City council passes on increasing payment for sustainability study

The Decorah City Council will not be giving more money to the Winneshiek Energy District to conduct a sustainability study for the city.

City council members previously had approved a $3,725 payment to the organization to help pay the cost of the study.  However, Winneshiek County supervisors rejected a request to contribute an identical amount.  Members of the Winneshiek Energy District then asked the city to make up the county's share.

But members of the city's Community Development Committee, after discussing the issue, agreed to stick with the city's previous commitment.  Committee members Paul Wanless and Karen Tjossem both mentioned the city's difficult financial picture as one of the reasons for their decision.

The full city council agreed with the committee, voting unanimously to keep the payment at $3,725.