Katie Bell to challenge Decatur City Commissioner Kelly Walsh in ...

Katie Bell has a doctorate in philosophy from Mercer University. She lives with her partner, Benjamin, and their two dogs.

Katie is a private practice therapist, an assistant director of clinical counseling services at Georgia State University, and an adjunct professor at Mercer University.

Katie Bell previously ran for Decatur City Commissioner in District 1 in 2021 but did not win.

As of September 3, 2025, Katie Bell’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Economy

Believes equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential for community improvement.

Supports prioritizing equity, investing in restorative justice practices, increasing teacher pay, and hiring and retaining a more diverse educator workforce.

- Believes equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential for community improvement.
- Supports prioritizing equity, investing in restorative justice practices, increasing teacher pay, and hiring and retaining a more diverse educator workforce.

Public Services

Supports targeting new affordable housing near public transit, safe roads, and valuable resources, and plans to fast-track affordable housing construction.

Supports protecting existing affordable rental units by supporting policies and plans for preservation efforts.

Believes in making rents affordable citywide and supporting small businesses through thoughtful zoning.

- Supports targeting new affordable housing near public transit, safe roads, and valuable resources, and plans to fast-track affordable housing construction.
- Supports protecting existing affordable rental units by supporting policies and plans for preservation efforts.
- Believes in making rents affordable citywide and supporting small businesses through thoughtful zoning.

Housing & Urban Development

Plans to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

- Plans to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Public Safety

Supports expanding the GoDecatur Circulator shuttle service to alleviate car and parking issues.

Believes parking must be a top priority to address the continued loss of businesses.

- Supports expanding the GoDecatur Circulator shuttle service to alleviate car and parking issues.
- Believes parking must be a top priority to address the continued loss of businesses.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports groups like Save Decatur’s Trees and Decatur Cares About Climate Change and believes Decatur can achieve 100% clean energy by 2030.

- Supports groups like Save Decatur’s Trees and Decatur Cares About Climate Change and believes Decatur can achieve 100% clean energy by 2030.

Energy & the Environment

Katie Bell

Katie previously ran for Decatur City Commissioner in District 1 in 2021 but did not win.

Instagram

As of September 3, 2025, Katie Bell did not have a website or any information online.

James Auchincloss

Walter Ley

Buket Urgen

Believes the city has failed to address housing affordability, workforce housing, and has driven out middle, low-income, and senior citizens.

Believes the city has failed to address housing affordability, insufficient workforce housing, and the displacement of middle, low-income, and senior citizens.

Mark has a bachelor of arts in economics from Brown University and a master of management in finance and strategy from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He lives with his wife, Roz, and their two daughters in Decatur. 

Mark is a data analytics executive at CRH Americas Materials. He previously founded Nuestro Banco, a Spanish-language community bank in North Carolina, and led Red Clay Capital Holdings, an investment firm. Earlier in his career, he worked in finance, banking, and strategic planning.

Mark's campaign for Decatur City Commissioner, District 1 is his first entry into politics.

Supports economic growth by maintaining vibrant commercial districts and collaborating with the Decatur Development Authority and the Decatur Business Association.

- Supports economic growth by maintaining vibrant commercial districts and collaborating with the Decatur Development Authority and the Decatur Business Association.

Supports efficient, collaborative government that provides high-quality, cost-effective public services like street and sidewalk safety, maintenance, sustainable waste management, and stormwater management.

- Supports efficient, collaborative government that provides high-quality, cost-effective public services like street and sidewalk safety, maintenance, sustainable waste management, and stormwater management.

As of September 3, 2025, Mark Arnold’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports increasing environmental sustainability by implementing the Green Communities Program, which focuses on building and development, trees and greenspace, recycling and waste reduction, efficient energy water use, and accelerating permitting for rooftop solar panels.

- Supports increasing environmental sustainability by implementing the Green Communities Program, which focuses on building and development, trees and greenspace, recycling and waste reduction, efficient energy water use, and accelerating permitting for rooftop solar panels.

Facebook

Mark Arnold

Mark Arnold has a bachelor of arts in economics from Brown University and a master of management in finance and strategy from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He lives with his wife, Roz, and their two daughters in Decatur. He is fluent in Spanish and conversational in Portuguese.

Mark is a data analytics executive at CRH Americas Materials, the worldu2019s largest building materials company. He previously founded Nuestro Banco, a pioneering Spanish-language community bank in North Carolina, and led Red Clay Capital Holdings, an investment firm focused on lower-middle market opportunities in the Southeast. Earlier in his career, he worked in finance, banking, and strategic planning.

As of September 3, 2025, Mark Arnold did not have a website or any information online.

- City commissioners work together with the rest of the commission to set and implement city policy. 
- The city commission is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City commissioners work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City commissioners represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city commissioners in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 

Decatur City Commissioner, District 1

Election results

Candidates (2)