DECATUR: Internet used to connect locals

Decatur has launched an online forum to get input on issues facing the DeKalb County city, including the contentious issue of annexation.

The Open City Hall, found on Decatur’s Web site at www.decaturga.com, asks residents whether they support or reject proposals such as whether to annex more neighborhoods into the city and how to develop and acquire more green space.

The space will allow debate on six issues by year’s end, when the pilot program ends.

“One of our council’s goals is to explore how the electronic media could increase public participation and communication,” said city manager Peggy Merriss. “We want to have as many opportunities for public input as we can.”

Decatur is one of 10 cities nationwide in a pilot program for the online forums being run by the Alliance for Innovation, a municipal association, and the technology firm Peak Democracy.

The main goal is to give people who can’t attend meetings a chance to sound off on local civic activities. Having the discussions online opens up the process to far more people, and allows a conversation to evolve, said Peak Democracy CEO Robert Vogel.

Decatur’s 100-plus comments posted so far is the most participation of all the cities in the pilot program —- not surprising for a city that has two city-run blogs, a Facebook group and even a Facebook persona for kids in Stevie Decatur.

“I’m most pleased with the fact that people are making insightful and thoughtful comments and are genuinely engaging in the process,” Vogel said. “Decatur is doing great.”

The forum now asks for input on whether the city should annex two nearby neighborhoods and a commercial strip as a way to keep property taxes from rising. With 73 responses, those who say yes and those who say no are evenly split at 27 each. Three people said they were neutral and 16 said maybe to the annexation.

The city and the local school district plan a joint public hearing next week on the annexation issue, and the city will discuss it again on Dec. 1. The City Council plans to vote by mid-December on whether to ask the state Legislature for a vote on annexation —- a quick time line that is possible because of public meetings and the online chatter, officials said.

“We wanted to see if we could get different input,” Merriss said. “People seem encouraged that we want to hear their opinions.”