Patch Poll: Who Should Elect Decatur's Mayor?
The Decatur mayor is now elected by the other city commissioners, but in most towns a popular vote is used. Take the Patch Poll to tell us what you think.
Decatur has about 20,000 people, but only three people voted to make Jim Baskett the mayor on Monday night.
His fellow city commissioners picked him using a process that's seldom employed by municipal governments in Georgia.
Bill Floyd, who just resigned the mayorship after 14 years in office, says he only knows of two towns in North Georgia that do it that way: Griffin and Rome. He thinks Decatur should elect a mayor by popular vote.
Going to a popular vote would bestow more power than the Decatur mayor currently has.
Do you think Decatur should change the way a mayor is elected? Vote in the poll and leave your opinion in the comments box below.
Ralph Ellis
8:03 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Cast your vote in the Patch poll!
Diane Loupe
2:46 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Hey, you'd get more votes if you didn't have to log in first.
marianne
12:20 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Why does the city commission pick the mayor? How long has this been the case? This is uncommon in Georgia.
Steve
6:14 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
It has been the case since Decatur was chartered and you're right, it is rare in Georgia. It's done that way because the City charter says to do it that way.
marianne
10:50 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
So it's been that way since 1823?
Steve
11:26 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
I don't think the current City charter goes back that far, but the current charter is pretty old. Maybe Walt Drake can answer that.
Ralph Ellis
11:44 am on Thursday, January 10, 2013
I am trying to nail down a date, readers. Thanks for your interest.
Bob White
12:24 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Decatur is run by a very competent city manager who works for the commissioners. My experience (11 years as a resident) is that this works very well. A new mayor does not imply a new "administration".
I we do move to electing a mayor I suggest that the six commissioners should be the only candidates, Otherwise the new mayor would have a steep learning curve and we would risk a disruptive relationship between the new mayor.
The most important elections are for the commissioners.
A Decatur Mom
1:05 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
I like the idea of the public voting for the mayor from among the 5 Commissioners. That way, the Commissioners don't have to worry about hurting each others' feelings, given that they have to work closely with one another going forward. The public has input without disturbing the balance within the Commission.
Ralph Ellis
3:02 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Dear Curious Readers, Linda Harris from city hall provided this info: "Decatur adopted the Commission/Manager form of government in the 1920s. The Commission has elected a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem from among its five members annually during its first meeting in January since that time."