DECATUR, Ind. — The Decatur City Council voted April 21 to narrow the search for a new wastewater treatment facility, passing a resolution that removes a specific land parcel from project consideration and officially bans the use of eminent domain for the acquisition.
The decision to prohibit eminent domain—the legal power of a government to take private property for public use following the payment of just compensation—followed a lengthy debate during the council’s regular session. Council members Jenny Bowers Schultz, Matt Dyer, Tyler Fingham, Scott Murray and Abby Wilder addressed growing community concerns regarding property rights and the long-term sustainability of the city’s water infrastructure.
The resolution effectively resets a portion of the planning process for the proposed facility, which is currently designed to handle a peak flow of 7.1 million gallons per day. During a public forum, residents questioned officials on current sewer capacity and expressed opposition to the potential seizure of private land for the utility expansion.
“No, we’re not doing that,” council members noted during the discussion, explicitly confirming that the city will not use legal force to acquire land for the plant from unwilling sellers.
In addition to the wastewater project, the council moved forward with several fiscal items, including the approval of CF1 tax abatement forms—documents that allow local businesses to receive tax breaks on property investments. The council also passed several budget amendments and discussed a new contract for city surveillance cameras.
The session concluded with a preliminary discussion on Ordinance 2026-8, which proposes a restructuring of city fees, including those related to tree permits.
City officials said the wastewater upgrades remain a priority for Decatur’s long-term growth, though a final location for the new facility has not yet been determined following the removal of the previous site from the master plan.