Letters keep disappearing from Iowa City's welcome sign

The welcome sign on Dubuque Street that is supposed to read “IOWA CITY” now says “OW CI.”  The change came after Riverfest weekend on the University of Iowa campus.

“People get drunk and steal it, they probably just think it's fun,” said Noah Mateen, who lives at the Mayflower residence hall across from the sign.

Assistant City Manager Dale Helling won't say if the city has any suspicions about who is doing the vandalizing.

“It's just frustrating to try and maintain something that continues to be vandalized,” said Helling.  “Until we actually catch somebody doing it, we can't draw any conclusions.”

Helling said the city has spent about $10,000 in repairs to the sign since it was first constructed in the late 1990's.  After the latest weekend attack, he's not sure if the city will bother putting it back together.

“If it doesn't convey the message you want, and if it's obviously being vandalized, then we're expected to either maintain it in good condition or it shouldn't be there,” he said.  “There comes a point when you can't keep making the taxpayers pay for it.”

Helling said city leaders will likely decide to wait on repairs to the sign until after the Dubuque Street construction is completed in 2014.  He said the city will then likely opt to build another, more durable, welcome sign.