Lansing City Council discusses public safety, property concerns and lease terms
by Joshua Sharpe
The Lansing City Council convened for its regular meeting Monday, May 5 at City Hall. The session opened with public recognition for Police Officer Maison Schoh, who completed 16 weeks of intensive training at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). Lansing Mayor Mike Verdon highlighted the personal sacrifice involved, stating that Schoh had been away from home for months, studying “at least eight or ten hours a day,” and attending classes “after supper pretty much every evening.”
Officer Schoh affirmed that evening scenarios became a critical part of training toward the end. The mayor described how trainees had to subdue a perpetrator while being pepper-sprayed and then “fire four shots on target,” followed by decontamination. The council formally acknowledged Schoh’s ILEA certification, and the mayor added, “LPD-3 is ILEA certified... and he’s going to stay at Lansing the rest of his career.”
PUBLIC CONCERN
The public concern portion of the meeting included a written complaint from resident Carol Keenan regarding overgrown brush and debris on a neighboring property near the motel on Lansing’s west side. “On the south side of her property, she’s boxed in by the hotel,” Mayor Verdon explained, adding, “the road that services her, that is a private road.”
City Clerk Teresa Severson confirmed she would attend a nuisance conference May 15 to gain more clarity on abatement procedures. When she asked who had authority to declare a nuisance, council member Steve Murray replied, “The city council.”
NUISANCE HEARING
The council conducted a nuisance hearing concerning a damaged commercial property at 200 Main Street, owned by Mike Conway. Conway explained that contractor Darold Berger Masonry was scheduled to begin repairs “within a week to fix the side of the building where the limestone has fallen out,” and that both an insurance adjuster and a structural engineer had reviewed the rear wall damage to the building that was caused by a vehicle crash.
Mayor Verdon emphasized the urgency, explaining, “The letter says, immediately secure to prevent harm, within 10 days.” The council granted 10 working days to start repairs and three working days to complete stabilization, all being conditional on Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) approval for sidewalk access.
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