Hampton council makes decision on southeast stop signs

The Hampton City Council decided not to install additional stop signs in southeast Hampton during their regular meeting on Thursday, May 27.

For the last several months, the council has been deliberating on the necessity of additional traffic control in southeast Hampton. The city has been studying the quadrant in question to determine the best course of action to take, if any.

It has been requested that the city install stop signs along 1st Avenue SE at the intersections of 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th street. Council member Dick Lukensmeier noted that the police have been monitoring the area and reported that the fastest anyone was driving was 17 miles per hour. In addition, council member Jim Davies pointed out the manual on uniform traffic code, which is a nationally used standard, says that stop and yield signs should not to be used for speed control.

Seeking an ultimate resolution to the discussion, council member Pat Palmer made a motion to install the stop signs as requested. The motion died for lack of second.

In the public comment portion of the meeting, Lu Rodemeyer, who had been advocating for the sign installation, expressed her dissatisfaction with the city's decision to Mayor Russell Wood.

"As mayor of Hampton, your position is the highest ranking official in a municipal government. The mayor is to provide basic necessities for our city people, and to provide safety for our town's children," said Rodemeyer. "I am here to remind you [that] you are an elected official. You are directly elected by us citizens of Hampton just like all of you city council members."

During the heated exchange, Mayor Wood reminded Rodemeyer that the council has to make a decision based on facts and data, not opinion, and that the data presented to the city did not warrant the need for additional signage.

In other business, the council held a public hearing on a budget amendment for the fiscal year ending June 30 of 2021 which was approved. They then moved on to a public hearing in which they approved the contract and bond for 2021-2022 HMA Street Overlay Improvements Project by Mark Crawford of Crawford Engineering.

The council also held a discussion involving a potentially vicious dog on the southwest side of Hampton where a second incident involving the dog and a mail carrier occurred. The dog was deemed not vicious after careful consideration and discussion.

In department reports the Public Works Director Doug Tarr discussed how the aquatics center opens this coming weekend as well as they will be looking to remove some structurally unsound playground equipment from East Park soon and will have the street sweeper out next week.

City Manager Ron Dunt reported that local ministerial organizations are looking to get community organizations involved in clean-up days and other activities.