OTTUMWA — Knocking down stop signs isn’t just a financial issue: it’s a safety issue.

“During the weekend, we had several [traffic] signs ran over by a vehicle,” said Skip Stevens, superintendent of Ottumwa Public Works Department. “Stop signs, school crossing signs, no parking signs. The sad part about it is not only the cost to the taxpayers of Ottumwa, but the potential for an accident with injury or possible loss of life.”

“The area was basically Greenwood and Finley, from Milner all the way over to Shaul Avenue,” said Brian Lewis, the traffic maintenance supervisor.

He said 10 signs were torn down.

“If there’s a stop sign down, and somebody not familiar with that intersection comes driving through, not knowing they were supposed to stop, [they can] get hit by oncoming traffic,” said Stevens.

Four of the 10 signs destroyed were stop signs, said Lewis.

“The bad things about the stop signs, and what the vandals don’t realize is, they knock them down and think it might just cost us some money when it could cost someone their life,” he said. “You can’t put a price on someone hurting someone.”

But the street department could put a price on the labor and material to make repairs; a crew spent most of Monday doing the work.

“I’ve had two guys on this, plus new posts and [equipment]. I figured this [incident] cost us about $860,” said Lewis. “This is the worst we’ve had for a while, all at once.”

Even more disturbing to Stevens then stop sign vandalism is the removal of the school crossing signs.

“You can imagine if a stranger to the community didn’t realize they were supposed to slow down because of a school crossing, and run over some children; that would be worse,” he said.

Many of the signs were snapped off at the base, then bent and crushed with what appear to be tire tracks on them.

Each of the new signs are paid for by Ottumwa taxpayers, who can help stop the vandalism, Stevens said.

“Keep an eye out; if they hear any unusual noises, or see someone running into one of them, call the police department immediately, try to get a license number or a description of the vehicle,” he said.

“Somebody might have seen something that might [be] of benefit to us. If they are caught, they will be prosecuted, no two ways about it.”