By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
KEOTA – During the Nov. 17 meeting of the Keota City Council, the council discussed an anonymous complaint letter about a young man engaging in unsafe behavior on Broadway, including: riding scooters on sidewalks, handrails, brick flower beds and along building walls; jumping bicycles on building structures; and placing a ramp in the roadway to jump over. The letter noted an incident in September, where the youth damaged a business handrail, leading to an argument with the business owner and the youth agreeing to stop riding on the rail, pay for the damages, and write an apology, in return for the business owner not reporting him to the authorities. The letter noted that the youth had resumed riding on handrails in recent weeks, telling a business owner that the rail doesn’t belong to them when asked to stop. It stated that, on Nov. 11, the youth was seen lying on the sidewalk, possibly injured, before getting up and continuing to ride on his scooter. The letter also noted that there were problems with U-turns and speeding on Broadway and the side streets.
Councilman Heath McDonald stated he wasn’t sure if there was anything they could do about the U-turns, except maybe have a sheriff’s deputy sit there for a day. He stated that they legally couldn’t do anything about the scooter and bike problems, because there isn’t any ordinance banning riding them.  He stated that, if they did make an ordinance banning them, it would ban all biking, something he said they didn’t want to do. McDonald stated that he had spoken to the youth and been told he was moving soon. Councilman Matt Greiner stated that he had seen the youth jump off the loading dock at the school, been told to leave, then come back the next day. Greiner said that he believed bikes were technically already banned on sidewalks; City Clerk Hunter Bruns stated that she had checked and that only skateboards were banned. Greiner stated that the best case scenario would be to have the property owners talk to the sheriff’s department, although he noted that it wouldn’t be a high priority call, nor would the U-turns be a priority. He said they would get farther if citizens and business owners spoke with the youth or his mother.
Bruns stated that the ramp was an issue, because people are having to go around. Councilwoman Patty Tinnes asked if they could make an ordinance banning the youth’s actions, but not other things; McDonald stated it was a touchy situation and that he would look into it. Councilman Keith Conrad stated that they could cite the youth for not wearing safety gear, for not stopping for pedestrians, or for destroying property. He said it was annoying, but cautioned against restricting riding bikes or scooters to just public spaces, also noting that downtown was legally a public space.
Councilman Mike Bender stated that there was nothing they could do, except have business owners file charges when their property is damaged. Regarding speeding, Bender stated it doesn’t matter if there’s a cop in town, because people will just speed on the other side of town, and that they won’t catch them all. He noted that they already have a U-turn sign on Broadway, but that it doesn’t do any good. Greiner stated that banning bikes would hurt a lot of kids that ride around. He asked what they could do if they told the youth to move his ramp, and he refused to.
Mayor Tony Cansler recommended business owners take a photo of the ramp in the middle of the road and send it to the sheriff’s department. He stated that, if someone was willing to sign a formal complaint about a U-turn, the sheriff’s department would be willing to come and issue a ticket. Bruns asked if the city would be liable if the youth hurt himself; Cansler stated they would probably not be any more liable than if someone was in a car crash, unless the youth was injured by a big pothole. Bender noted that the sheriff’s department had taken away the youth’s go cart in the past, but said it was unlikely they would take away a scooter, and that they couldn’t cite the youth if there isn’t anything in Keota’s ordinances. Greiner stated that it was between the youth and the property owners and that there could be fines for trespassing or property destruction. Conrad noted that the youth would be liable for any damage or injuries the ramp caused and that businesses were legally allowed to remove or destroy the ramp if it is in front of their property.
Also at the Monday meeting, the council approved new utility billing and disconnection procedures, which they city had been using, but were not official, due to the city ordinances being vague. Bruns explained that accounts with a past due balance over $50 are tagged and that water service is disconnected if balances exceed the minimum monthly payment of $124.97. To be reconnected, residents must pay a $50 and the full balance, or go to city hall and arrange a payment agreement. Water bills are due the 15th of each month and properties are disconnected around the third of the following month. Public Works Director Micah Harmsen stated that, since they started these new billing procedures, billing had been the most current it had been in four years. He said “hats off” to the clerk’s office, nothing that there were some water balances he never thought would get down. Cansler noted that, legally, the city doesn’t have to give extensions before disconnecting water. McDonald stated that the current ordinances were a mess and that they were going through them to clean them up; he said clarifying the utility billing policy was a good start.
The council discussed getting radar speed signs that would tell drivers how fast they were going, in hopes this would alleviate problems with speeding. Bruns explained that she was thinking about getting two signs, one stationary and one portable, that would flash and let drivers know to slow down. One of the sign models would also send weekly reports on how many cars were speeding. Both models would cost several thousand dollars, which Bruns stated could be paid out of the police budget. Bender stated this was a good idea, although it would be probably be restricted to main street. Harmsen brought up the idea of teenagers maybe stealing a portable sign and suggested they make their own cart for a portable sign, which would be cheaper. Conrad stated he would prefer a stationary sign. Tinnes stated it was a good idea, but that she would prefer a firmer game-plan on how many signs they would get and where they would be placed. Greiner stated he was not opposed, pointing out the study saying the signs would give a 70% reduction in speeding that Bruns had handed them. McDonald suggested putting a portable sign near the school when school lets out. Conrad suggested putting up multiple poles and periodically moving the signs around town. Bruns stated that the signs could be paid for by a DOT grant; Harmsen stated they could possibly get a roadside grant for the sign. Greiner stated it was worth waiting for a grant. No action was taken.
Greiner asked if they had sold the police truck yet. Bender stated they were still waiting to hear back. Greiner stated they might be able to use funds from the truck for the speed signs. Bender stated that the process of disposing of old police evidence and equipment would not be completed by the time he left office at the start of next year. Cansler asked Conrad to take over meeting with the man overseeing disposing of old equipment.
The council approved the new mowing ordinances discussed at previous meetings, which will have the city place stickers on the doors of residents with overgrown lawns. During the public comment time at the start of the meeting, a concerned citizen requested the council move the public comment time back to the end of the meeting, because the public sometimes has questions after the meeting. Josh Schreiber of Ion Water reported that flows had stabilized and water use was down. The council discussed needing to do employee evaluations before the end of the year. Cansler stated that he had spoken to the Keokuk County Sheriff’s Department about an agreement for police coverage, but hadn’t heard back yet.
Tinnes, who lost reelection, congratulated the newly elected council members, but said it was bittersweet. She stated that she didn’t have to have a title to be involved with the community and that she planned to continue attending meetings and helping out in any way she can. Tinnes stated that she loved the town, that it meant a lot to have been appointed, and that, for the first time in a long time, she felt like she had a purpose. Cansler, who also lost reelection after 22 years in office, called his time a decent run and said he wasn’t ashamed for losing. He noted that he had his “ass handed to” his opponent, Ryan Carr, and gave his hat off to Carr. Carr, who was in attendance, also said hats off to Cansler, noting that Cansler had been running Keota since he was just getting out of diapers.
