Decatur School Board to Discuss Annexation Monday Night

The Decatur Board of Education is expected to adopt a position on annexation during a meeting Monday, Oct. 29, at the Westchester Center.

At 6 p.m., the board will hold a work session to talk about the effects of annexation on the school system.

A study committee's report, which is posted on the City Schools of Decatur annexation blog, says annexation would add more students than the city government anticipates, probably cause a tax increase, lower per-student spending and accelerate the need to build new schools and renovate old ones.

At 7 p.m., the board will hold a separate meeting and is expected to adopt a recommendation to give to the Decatur City Commission, which alone has decision-making power on whether to proceed with annexation. The committe offered three recommendations:

• Oppose the annexation areas as currently proposed.

• Support annexation of partial parcels.

• Continue to collaborate with the City of Decatur to assess possible annexation areas.

The city is discussing into the city as well as commercial areas, such as the Suburban Plaza and Publix shopping centers.

At a city commission hearing last week, a large number of speakers said they opposed annexation because they didn't want to pay city taxes, which are higher than taxes for unincorporated DeKalb. Some current city residents said there's no need to put pressure on the city school system, which is already growing rapidly.

The school board will also be discussing the system's application to the state for renewal as a charter school system.