Keota to Close Small Park Over Vandalism

KEOTA – During the August 5 meeting of the Keota City Council, concerned citizen Nick Mahan brought up grievances over what he perceived as apathy on the part of the city to maintain the small park. This park has had constant problems with vandalism in recent years, including trash cans being overturned and dumped on the lawn, multiple sets of swings being stolen, shingles and tin ripped off the roof of the pavilion, and damage to trees. Mahan has personally cleaned up the trash in the park on multiple occasions. Last fall, he attended several meetings and requested the city replace the trash cans with sturdier ones that kids cannot open or tip over. The city purchased new trash cans using money from Keokuk County Community Endowment Foundation, which were installed in July of this year. Mahan stated that the new trash cans were only barely better, and that kids can still remove the lids and move the trash cans. He stated he was disappointed both in the new trash cans and how long it took for them to be installed.

Mahan also raised complaints over the city applying for a $25,000 KCCEF grant to improve Wilson Memorial Park by adding an RV park. He stated he did not understand how an RV park would benefit the citizens of Keota more than adding a dog park, pickleball court, redoing sidewalks, or upgrading the little park, all things the council has discussed in the past. Mahan stated he had heard rumors the city did not want to pay any attention to the small park.

“I understand that people don’t want stuff done because of the undesirables that spend time in that park, but that’s not the only people that spend time in that park,” said Mahan. “You’ve got to figure out something else, of ways to deal with that, besides just ignoring the problem. I just think it would be a huge mistake if we continue to neglect, ignore, whatever it may be, to that park down there.”

Councilman Curt Burroughs explained that he does not see the small park as a good place to invest in for recreation. He noted that the elementary school, which will have a new playground, is two blocks away, and the Wilson Memorial Park is three blocks away.

“I don’t see a majority of this community wanting us to continue pouring thousands of dollars into this little park like we have done the last 3-4 years,” said Burroughs. “We’ve thrown thousands of dollars, Nick, into that park, and we’ve got nothing to show for it because the children destroy it. They just simply destroy it. Am I to go ask all of your neighbors to keep pitching in money into a pit? They’re destroying it. I don’t know why they won’t stop. But how many more thousands should we pour into it?”

Burroughs stated he was also frustrated with the vandalism at the small park and that he did not understand why kids would repeatedly destroy a park. He bluntly stated that the city plans to get rid of the small park and sell the land to housing developers to get taxable income. Mahan stated that he had seen more kids at the small park than at Wilson Memorial Park recently. Burroughs said that most of the kids are there to play basketball. He explained that the city plans to add a basketball court at Wilson Memorial Park and claimed this would cause 90% of the kids playing at the small park to leave.

Burroughs stated that the city is planning to add a dog park and pickleball court, but that it takes time to get grants, and that the alternative is raising taxes. He stated that Keota already has the highest taxes in the county and that his personal taxes had tripled since he moved to town. He said Keota needs lower taxes to bring people in.

Mahan asks where the thousands spent on the park had been spent. Burroughs stated that the costs came from replacing swings, mowing, and having Public Works Director Micah Harmsen clean up trash on an almost daily basis. City Administrator Alycia Horras stated that the city spends $1,500 annually on the small park, not including labor, and has nothing to show for it. Mahan countered that people use the park. Horras stated this was only because of the basketball court. Mahan stated that his daughter constantly goes to the park, but does not play basketball.

Mahan stated that the city could lock up the swings or put up cameras to prevent theft. Burroughs stated it was not viable to have Harmsen unlock the swings early in the morning and lock them late at night, and that Mahan’s daughter could walk a few parks to Wilson Memorial Park. Harmsen stated that he had told kids that they would lose the park if they did not respect it, but that vandalism had continued, and that he didn’t have time in his day to babysit.

Councilman Mike Bender stated that the city had researched other cities and found out that other communities, even larger ones, focus on a single park. He stated that the city doesn’t have the time to watch security cameras, nor the money to install them or replace them if they were damaged. “We’re also here, as a council, a mayor, and employees, to make sure we grow this community, and make it better,” said Bender. “And by having one big park, with all the amenities, I think in my book, is the best way to go about it.”

Horras stated that the city needs to make choices that benefit a majority of residents, not just a handful. Mahan again brought up the $25,000 RV park grant. Bender stated that the RV park was only one part of the work the city plans to do with the grant. Mahan asked how an RV park would benefit the people of Keota. Horras stated that citizens had asked the city for an RV park, so family members visiting Keota have a place to park their RVs. Burroughs stated the city can rent out the RV park and bring in income to the city.

“None of the decisions that have been made, or have been looked at, are made because someone just thought that it would be a cool thing to do,” said Horras. “They’ve been made because we’ve had requests, we’ve had suggestions, we’ve done our research. We’re trying to do what will be to the benefit to as many of our residents as we can, and that park is not benefitting enough people. The income that we could make, from putting residential there, that will benefit our community. That will help us to continue to maintain and sustain this community, because if we don’t grow, we’re going to die.”

Councilman Keith Conrad stated that the city had sent a survey out to the community asking what people wanted the city to focus on. He stated that spending so much time repairing destroyed properties did not benefit the community. He stated that nothing had been finalized and that the small park would still be around for a while.

Councilman Heath McDonald asked what type of trash cans Mahan wanted. Mahan stated he wanted trash cans that were stuck to the ground, keeping kids from knocking them over, with lids that can’t be easily removed. “Do you think that will stop children from vandalizing, if they can’t take the trash out?” asked Burroughs.

“That’s one part of the issue,” replied Mahan.

“No, the part of the issue is that we’ve got children in this community whose parents will not hold them accountable,” countered Burroughs. “The issue’s not our trash cans.”

McDonald stated the problem with that style of trash can is that it takes more time to empty them. He asked why there was so much trash at the small park, given there aren’t any picnic tables there. Harmsen stated there used to be picnic tables, but that he had to remove them because kids kept ramping off the pavilion roof onto the tables, which was a liability issue. An attendee stated she was concerned that, if the small park was closed, disruptive children would just cause trouble elsewhere in town.

Later in the meeting, the council approved applying for a $50,000 Iowa DNR REAP grant for cityscape and open spaces to improve Wilson Memorial Park by adding water fountains for people and dogs, adding an RV park, adding a bike walking trail, and adding bushes to separate the park from housing. Burroughs stated that this grant was just phase 1 of multiphase plans to renovate the city’s recreation spaces.

A concerned citizen asked for an update on previous discussions of either improving the wastewater treatment plant or switching to rural water; Harmsen stated discussions were on standstill while the city waited for tests at the plant to be completed.

The council discussed adding stop signs at the intersections of McKinley and Keokuk, North Baker and Keokuk, and North Adams and Keokuk. Bender stated that he sees cars plow through these intersections daily and that he fears a kid could be hurt. McDonald recommended the city also consider adding a stop sign at Lafayette and Green. The council approved giving the Safety Committee authority to purchase and install these signs. Bender requested Harmsen try to get the new signs up before the school year starts; Harmsen said they might go up only a few days before.