By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
During the regular meeting of the Panora City Council on Sept. 9, the council held the first reading of Ordinance 354, adding Chapter 149, regarding portable storage containers (also known as shipping containers). The ordinance states, in part, that portable storage containers are prohibited on a property used for residential purposes and are also prohibited on a property used for commercial purposes. Any such containers within the city that are not in compliance will need to be moved within 90 days.
The council approved the first reading on a 4-1 vote with councilmember Mark Sheeder opposed. The council waived the second and third readings also on a 4-1 vote, with Sheeder opposed.
During the Public Forum portion of the meeting, citizens addressed the council on two matters. Alli Halsey and Tricia Small asked the council to consider putting in a sidewalk on East South Street to enhance safety of the many children they see walking or bicycling there. Halsey explained they are requesting sidewalk on the south side of the street between Highway 4 and the museum.
“There’s a lot of kids and a big hill, so it’s a really big safety concern,” Halsey said.
Marshall and Linda Burgess addressed the council regarding the tap water in their home. They explained that they’ve been dealing with rusty-colored water for a year and were told by city staff that the problem must be on their property. They said the problem remains even after they had new water lines installed on their property. Marshall showed one of the water filters he has used. They asked if the city could have the situation resolved sooner than the spring of 2025.
Since matters discussed in the Public Forum are not on the agenda for action, the council did not take any formal action but said the city would look into both concerns.
Police Chief Matt Reising addressed the council regarding his written request regarding staffing for police coverage, following the resignation of Officer Porsch. Reising’s memo to the council said, in part, “We are utilizing part-time employees as much as possible…Officer Armstrong and I are requesting compensation for the shifts that we need to cover until a third officer is on their own.” The memo asked for Armstrong and Reising to split the third officer’s hourly rate in the meantime. The council unanimously approved the request, effective immediately.
The council asked Reising about a concern regarding a house in the city that’s had several law enforcement visits.
“It is being rented out or purchased by an organization that assists individuals with mental health issues. There have been some concerns with their interactions with neighbors… at least at this point, from a city standpoint, there isn’t really anything that we can do,” Reising said. “Unless there’s an actual crime, which I hope there isn’t.”
When asked if this is part of a “jail diversion program,” Reising said the home in question is not a part of such a program. He added that the residents have a caretaker on hand to provide assistance to the individuals as needed.
The next regular meeting of the Panora City Council is set for Monday, Sept. 23 at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome. Interested persons may attend in person or electronically by visiting the website https://meet.goto.com/cityofpanora or by phone 1-312-757-3121 (Access Code 295-099-701, Audio PIN 220#).