DECATUR — Decatur City Hall will no longer be opened as a storm shelter during tornado warnings, city council members decided at the March 12 meeting.

However, community members can still take shelter at the Decatur First Baptist Church, next door, during severe weather.

Council members decided to no longer designate city hall as a storm shelter because of concerns that the city could be liable if community members took shelter in the building and were injured during a tornado. It was noted that the building does not really have any underground areas and is not designed to be a tornado shelter.

City attorney Tom Smith also pointed out that the building sits right on top of a hill and was actually hit by a tornado once before, in the late 1940s.

The Decatur First Baptist Church basement is open to the community as a storm shelter during tornado warnings, according to Pastor Rodney Davis.

Davis said the tornado shelter area is underground, but does have windows along the ground level. During last year’s tornado season, as many as 30 people took shelter in the church basement during some of the most severe storms, he said.

Ike Owens, lead lay person for the Decatur Methodist Church, said his church is not currently being used as a storm shelter,but the church’s large basement area has been used as a shelter in the past.

Since city hall will no longer be used as a storm shelter, the Methodist Church may consider opening an area for community members to take cover, Owens said.

News, Pages 1 on 03/28/2012