Department moves finish close to budget

Mar. 16—The relocation of city departments is complete with the cost coming in at as close to budget as possible, according to Decatur city officials.

Planning, Information Systems and Engineering, plus the Metropolitan Planning Organization, moved out of the city's leased annex at Cain and Ferry streets as part of a shifting of the departments involving the historic L&N Train Depot, Fort Decatur and City Hall.

Finance swapped spots with a portion of the Police Department. Finance is now in the Train Depot, while DPD's Traffic Division is on the second floor of City Hall.

Human Resources moved to Fort Decatur. Parks and Recreation is still using the gymnasium, but its administrative offices are spread between Ingalls Harbor Pavilion, Wilson Morgan Park and Point Mallard Campground.

Chief Finance Officer Kyle Demeester said the cost of the shuffle is within $1,008 of the $80,000 budget, but there is a pending cost of roughly $800 for a fax line they plan to install at Fort Decatur.

"That's pretty impressive anytime you do something like that and come that close to your budget," said Councilman Kyle Pike. "It usually points to the fact that it was properly managed."

Councilman Hunter Pepper's reaction to the budget news was, "Bravo to the mayor for doing a good job."

The budget success comes after Councilman Billy Jackson was suspicious of the project's cost estimates when Mayor Tab Bowling initially estimated the move would cost $100,000, then changed his estimate to $80,000.

Jackson called the estimates "spit-balling" and said the shuffle is unnecessary and "a huge mistake," especially given the lease on the Planning annex runs through Dec. 31, 2025.

"We are wasting a lot of money," Jackson said.

Jackson cited it several times in the last two months as an example of overspending by Bowling and the City Council majority during this term.

Council President Jacob Ladner said he talked to Jackson about the issue, and he thinks the department moves were the mayor's call to make.

"I certainly see Billy's point," Ladner said. "My point all of this time is the mayor is over the operations of the city. He felt like it would be more cost efficient and more efficient in running those departments, and that's his role to decide."

Pepper agreed with Ladner.

"As long as it helps the mayor and the mayor thinks it's a good decision, then so be it," Pepper said. "He made a judgement call on this one, and we supported it."

Bowling said he stands by his decision to shuffle the departments because "it's more efficient."

Initially, they planned to put Planning on the seventh floor at City Hall, but Bowling said they found they had room on the fourth floor for both Planning and Building. This saved money and helped both departments with their operations, the mayor said.

Bowling said putting Planning on the same floor with Building "makes it easier for them to work together. It also makes it easier for the customers."

He said Human Resources has also been pleased with the move to Fort Decatur.

"They're getting more internal visitors because it's easier to get in and out," Bowling said.

Pike said he still supports the move.

"I'm glad it's done because it creates some operational efficiency," Pike said.

Pike said it would be ideal if all of the city departments were in one building, but he knows it's not feasible at this time. However, he said he would like to work on a plan for the future that looks at demolishing the old city jail and expanding City Hall.

"Demolishing the old jail won't happen now, but, at some point, it will have to be considered," Pike said. "As the city continues to grow, we have to consider space."

While the department moves cost close to $80,000, Jackson has been critical of Bowling for moving out of the Planning annex without someone to take over the lease until it runs out at the end of 2025.

Bowling said it would be difficult to find a sublessee for such a short period unless they could reach an agreement with the owner on a lease extension to go along with a sublease.

Bowling said he met with the owner last week to discuss the property.

"He said his focus is on selling the building and property," Bowling said. "He asked me if the city is interested. I told him we would need to think on his offer, but I cannot see any benefit for the city in offering to purchase the building now that we have realigned our departments.

"A year or two ago, if we had the ability to purchase and thought that be an option, it would have been something we might have considered," he said.

Pepper said he isn't bothered that the city is now paying the lease on an empty building.

"So be it," he said.

Ladner said he wasn't aware the Planning annex is for sale, but he thinks buying the buying is a possibility he would like to consider. Ladner said the price doesn't always make sense, but he's always interested in trying to acquire property that the city could use in the future.

"If we can acquire property, we should certainly look at it, especially around the downtown area," Ladner said. "We run into issues all of the time where there's a good development and, if the city had property it could include in that development, it's always helpful."

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.