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Decorah residents press council over herbicide use; council directs staff, parks board to draft spray policy
Summary
After multiple public comments about a recent herbicide application that exposed preschoolers and park users, the Decorah City Council directed staff and the Parks & Recreation board to draft a citywide policy on pesticide use and notification, and to return with recommendations at a future work session.
Dozens of residents urged the Decorah City Council to tighten rules and communications for pesticide and herbicide applications after a restricted‑use herbicide was applied near a riverside preschool this spring.
"I ask you to investigate where was the breakdown in the process," said Amy, who identified herself as a president during public comment, asking who would be held responsible and how similar incidents would be prevented. Kinder House board member Tila Haml told the council that on April 28 Kinder House students playing by the river, about 150 feet from a 14‑acre soccer field, were exposed to a restricted‑use herbicide mix. "There was not adequate signage to warn citizens of the danger," Haml said. "It was then determined that there were dangerous herbicides with a deodorant in the mix being sprayed."
Other commenters cited human‑health and ecological concerns. "We can stop following our nest for cosmetic effect," one resident said, citing broader declines in reproductive and insect health. Elsa Macar, a beekeeper, linked fewer winter‑surviving bees to chemical use. Sam Louie, who helps run local archery programs, urged the city to explore alternatives and pointed to Durango, Colorado's organic parks program as a model.
In response, councilmembers and staff acknowledged the tension between field maintenance needs and public safety. Staff said the April application was performed under a contractor’s judgment of "ideal" conditions and that signage was posted, but council members and residents disagreed over sufficiency of notification and whether label restrictions were followed. Steve Macar cited conflicting material safety data sheet details, noting a 14‑hour restricted entry interval (REI) in one document and a different 48‑hour direction in another, and said those details should have driven planning and signage.
Without adopting an immediate ban or ordinance, the council unanimously directed staff to draft a citywide spray policy that would: (1) define when and where herbicides may be used by city staff, (2) set notification requirements in plain language for park users, and (3) identify criteria for limiting applications (for example, on youth athletic fields). Councilmembers asked staff to work with the Parks & Recreation board and to bring a recommendation back at a work session in June (staff will aim for a June meeting but said scheduling constraints may shift the date).
Councilmembers emphasized communication improvements while policy work proceeds: staff was asked to proactively notify the community of any planned spray work in the interim and to compile alternative, lower‑spray maintenance approaches shared by residents and local groups. The council did not vote on a formal ban or prescriptive city policy at the meeting; rather, it directed staff and the Parks & Recreation board to develop operational guidance and clear notification language for public review.
What's next: Staff will draft a proposed policy in consultation with Parks & Rec, bring it to a future work session for council review, and pursue outreach with community experts and volunteers who offered alternatives.
