DECATUR - Appointing a new mayor following Paul Osborne's surprise resignation is a top priority, members of the Decatur City Council agreed Monday.

Osborne shocked council members by submitting a letter of resignation Friday evening, citing a desire to focus on his role as editor of his weekly Decatur Tribune newspaper and recent health problems.

The resignation was effective Sunday.

Councilman Michael Carrigan, the senior member of the council, will serve as mayor pro tem as the council works to appoint a new mayor.

By law, the city council must appoint a new mayor within 60 days to serve until a mayor is elected to fill Osborne's unexpired two-year term at next year's municipal election.

The council met in closed session Monday to discuss appointing a new mayor.

"I think it took us all by surprise," Carrigan said of Osborne's resignation. "I'm not quite sure of all the rhyme or reason.

"Obviously, it's a personal decision to decide to run for city council, and it's a personal decision to decide to resign. So, we certainly wish the mayor well with himself and his family, and we appreciate all the hard work that he put into this job."

Osborne resigned as the city faces several major unresolved issues: recruiting a new city manager to succeed Steve Garman, finding more space for the Decatur Police Department, securing additional water resources, revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods and studying whether to elect some council members from wards.

Local businessman John Phillips urged the city council to appoint one of its own to serve as interim mayor.

"It's absolutely critical that the next mayor be one of you," Phillips said.

Phillips acknowledged asking a council member to become mayor amounted to an "almost unbelievable request for sacrifice," and urged the council to consider increasing the compensation for the mayor.

The mayor currently earns $8,000 per year.

Jeffrey Perkins, president of the Decatur branch of the NAACP, agreed that a council member should be chosen to serve as mayor.

"With all the issues we have before us, the mayor really should come from the council," Perkins said.

The council could appoint anyone who meets the requirements to run for mayor.

An eligible candidate must be a resident of the city for one year, of voting age, not in debt or arrears to local government and must never have been convicted of malfeasance of office, bribery or another corruption crime.

If a council member is appointed to serve as mayor, the city council then would have 60 days to appoint someone to fill the vacated council seat.

In other business, the council approved extending the boundaries of the community's enterprise zone for two projects near Decatur Memorial Hospital.

An enterprise zone is an economic development tool that provides incentives to businesses, including lower operation costs through state tax credits and exemptions.

Bakers Dozen LLC plans to build a 55,391-square-foot cancer center near West McKinley Avenue and North Main Street.

The project includes a capital investment of about $26.5 million and is expected to create or retain 100 full-time jobs.

Enterprise zone boundaries also will be stretched to allow for the redevelopment of Oxford House, a Section 8 senior housing facility, along Monroe Street. Investment in Oxford House is expected to be more than $13.5 million.

"This is well done and quite a substantial investment and should be welcomed into the community," Carrigan said of the development projects.

A planned study session on whether to elect some council members from wards was postponed.

Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985.