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Resident seeks parking changes; council swears in officers and proclaims Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Summary
A Mount Vernon resident asked council to extend a no-parking zone on SW 2nd Street for safety; the council administered oaths to two officers and read a proclamation declaring January 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month.
During the public comment period, Jaclyn West of 406 2nd Street SW asked council to extend the no-parking zone on the 400 block of Southwest 2nd Street by 20'05 feet to reduce unsafe backing, improve emergency access and address dim lighting near the sidewalk. She said students and visiting event traffic worsen the problem; staff said police would review the request and follow up with Chief Blinks.
"It would significantly improve accessibility and safety for drivers and people who park on the street," West said, explaining she had recently hit a car while backing out where vehicles were parked illegally in the no-parking zone.
The council administered the oath of office to David Frankfurt (to be full-time) and Lucas Wagner (part-time). Officers recited the oath to support the U.S. and Iowa constitutions and to discharge duties as required in Mount Vernon and Lisbon.
Mayor Thomas M. Weber read a proclamation designating January 2026 as Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month, highlighted local partnerships with Chains Interrupted and cited statewide service and conviction figures used in the proclamation. The proclamation included contact information for Chains Interrupted and the national human trafficking hotline for education and reporting.
Council asked staff to follow up on West's parking request with the police chief and public-works staff.
