(Estherville)– The Estherville City Council Monday evening approved the first reading of an ordinance revision that would make the change to one-way traffic on South 17th Street between 1st Avenue South and 3rd Avenue South permanent. The initial change expired at the end of the just completed school year. Police Chief Brent Shatto says the vast majority of comments he received about the one-way traffic flow were positive…
“We had some discussions about potentially doing it seasonally or at certain times of the day and I just think that’s a terrible idea because we got trained that it’s one way and if we take it off for the summer and then we have to educate them back again in the fall, so I think it would be better to go permanent with it and I think it’s worked well with drop off and pick up.”
The proposal to make the change permanent will come back for two additional considerations before final adoption.
In other business, the Estherville City Council Monday approved a land donation from the Estherville Area Growth Partnership. The roughly 28 acres is pretty much within the flood plain of the Des Moines River on the city’s south side and is not able to be developed. The city plans to build a recreational trail through a portion of the land.
Pay increases for members of the Estherville Fire Department were also approved, to be effective this coming July 1st. City Administrator Penny Clayton says the city has already budgeted for the increases.
The council tabled action on bids to replace the surface at Ninja Park that was heavily damaged in the 2024 flood. Council members said they want more information before taking any action.
