LAHARPE A series of stop signs removed by city crews in November will go back up, LaHarpe City Council members decided Wednesday.
The reversal came after Council members heard from a number of residents upset about what they said was a hasty decision to remove the stop signs in the first place.
Council members in December voted to remove seven stop signs across town.
Part of the rationale was that since City Hall was no longer a school, there were fewer children in the neighborhood, and thus, a lesser need for stop signs.
But there are still kids in the area, LaHarpe resident Marilyn Boyd told the Council.
She compared Broadway Street to a freeway at times, with motorists building up speed while driving the eight or so uninterrupted blocks.
Mayor Mae Crowell noted the Council voted only to remove the signs, and not the posts, so the signs could be replaced with minimal disruption, if the Council so desired. They did, voting 5-0 to reinstall all of the signs.
COUNCIL members will look closely in February about releasing control over water lines outside LaHarpe city limits.
Two stretches between LaHarpe and Gas serve fewer than 20 customers, and can tie up city resources if repairs are necessary, Crowell noted.
At City Attorney Fred Works suggestion, the Council will reach out to the residents along both water lines to begin a dialogue.
If necessary, those residents will need to join a neighboring water district, or take other steps to procure a water source.
THE CITY agreed to donate $1,000 to a crowdfunding effort underway in LaHarpe.
A team of volunteers is seeking to raise $10,000 to earn a $10,000 matching grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.
The funds would go to a number of projects, including reinstituting a LaHarpe Day celebration June 22 and improvements at LaHarpe City Park.
The money would come from the citys park fund.
The $1,000 is the maximum allowed by a single donor as part of the crowdfunding process.
