The Webster City Lynx football team is off to a great start this season. Despite the rain and soggy conditions, the Lynxmen soundly defeated their opponents from Gilbert Friday night. School spirit was certainly alive and well at Lynx Field.

Those attending the game likely saw the Lynx Country Sign at the intersection of Bank and Beach streets. A group of Webster City alumni, nostalgic for an old sign at that location, had worked to have the sign reinstalled on the side of a shed. But a city ordinance prohibiting signs in residential areas stopped the efforts.

The alumni approached the City Council in hopes of getting a variance or an exception to the ordinance. They spoke with great emotion and pride about their school years and how much the sign meant as a symbol of school spirit. Alternatives were offered by the council, such as placing the sign in a differently-zoned area or using temporary signs. The meeting ended with no resolution but both groups agreed to keep the lines of communication open.

Since then, apparently other options were explored, such as a traveling sign mounted on a trailer.

According to Facebook posts Friday, the alumni group gifted the sign to the homeowner, Troy Smith.

“We look forward to putting the sign ordeal behind us and moving on to our next Lynx community pride effort,” Kristen Ruppel told members of the group in the post.

We had hoped to see the alumni work with the council to find a solution that would satisfy all. A collaboration of that nature would have been a great lesson for area students – to see that adults could work together to find resolution.

We have to wonder what message disregarding city regulations and ordinances sends to our young people.