Council Weighs Sustainability Funding For Sunflower Water Table, Trail Safety Project

Our Driftless region deserves more than postcards — it deserves a watchdog. Be that support. DECORAH — The Decorah City Council on Monday considered two sustainability funding requests, including support for Sunflower Child Development and Discovery Center and a proposed set of "safety and artistic improvements" along the College Drive corridor. The first request came from Sunflower, which is seeking the third installment of sustainability funding approved under an earlier, larger request. The center requested $10,000 as part of an original $50,000 proposal tied to the purchase of a water table for its Discovery Center. City Manager Travis Goedken said the funding request had been used by Sunflower to help leverage outside grant support for the project. The Sustainability Commission reviewed the request and recommended approval. Final authority over sustainability funds, however, was retained by the City Council during fiscal year 2026 budget discussions. Council members discussed the request in the context of overall sustainability funding priorities and previously approved commitments, noting the request represents a continuation of earlier support rather than a new project. Council member Steve Zittergruen said that while Sunflower has provided significant childcare assistance for the city, the funding request extends beyond childcare. "This is teaching a generation of children about how water works," Zittergruen said. "In Iowa, particularly given what I would call a dearth of care on the part of our state government for water quality, I think all that we can do to educate and encourage education about water quality is a good thing." Zittergruen moved to approve the request, with a second from Council member Cody Whittle. The motion passed unanimously. The council also reviewed a separate sustainability funding request related to bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements along College Drive. The proposal was submitted by a group of residents identified as the Decorah Strong Towns Community Group. According to city materials, the project is intended to provide a "ready-to-implement" approach to improving safety and visibility along the College Drive trail corridor. The proposal includes durable, high-visibility pavement markings and artistic crosswalk treatments designed to meet federal and state transportation standards while supporting the city's sustainability and livability goals. The Sustainability Commission recommended funding the College Drive proposal at $25,000. As with the Sunflower request, final approval rests with the City Council. City staff outlined how the proposed work would interact with existing and planned street projects. Several crossings along College Drive are already scheduled to receive green-painted bicycle markings as part of the College Drive Bridge project and the 2025 and 2026 Heivly Street Improvements projects. Staff recommended using the same green pavement treatment at the Iowa Avenue and College Drive crossing, as well as the west and south crossings at Water and Grove streets, to maintain consistency and improve recognition of bicycle routes. Staff raised concerns about adding additional markings at the north crossing of Water Street and College Drive due to the intersection's unusual angle and existing safety challenges. Council member Randy Schissel emphasized the importance of consistency. "If you start mixing and matching, people do get confused," Schissel said. "It would be like our signage programs, where you try to keep things consistent so people can follow a little better." Schissel also expressed concern about potential slipperiness from paint covering the entire crosswalk in wet or snowy conditions. "If these are bicycle areas," he said, "that's not a safe thing." Goedken said those concerns have been discussed, particularly the difference between fully painted crosswalks and traditional parallel-line designs. He said current plans call for vertical bar markings. "There's a lot more paint, so they're a lot more visible, but they are shown to be more effective for identifying crosswalks for oncoming traffic," Goedken said, adding that the paint would need to be reapplied annually. Council member Johanna Bergan said she was "very excited" about the project based on her work with Luther College students who expressed concerns about walking and biking along the College Drive corridor. "They're really asking for easy, visible wayfinding signs that say, 'Yes, you should be here,'" Bergan said. Whittle also supported the project, calling the green pavement concept "simple and straightforward." "I think that's what we need for such a highly traveled corridor," he said, describing the proposal as a step toward promoting cycling and improving safety for drivers and pedestrians. Zittergruen moved to approve funding for the project, with a second from Bergan. The motion passed unanimously. Be the first to know! Sign up for the free newsletter and unlock exclusive updates, breaking news, and tips from around the community.