City committee is being asked to draw up a policy for the private business use of public property

Should a private business be allowed to sell produce at the city-owned Decorah Campground?  That was the question posed at Monday night's City Council meeting.

Decorah resident Steffen Mirsky is asking for permission to set up a self-serve produce stand at the Decorah Campground this summer.  Mirsky told city officials Monday night the produce stand would stock tomatoes, melons, peas and other fruit and vegetables for purchase by campers.

The City of Decorah has had other requests in the past by business owners who wanted to sell items on city-owned land, so City Administrator Chad Bird urged the council to draft a policy for all private use of public property.

He pointed out that if the city council approved Mirsky's request, it might get requests from other Farmer's Market vendors who would want to do the same thing, calling that "a Pandora's Box."

City council member Dan Bellrichard agreed to have the Economic Development Committee, which he chairs, come up with a policy to present to the city council at a later date.