Residents in southeast Decatur next to Dearborn Park became alarmed in recent weeks as surveyors began tagging trees on land that’s part of the old George Robinson estate.

Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss said she doesn’t know who’s employing the surveyors, but assured residents the land won’t be developed. The estate, broken down into 13 properties, is fronted by the Dearborn Park trail which the city built a few years ago.

Both the trail and Robinson properties are inside city limits.

“To develop [the Robinson properties] the city would have to approve opening a road, which would mean taking out the trail,” she said. “We are not going to do that. Also, I don’t know why they’re tagging those trees because they can’t take them out either.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. (center) is flanked by GOP whip Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. (left) and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, as Thune speak to reporters at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the Senate passed the budget reconciliation package of President Donald Trump's signature bill of big tax breaks and spending cuts. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

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