By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
A lengthy Decatur City Council meeting wound down on a contentious note Tuesday.
Jean Porter-Brune was protesting the city’s decision to look at land along the St. Marys River bank off First St. as a possible site for affordable housing.
“We are very nervous about the riverfront development,” she began.
At its previous meeting, council had approved the hiring – for a fee not to exceed $5,000 – of the Crowe LLC consulting firm to determine how much a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) designation would produce financially for a possible addition of riverfront housing off First St.
Earlier this year the city approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city, the Decatur Redevelopment Commission, and the Housing Resource Hub to move forward on the possibility of developing affordable housing on city-owned land off First St., from Monroe to Jefferson streets, a
“I was actually shocked by the MOU,” Porter-Brune said.
According to Porter-Brune, the plan for a riverfront park in that area has been in the city’s Comprehensive Plan since 2010 and was reaffirmed in the present plan, written in 2015.
She pointed to what she said was a large opposition to riverfront housing on social media.
Before beginning. Porter-Brune passed out to the eight city officials and three media representatives a 36-page, bound folder. It contained some photos and maps, and 30 pages devoted to social media comments (with the names of the writers redacted).
The vast majority were opposed to housing development on the riverfront.
One of the comments said, “Decatur is a dying town always has been most of the younger generation have set plans to leave.”
Another said, “I don’t think it’s dying, I think it’s boring and unprepared for the future.”
Another, “(Redacted) agree! We don’t need more out-of towners.”
Another, “The river is about the nastiest river in the nation.”
Another, “Maybe I missed something here, but didn’t they tear down homes because of the flooding why would they put up any residential building’s (sic)? Is it guaranteed no more flooding in that there?”
Another, “Idk y they’re even asking, they’re going to do what they want anyway. Just like the stupid round about no one wants. A dog park what barely gets used.”
Another, “Who needs middle-class apartments?”
Another, “Got to have room for illegal immigrants.”
Another, “How about don’t let the simple-minded mayor make choices for Decatur! There are other things we should be focusing on rather than building more apartments!”
Mayor Dan Rickord pointed out to Porter-Brune that the city cannot govern by what is on social media.
When Porter-Brune contended that city has not allowed time for public comment, the mayor said: “I have not had not one comment, not one phone call, not one email – nothing” about the possibility of placing housing on the riverfront.
Rickord also noted, “Everywhere I go communities are looking for affordable housing.”
As things heated up, the mayor noted that Porter-Brune was not on the meeting agenda – lack of time due to an ailing mother, she said – and that she had gone well beyond the 10 minutes allowed for public comment.
He thanked Porter-Brune who, as she stood up to leave, said, “I did not expect contentiousness.”
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