Decatur May Try Free Wi-Fi

If the Decatur City Commission approves, the city will offer free wi-fi in the main business districts and in three city parks as a one-year experiment.

The proposal is on the agenda for the Monday city commission meeting that starts at 7:30 p.m. in city hall.

In a memo, Assistant City Manager Andrea Arnold says it's time to reduce the size of the original service area. Trees and utilty poles make service spotty in residential areas.

It's also time to replace the original Wi-FI equipment the city installed in 2008.  She proposes installing new equipment in the Decatur and Oakhurst business districts and in , and parks.

Expanding Wi-Fi is part of the city's strategic plan. After a year, the city will "assess the uptake rate, survey network users" and make a recommendation on the future of the Wi-Fi network.

In other business, the commission will vote on whether to give a $15,000 grant to the -- formerly called the Oakhurst Community Garden -- to purchase new real estate.

There is no work session Monday night. To see the full agenda, go to the city webpage. City commission meetings are broadcast live on Comcast channel 25. They are rebroadcast at 2 p.m. the Saturday after the meeting.