Parking space near pharmacy will continue

The Decorah City Council has overturned a committee decision to end a six-month trial period for a designated parking space for Donlon Pharmacy on Winnebago Street in downtown Decorah.  Instead, the parking space will be renewed.

The city's Streets Committee had earlier voted against continuing the designated parking space--available only to pharmacy customers who were picking up prescriptions and were parking for less than ten minutes.

But pharmacist Mark Branum described the parking space as "a need, not a convenience"--especially for elderly people who have trouble walking.  He also presented another page of a petition of support for the parking space, bringing the number of signatures to over 350.

City Council member Gary Rustad told Branum "numerous people" had contacted him asking that he vote in favor of keeping the parking space--and he made a motion to that effect, with all six members present voting in favor.