the State Board of Education.  The measure now goes back to the Senate for a vote.

According to the news org, the legislation is a reaction to Clayton County’s loss of accreditation last year.   And while I understand the state’s concern when a school system completely fails its students, this seems a bit drastic and big government-ish for Georgia’s Republican Party.

Why does it seem like the State’s (R)uling party keeps trying to take more and more power away from local governments?  What happened to the “local knows best” mentality?  Is that particular ideology up for grabs in political arenas again?