Decorah City Council unanimously overrides mayor's Main Street veto

The Decorah City Council voted 6-0 Thursday morning to override Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski's veto of a resolution in support of Decorah's application to become a Main Street Iowa community.

Borowski told city council members Thursday morning she felt there has been a lack of long-term financial information provided by the Main Street group.  She also said she felt the $100,000 in city hotel/motel tax funding requested by the Main Street group would take money away from other needed projects, such as fire station repairs, sidewalks and Locust Road reconstruction.

City council member Steve Luse, who also serves on the Main Street application steering committee, announced that Decorah is one of four communities which has been invited to give a full presentation to the Main Street Iowa organization on July 30th in Des Moines.  Luse said the Main Street Iowa program is all about enhancing the city, adding, "we're looking at a strong economic tool."

City council member Dan Bellrichard stressed that at this point the city council is just supporting the Main Street Iowa application.  No vote has been taken on funding amounts or sources.  City council member Kirk Johnson, who had opposed the resolution of support earlier this month, voted in favor of the veto override, while the other city council member who had opposed the resolution of support earlier this month, Randy Schissel, was absent Thursday.