MONROE — Following a summer filled with national protests against police brutality, including several locally, the Monroe Common Council voted to approve a resolution to adopt the policy to prohibit the use of excessive force and the barring of entrances and exits for non-violent civil rights demonstrations.

Though the Council approved the resolution, the vote does not change much within the police department or city.

“Our policies already prohibit the use of excessive force and already prohibit barring the access to public,” Chief of Police Fred Kelly said when asked of concerns. “It’s already in place in our community. We’ll go back and review it, but I’m comfortable with it.”

Monroe’s City Attorney Dan Bartholf also expressed comfort with the policy when asked of the subjectivity of the term “excessive force.”

The resolution was approved unanimously. 

In other matters, the Council:

●  Heard from Mayor Louis Armstrong that the city was notified notice that they received the urban forestry grant that had been received annually. Monroe was one of 45 communities to receive the grant.

●  Reappointed Donna Ellingson to the Housing Authority Board for a 5-year term 

●  Denied a change of zoning petition from suburban mixed used to institutional for 840 W. 8th Street. The location used to house the Sunbeam Bakery Outlet in Monroe and was purchased by the Rural Fire District in 2020. It will now serve as the district’s firehouse. The vote was decided by Armstrong following a tie in the council. Alders Kelly Hermanson, Rob Driver, Michael Boyce and Richard Thoman voted against the zoning change. Donna Douglas, Joshua Binger, Tammy Fetterolf and Mickey Beam voted for the change.

●  Approved a resolution to adopt a citizen participation plan for the Community Development Black Grant Program. The program intends to ensure that the entire community can be kept informed on City Government actions. The vote was unanimous.