Citing safety, Monona opts to leave 15 mph speed signs around school
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The city of Monona is opting to leave eight 15 mph speed limit signs around the MFL MarMac school zone despite Iowa Code allowing a minimum 25 mph speed in such areas.
According to the city’s lawyer, “the state does not allow it,” said administrator Barb Collins at the city council’s April 4 meeting. “We’d have to do an engineering and speed study of the area. It would cost about $2,500 for them to come in and say ‘Do you need 15 mph?’ He said it will never pass—it’s just too slow for a road. You could do it for alleys.”
Collins said the change dates to 2018, when the city replaced yield signs with stop signs at the intersection of West Davis Street and Bulldog Boulevard, near the school.
Safety concerns left the current council hesitant to update the speed signs to 25 mph, though.
“This area does get traffic, this area does make me nervous. I have a hard time bumping up the speed limit in a zone where the main concern is safety,” said council member John Elledge.
Hotel/motel tax to be on 2023 ballot
The council approved putting a hotel/motel tax measure on the ballot for the Nov. 7, 2023 election. According to the Clayton County Auditor’s Office, it’s the earliest date the issue could go on a ballot without holding a special election.
Collins noted the city’s share of the last council election was $1,023.58, and a special election would require the city to foot the entire bill.
If approved in 2023, hotel/motel tax collection would begin Jan. 1, 2024.
“It’s really not that far off,” Collins said. “We are serious about it, but this is why we’re going to wait.”
Drinking fountain location change
The location of a new drinking fountain donated by Delta Dental has been amended. Due to the cost of installing the fountain near the entrance to the Butterfly Trail, which was originally planned, Collins said it will now be put in the city park, replacing the old cement fountain.
