Walking through the streets of a small town in Austria about a decade ago, Decatur resident Craig Coshow was inspired by the vibrant atmosphere of the city and the lack of vehicle traffic he saw. The experience inspired him and not long after, the city of Decatur was embarking on a project that would see a city block shut off from vehicular traffic for the greater good of the downtown district. Now seeking his third term as a city councilman, Coshow can hardly imagine the city of Decatur without Madison Street Plaza and its events.
Coshow, an IU Bloomington grad originally from the Noblesville area, is seeking a third term on city council for district three. He spent nearly 25 years in the mining and asphalt road construction business and has an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan.
While he loves Madison Street Plaza and the events that come with it, the reason Coshow is seeking a third term is even simpler.
“I have two sons,” notes Coshow. “All I would like to see is for us to build a town that would see them, along with all their friends that moved away because of employment, move back and raise their families here in Decatur.”
Coshow’s experiences outside of the city provide him a unique perspective into Decatur as opposed to someone who has lived here for a lifetime. He heads the Decatur Chamber of Commerce and has a goal to make Decatur the most attractive place to live, work and play in northeast Indiana.
“We are 20 minutes from the airport and the second largest city in the state. We are a safe community with a great school system,” says Coshow.
In his two terms, Coshow notes that the city has received over six million dollars in state grants for resurfacing streets and adding ADA compliant crosswalks. He also notes the serious investment the city has made in its water infrastructure, with two new water plants build.
Coshow has also invested time and effort into technology and lighting upgrades in the city, specifically in the downtown area. He has, more or less, become the go-to man for scheduling things downtown with his combination as councilman and chamber guru.
There is, of course, always more to do, however.
“One thing we can really focus on is pedestrian safety, both downtown and in other parts of the city,” says Coshow. The councilman notes that the city and businesses have to do more to continue to improve safety, especially on 13th street and the surrounding areas.
Coshow also lists the MERIT Center and the riverfront area as major areas of future growth and expansion for the city.
As executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, Coshow points out that Decatur has been named as one of the top 100 Micropolitan cities in the United States in two of the last three years by Site Selection Magazine.
The primary election for city council is Tuesday, May 2nd. Coshow is opposed by Abby Wilder. There is no democratic nominee on the ballot for District 3, leaving the winner of Coshow and Wilder as the likely member in the council beginning in 2024.