Marengo resident asks city to be more caring

MARENGO — City officials brought additional chairs into the city council chambers Nov. 13 when a crowd arrived to hear a presentation by Marengo resident Adam Olson.

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Olson talked about “community care” and made several suggestions as to how the City of Marengo can take care of residents.

“Community care refers to our duty to care for one another, support our peers and be connected to our community members’ well-being,” according to a statement provided by Olson to the City Council.

Olson said community care includes checking on one another and offering assistance to people in need or referring them to others who can meet their needs.

Olson suggested a mission statement for the City and suggested the City put such a mission statement online.

He suggested the city provide such services as unlocking vehicles and jump-starting cars.

Olson also suggested the City make personal contact for infractions of City codes, identify reasons for non-compliance rather than issuing citations and identify people in the community who are able and willing to assist residents in violation.

Olson’s statements were ambiguous, but several residents in attendance referenced people who received nuisance abatement notices on their doors but were unable to mow their lawns due to health problems.

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The City’s nuisance ordinance gives people three days to remedy the problem before the city mows the property and charges the resident for mowing. The ordinance provides a way for residents to contest the notice if they don’t believe they are in violation of the code.

In July, a resident appeared before the City Council and said her property should not have received a nuisance abatement notice for “junk” cars and unmown grass. The City Council agreed with Chief of Police Ben Gray that the property owner needed to remedy the issue.

Another property owner, in June, showed the City Council that his unmown area was full of pollinators, not weeds. The council agreed to rescind the abatement notice and asked the public safety committee prepare a procedure for granting a variance for pollinator gardens.

Olson suggested the city keep a list of people willing to help residents keep their yards in order — silver cord students at the high school, Marengo Community Development volunteers and Compass Memorial Healthcare staff.

Volunteers could assist with lawn mowing, snow removal and yard cleanup for people in need as identified by city staff, said Olson.

Marengo City Administrator Karla Marck told Olson that she’d contacted the silver cord program at the high school after Olson brought up the issue during a previous city council meeting, and the school isn’t interested.

Councilman John Hinshaw said the purpose of Marengo Economic Development is to make the downtown better economically. They don’t mow lawns, he said.

Finding volunteers is difficult, said Hinshaw. They tend to be the same few people volunteering for multiple jobs.

Public figures need to know what resources the city has and how to contact those resources — such as veterans services and services for low-income residents, Olson said. The City should maintain the list because volunteers are more willing to assist when they’re contacted by people in positions of authority.

“If someone wants to give us a list, we’ll be glad to put it out there,” said Marck.

The key is, people have call the city, said Hinshaw. The city isn’t going to call volunteers to mow someone else’s yard.

If someone wants to volunteer, the city will make that information available, said Councilman Travis Schlabach. “I think we do that now.”

“We do,” said Marck. When people have called city hall, Marck has pointed them to resources for help with water and utility bills, help with fixing a roof and help contacting food banks, she said.

Residents at the city council meeting suggested that police investigate why a property owner is in violation of a nuisance ordinance rather than simply putting a notice on the door.

Councilwoman Jennifer Olson said people who aren’t able to keep their lawns mowed need the option of calling someone to explain why.

“We have that right now, currently,” said Travis Schlabach.

Gray said he has taken those calls and City Hall has fielded those calls and they have, at times, given residents additional time to comply.

“I think we need to look at changing the delivery …” said Adam Olson. Police should identify the need for assistance.

“If you’re going to hang a notice, knock on the door. Make personal contact. Get to know your community and figure out what the need is,” Olson said.

“I personally think this should not be in our law enforcement hands,” said Jennifer Olson. “I think we need to hire someone that’s seasonal to do this.”

Adam Olson said the city should balance law enforcement actions with other needs, such as education, services and resources.

Olson suggested changes to Ordinance 21, dealing with the duties of the City Administrator. He suggested the city provide its staff with training in mental health first aid and in de-escalating. Those skills go a long way when dealing with people who are upset, he said.

The administrator should identify needs for the city, such as the need for businesses, community and infrastructure and grant writing. The city should update its website to align with the city’s mission and vision, letting residents know what they can expect from the city, Olson said.

Marck said the city is already doing most of the things Olson was asking for.

“I feel like there’s a disconnect,” said Rabe. “Maybe we don’t brag enough.”

“We are spending a lot more money and receiving a lot less services as a community,” said Adam Olson.

Schlabach and Hinshaw disagreed. The city has a lot going on, they said. The hospital is in the middle of a $23 million expansion, the city has completed construction of a new swimming pool, the American Legion recently built a new Legion Hall, and the city has new restaurants.

The council said it would look at Olson’s suggestions a few at a time but that Olson shouldn’t expect immediate changes.