{"id":4199,"date":"2023-07-14T08:47:43","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T12:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/?p=4199"},"modified":"2023-07-14T08:47:45","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T12:47:45","slug":"decatur-ponders-changes-to-facade-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wzbd.com\/index.php\/2023\/07\/14\/decatur-ponders-changes-to-facade-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Decatur ponders changes to fa\u00e7ade program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Looking ahead sparks Decatur discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By BOB SHRALUKA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WZBD.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the city of Decatur wish to not only reinstate its facade program, but extend it to the residential area?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does the city want to place term limits on its various appointed board?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can anything be done about some nasty graffiti a home owner has placed on a building he owns?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Those were some topics tossed out for discussion at the July 5 meeting of city council. They mainly came up as city officials, halfway through 2023, begin looking ahead to the budget process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No decisions were made; only discussion was involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The city has been annually putting $50,000 into the popular facade program, but suspended it this year in the face of a money crunch due to having to fork over a match to the state for the Five Points renovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The facade program offers matching dollars for local businesses wishing to improve their facades, such as was done at Vinnie’s downtown a couple of years ago (see photo). There is a good chance the program will return for 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayor Dan Rickord has been talking for some time about adding a residential component to the program and that possibility was discussed. The amount talked about was much smaller than the facade output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councilman Wylie Sirk brought up the term limits subject, having read about Fort Wayne City Council’s recent adoption of limits on various appointments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere may be some value in thinking about that,\u201d Sirk said. \u201cWe want a variety of people over time. I would just like to present that idea to see if we might want to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it’s an excellent idea,\u201d Councilman Craig Coshow added. He noted that term limits could help to eliminate burnout and\/or complacency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councilman Matt Dyer raised the matter of certain graffiti, referring to some spray-painted on one of the buildings at south 11th<\/sup> and 12th<\/sup> streets which have come under code enforcement scrutiny of late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

City Attorney Anne Razo and Mayor Rickord noted how difficult it can be to force any change, given free speech laws, especially if the building owner put it there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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