City officials in University Heights, Iowa forced the removal of a “God Bless America” sign from a garden that it says is city property but is maintained by private citizens and funded through donations.
According to an email sent to The Iowa Standard, a Republican in University Heights has created and cared for the garden for more than 20 years without receiving a dime from the city. Expenses are entirely paid for by the individual as well as individuals who donate. The Garden is located near Stella’s.
The city clerk returned the sign to Carol, who cares for the garden, and said the mayor received a call from someone complaining about the sign. When Carol called the mayor, the mayor said the city clerk received the call — more on that later.
Upon learning of the incident, The Iowa Standard contacted a person called Louise From. From is the mayor of the small town, which has a population of about 1,230.
According to From, the city consulted its attorney after a complaint was filed. From said that she has a God Bless America sign on her personal flag pole, so it isn’t that she disagrees with the message, but she said the city didn’t want to appear to be endorsing a religion.
“It’s not like I disagree with ‘God Bless America,’ but I disagree with starting to have different religions wanting to have signs in our garden,” she said. “Our garden is beautiful.”
The garden is done by two citizens who volunteer. But the “God Bless America” sign risked someone putting up an “I Hate God” sign or “There Is No God” sign or “Muslims,” according to From.
From said the individuals who maintain the garden are “wonderful people.”
“I can understand wanting to put a God Bless America sign there, but it’s just not appropriate,” From said. “I don’t think they understood it was city property.”
From said she “didn’t know” if the complaint was filed by an actual resident of University Heights.
Following our conversation, we filed an open records request with University Heights. According to records, the complaint came from a person called Stan Laverman, a resident of University Heights according to the records.
Laverman sent a personal text message to Mike Haverkamp, the city clerk, on July 1 at 5:15 p.m.
“In the current political climate, I would like to keep God out of the city garden,” Laverman wrote to Haverkamp. “Does this count as an official complaint or would you rather me send it somewhere else?”
Haverkamp responded 17 minutes later, writing:
“I thought the same thing. I’ll send something to Louise and Steve, if needed I might ask you to send an email…”
Three minutes later, and just 20 minutes after the initial “complaint,” Haverkamp sent a text to From and a person called Steve Ballard — the city attorney.
“It seems Scott and/or Carol added a ‘God Bless America’ sign to flags they put in the city garden yesterday. I’ve received a complaint regarding the sign. Steps to proceed?”
From asked if the complaint was because the sign had the word “God” on it.
“Right,” Haverkamp responded. “The sign, not the flags. Direct quote: ‘In the current political climate, I would like to keep God out of the city garden.’”
From said she’d wait for Ballard’s legal opinion, but thought the sign needed to be removed.
Ballard issued his legal opinion at 7:25 p.m. on July 1 — just a bit more than two hours after the “complaint” was filed.
“Yep I think it should go,” he said.
The next day From told Haverkamp to take the sign out of the garden and return it with an explanation.
The Iowa Standard reached out to Carol for comment, but could not get in touch with her. According to records, Carol requested a conversation with From, Haverkamp and Ballard. She asked if a Pride sign were in the garden, would it have been removed by the city as well. No answer was given in the records.
Haverkamp told From that any Black Lives Matter or Pride signs that were near the area were at Stella’s, not in the garden.
From wrote to Haverkamp on July 2 that Carol and Scott do a “beautiful job” planting the garden each year and she is grateful for their volunteer service.
“I’m sad she is upset about this,” From closed.