By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Abby Wilder found her first year as a member of Decatur City Council to be interesting, informational, and positive. And, she says, she has absolutely no regrets about seeking to be the representative of District Three, which is located in the northwest portion of the city.
Wilder upset incumbent Craig Coshow in the 2023 Republican primary, then was unopposed in the general election.
“My first year on city council was so very interesting, informational and positive,” she says, looking back. “There are many facets of our city that I have found truly fascinating. As I met with department heads and their teams who make our city run, I learned so much on everyday things.”
“Working in a government office has opened my eyes to a whole new world.”
Wilder noted how she was nervously excited to begin the council post.
As a member of council, “I’ve learned things that are interesting and explain the why behind decisions made, processes and procedures,” she says. “This role presents loads of exposure to those types of learning opportunities, which I enjoy.”
One of her goals for that first year, Wilder says, “ were to listen, observe, gather information and apply what I learned to make educated decisions and sharing what I’ve learned with others. I love collaborating on actionable solutions that can be implemented, and there are plenty of opportunities to do so on city council.”
In order to learn what makes her city tick, Abby met with several department heads to discover how the department teams “make our city sustainable and relevant.”
She spent time with the wastewater department and the building and zoning department, and got a good look at the workings of the fire and police departments, plus the county sheriff’s department.
“I have more departments to visit going into year two and I am really looking forward to those visits,” Abby said.
She also connected with the Adams County Economic Development Commission and the Decatur Redevelopment Commission.
“Both groups are cultivating Decatur’s housing opportunities and focusing on relevant business and economic growth which positions Decatur for sustainability and attracts or retains future generations who want to see our city flourish,” the councilwoman explained.
Abby says she got a solid foundation from AIM (Accelerate Indiana Municipalities), which provided all sorts of training, resources, collaboration opportunities, communication on legislative sessions, opportunities to meet vendors who provide services to cities, and much more.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful this organization is,” she pointed out. “ Being exposed to a diverse pool of talents and ideas from other cities really confirmed for me that Decatur is a city that has options for opportunities of change and options to remain steadfast.”
The AIM-sponsored sessions and events provided one major lesson: “I was pleased to learn how well our council works together. There are quite a few councils that do not, which was surprising.”
Abby adds, though, that Decatur’s governing body is “a diverse pool of talents and ideas. We respect each other, get along, and speaking for myself, I genuinely enjoy working with them.”
Underscoring that she has no disappointments or regrets about seeking the council position, Wilder says if she could change anything, “it would be how we communicate all the behind the scenes work, dedication to the city and the citizens within, all the efforts our mayor, council, every department is doing to keep Decatur relevant, sustainable, safe, healthy, and efficient.
“It’s remarkable! I have not met anyone who is trying to sabotage anyone or anything in Decatur; we are all trying our best to do the best we can for a greater Decatur.”
NOTE: Abby Wilder and Jenny Bowers-Shultz in 2024 became the first women members of city council since Barb Engle, who served two four-year at-large terms before being ousted in the 2011 election.
