During a City Council meeting Monday, board member Larry Waye recommended the council restructure the city's business incubator by converting it to a non-profit entity and forming a new board with additional members.

Dec. 23--More than nine months after its reformation, Decatur's Business Incubator Board has recommended the city restart its long-defunct entrepreneurial program.

During a City Council meeting Monday, board member Larry Waye recommended the council restructure the city's business incubator by converting it to a non-profit entity and forming a new board with additional members.

He said existing board members would be willing to serve.

Other requests included that the city provide the organization seed money by funding it $100,000 annually for five years, and that the city lease the incubator building on Fourth Avenue Southeast to the board at a rate of $1 per year for five years.

Waye said the plan would eventually allow the incubator to generate between 65 and 80 percent of its required funding through rent paid by future incubator tenants.

He also said it would allow the board to pursue other funding sources and would eliminate the city's role as the incubator's sole supporter.

"There's no question that the incubator is not only needed, but it can be successful," he said.

Council reaction to the plan was positive as councilmen discussed passing a resolution as early as next month that would convey their support for the plan. They also discussed possible ways to fund the incubator and forgiving a $40,025 debt the incubator owes the city as part of that funding.

"Out of everything we invest in, to me, this is one of the best things we can do for our city," said Councilman Roger Anders.

Monday's recommendations mark the board's first significant action since the council reinstated the board in March, after years of inactivity, when it had no director and too few board members to reach a quorum.

The incubator is intended to accelerate the development of start-up businesses by providing them a low-cost facility and entrepreneurial advice. Waye said the incubator would need a full-time director to help it accomplish its goals.

In a related matter, Waye ended speculation Monday the city school system would move its career-technical programs to the virtually empty incubator building.

While Superintendent Sam Houston expressed interested in that earlier this year, Waye said he met with school officials and they determined the school system could not share the building with start-up businesses because of security risks.

Credit: The Decatur Daily, Ala.