Waterloo City Council votes to ban roadside memorials

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Waterloo officials have voted to ban roadside memorials situated along city roadways.

The Waterloo City Council voted 5-2 Monday to approve an ordinance permitting police and other officials to remove tributes to victims of traffic accidents from city property.

Under the ordinance, any items collected would be stored for 60 days, and could be thrown away if not claimed. Officers would also be granted the authority to issue municipal infraction citations to people who replace the memorials.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports (https://bit.ly/1c1TAua ) that Councilman Quentin Hart voted against the measure, arguing the memorials should remain.

But others say the decision stemmed from about a year of consideration and public input, not a lack of empathy. Councilman Steve Schmitt says the ban addresses the challenge of managing the roadside memorials.

___

Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, https://www.wcfcourier.com