DECATUR, AL -
There is a power struggle going on in Decatur. One group wants to take away the mayor's power, while some on the city council want to provide help to the mayor.
The plan is to reorganize Decatur city government. Basically, Decatur has outgrown itself.
Council President Greg Reeves says it's a plan pitched by several former mayors who believed this city needed an administrative assistant or deputy mayor.
"It would really help the mayor and the city directors and the city employees streamline. Instead of the mayor being over 17 different departments and directors," said Reeves.
Reeves says he hopes the reorganization can help the mayor, who currently oversees more than 500 employees.
"The mayor was elected the mayor, and it isn't taking away his powers," said Reeves. "I don't think that's really appropriate. If that's something the people want to vote on, they're welcome to do that."
Here's how the reorganization plan would work. The mayor would stay in charge of police, fire and legal and a few other departments.
There's a possibility Decatur would hire two city administrators to oversee parks and recreation, public works and planning and finance.
"We're not doing this just because another group of people has said we need a city manager," said Mayor Don Stanford. "This is something we have been looking at since we've been elected."
Currently, there are two plans being floated to reorganize city government. Gary Voketz's plan would strip the mayor of his power.
Mayor Stanford is not worried about Voketz plan.
"I ran to be mayor of the city of Decatur, I was elected by the people to be the mayor of the city of Decatur and that's what I'm going to do for four years is be the mayor of the city of Decatur," said Stanford. "Somebody chooses to change the form of government and I run for mayor again and get elected and whatever I run for, that's what I'll do."
Councilman Reeves says worse case scenario, if the reorganization doesn't work, then they can always go back and change things again.
If everyone agrees on the reorganization plan, the city council could have a city manager in place as early as January 2010.
As for the Voketz' plan, it will take several steps before it can be put into action, including a vote by the people. A projected date for that would be 2012.
The plan is to reorganize Decatur city government. Basically, Decatur has outgrown itself.
Council President Greg Reeves says it's a plan pitched by several former mayors who believed this city needed an administrative assistant or deputy mayor.
"It would really help the mayor and the city directors and the city employees streamline. Instead of the mayor being over 17 different departments and directors," said Reeves.
Reeves says he hopes the reorganization can help the mayor, who currently oversees more than 500 employees.
"The mayor was elected the mayor, and it isn't taking away his powers," said Reeves. "I don't think that's really appropriate. If that's something the people want to vote on, they're welcome to do that."
Here's how the reorganization plan would work. The mayor would stay in charge of police, fire and legal and a few other departments.
There's a possibility Decatur would hire two city administrators to oversee parks and recreation, public works and planning and finance.
"We're not doing this just because another group of people has said we need a city manager," said Mayor Don Stanford. "This is something we have been looking at since we've been elected."
Currently, there are two plans being floated to reorganize city government. Gary Voketz's plan would strip the mayor of his power.
Mayor Stanford is not worried about Voketz plan.
"I ran to be mayor of the city of Decatur, I was elected by the people to be the mayor of the city of Decatur and that's what I'm going to do for four years is be the mayor of the city of Decatur," said Stanford. "Somebody chooses to change the form of government and I run for mayor again and get elected and whatever I run for, that's what I'll do."
Councilman Reeves says worse case scenario, if the reorganization doesn't work, then they can always go back and change things again.
If everyone agrees on the reorganization plan, the city council could have a city manager in place as early as January 2010.
As for the Voketz' plan, it will take several steps before it can be put into action, including a vote by the people. A projected date for that would be 2012.
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