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At a city council meeting on Tuesday, Decatur City leaders listened to comments brought forth by residents about Mayor Tab Bowling’s possible resignation at the beginning of 2025.
The community has been calling for his resignation since the Sept. 29, 2023, shooting death of Steve Perkins by a former Decatur police officer. According to audio received by the Decatur Daily last week, Bowling met with the widow of Steve Perkins, the grassroots activist group Standing in Power and other Black community leaders to discuss his resignation.
After the death of Perkins, protests began outside Bowling’s home and have continued since. Earlier this year, Bowling began leaving city council meetings before the public comments portion began unless the comments were related to specific items on the agenda.
“Y’all have been asking for a couple of resignations, including mine,” Bowling said in the recording. “Over the weekend, after some thought — talking with friends of mine and such — I shared with Michael this morning that if the protests at our home would stop, and if the public comment would stop, that the first week of January 2025, I will step down.”
Between now and Bowling’s resignation the first of the year, he said the community would have the opportunity “to show that they’re going to hold true to their commitment.”
Jacob Ladner, city council president, would automatically become the new mayor in the interim unless the city council votes against it. Ladner briefly mentioned his thoughts on taking over during Tuesday’s meeting.
“I’ll continue to serve in the role I was elected to serve in, and if he decides to step down, I’ll serve in the role I was elected to serve in, which means changing roles,” said Ladner.
Members of the community continued to voice concerns about how Bowling leaving the office would not be the end of it, how he still has wrongs to right before the end of his service. Among the list of requests for Bowling include public apology, removing Decatur Police Chief Todd Pinion and dismissing charges against protestors involved.
