Residents urge council to address drinking water testing and park vandalism during public comment

During the public comment period at the April 28 meeting, residents raised two separate issues: water-quality concerns and vandalism at riverfront parks.

Adam Romelow (citizen, former Beautification Committee member) told the council he has been corresponding with city officials, including City Manager Matthew Cleves and Mayor Rich Mays, for two years about emerging contaminants in the municipal drinking water. Romelow cited PFAS, pharmaceuticals, microplastics and excess fluoride as contaminants of concern and said he is dissatisfied with the city’s current testing approach because samples are taken at the treatment facility roughly 30 miles upstream rather than at taps. He told council, “Water is safe water is the backbone of our health economy and environment,” and urged the city to reconsider a planned $300,000,000 infrastructure replacement that would move from galvanized to plastic pipe without tap-level testing. Romelow offered to lead a volunteer water task force and to provide correspondence packets to staff.

Russ Brown (resident) criticized placing “park closed” signs at Riverfront Park and Lewis & Clark Park in response to vandalism. Brown urged repair of restroom facilities and targeted security during special events rather than closing parks; he said closing parks “ain’t the answer” and said he planned to continue using park facilities for his regular walks.

City Manager Matthew Cleves thanked speakers and later introduced new economic development officer Jake Anderson in his staff report; no formal council action was taken during public comment, but council and staff acknowledged the topics and referred questions to staff follow up as appropriate.