Monticello business owners urge quick action on West Washington streetscape, handicap access and downtown trash

Business owners from the West Washington commercial corridor told the Monticello City Council that stalled streetscape work and uneven sidewalks are preventing customers — including people who use wheelchairs and walkers — from accessing downtown storefronts.

The concerns were raised during the council’s public-comment period by Tim Heck, who said he represents about 10 businesses along the West Washington Corridor and that owners were told an engineering phase would occur in 2025 with implementation in 2026. “Many of our patrons … are older, some have special needs with the use of a cane, walker, or wheelchair, and the steps into our businesses make it challenging and sometimes impossible for customers to access our stores,” Heck said.

The request matters to downtown business viability and accessibility. Owners reported lost revenue; Heck said one business estimated more than $10,000 in lost sales from customers who could not enter because of steps and narrow sidewalks. Business owners asked the council to consider amending the 2025 appropriation to fund the streetscape engineering or work sooner than the currently projected schedule.

Jennifer Johns, who said she needed a wheelchair after hip surgery, described being unable to access her own building and called the accessibility problem “really important” to customers and to businesses’ operations.

Mayor (name not specified) responded that the council listens to public participation and takes concerns under advisement, and that staff would follow up. City staffors later explained that the streetscape extension to the North Side of Washington Street was postponed after engineers raised concerns in February about building encroachments and the safety of breaking existing sidewalk and foundation areas. Kelly (staff member) told the council the engineering phase had been preliminarily scheduled for 2026 and offered to contact the consulting engineering firm sooner if the council wished.

Council members and staff also addressed complaints about a nearby parking lot on Livingston Street, where multiple dumpsters and inconsistent pickup by the hauler (GFL) have created an “eyesore” for downtown visitors. Council discussion noted that pavement rehabilitation plans for the parking lot listed a dumpster enclosure in the scope; staff said the resurfacing/enclosure project is budgeted for 2025. Councilmembers discussed whether a separate agreement with the hauler or interim remedies could be implemented before the enclosure is built; staff agreed to review the commercial service agreement signed with GFL last May and report back.

Council members discussed tradeoffs for streetscape work, including potential loss of on-street parking if sidewalks are widened or bump-outs are added to meet ADA standards. Staff said prior streetscape work on the south side of Washington had required removing some parking to create compliant sidewalks and curbing.

The council asked staff to obtain cost estimates from the engineering consultant and bring numbers to a future meeting; Mayor (name not specified) asked staff to try to have estimates available quickly and noted the council could amend appropriations if it chose to accelerate the project.

Ending: Councilmembers thanked the business owners for investing downtown and said they would continue to pursue engineering details and potential budget changes. No formal council vote or appropriation amendment on the streetscape was taken at the meeting.