Local Ames government officials agree relations between students and other Ames residents have improved in recent months.

Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco said it’s “very typical” for residents of a city dwelling in a college setting to have conflict with students, although he believes Ames is not one of them.

“I don’t think the majority of [Ames] residents have any rift or conflict with the [ISU] student body,” Tedesco said. “What you have, in my opinion, is a lack of neighborhood conversation.

“I truly believe it’s a two-way street. The liability rests on both the residents and students. They need to talk more over the fence.”

Tedesco said some of the controversial issues for ISU students may now stem from areas other than city ordinances.

“Some of what you might call a rift between residents and students is not only city ordinances, but a result of what the state has done with tuition, the athletic department moving students [for tailgating] and rule changes that have come together in recent months,” Tedesco said.

Tedesco said having ISU students run for a seat on the Ames City Council is one big step toward strengthening student-resident relations.

“We’ve never before had a student elected to the council, and it’s very exciting to have them running,” he said.

Nathan Johnston, ex-officio student member of the Ames City Council, said he believes issues of concern involving ISU students and Ames residents can often be resolved by students being proactive in attending City Council meetings and exercising their right to vote.

“I think one thing that will improve relations is students turning out to vote,” Johnston said. “Another is for [students] to come down in masses to city hall.

“It’s one thing to complain about [issues] in the Daily and to your friends — it’s another to come down to city hall. I think council members actually seeing [students’] faces would really say something on an issue.”

Johnston said during his time on the council, he believes student-resident relations have improved.

“[Relations are] getting better,” he said. “However, they’re nowhere near what I want to see before I leave the position. There are still leaps and bounds to be made.”

In September, the council approved an educational campaign aimed at helping ISU students understand a number of city ordinances, such as housing, couch and noise ordinances, said Clare Bills, public relations officer for the City of Ames.

The campaign, called “Three’s a Crowd, Four’s a Fine,” or “What’s Your Zone?,” will take place during the fall and spring, Bills said.

The fall campaign is aimed at educating students returning to Ames. The spring campaign will take place at housing fairs when students are searching for apartments, she said.

The couch ordinance, which went into effect July 1, allows residents to be fined for indoor furniture and appliances left outdoors. The fines are $50 for the first violation, $100 for the second and $250 for each successive violation.

The over-occupancy ordinance, which the council began enforcing more rigorously in October 2002, allows only three non-related people per household. The penalty is $500, including court costs. The fine is issued to each person living at the residence, not just the one or two who exceed the occupancy limit.

“Our intent is to start educating students so they don’t get put in a situation where they have to go find other housing,” Bills said.

Bills added the overall goal of the campaign is “to help students stay in compliance with the law.”

Bills said the recently-added student page on the City of Ames Web site, www.cityofames.org, helps students understand city ordinances and general neighborhood issues.

“Our Web site has had a number of hits,” Bills said. “We’re extremely pleased.”

Ames Police Patrol Cmdr. Randy Kessel said the Ames Police department responds to complaint calls concerning both the couch and noise ordinance.

“We respond to complaint calls only,” Kessel said. “We don’t go out hunting for people violating city ordinances.”

Kessel said he believes many people understand the health and welfare issues that may arise from a couch being left in the middle of a yard.

“We’re concerned with public safety, like upholstered couches out in a yard,” he said. “Some people may have a propensity after the bars close to douse a couch and set it on fire.”

Kessel said the noise ordinance is very similar to the couch ordinance.

“The thing that really brings the police is [a violation of] the nuisance ordinance,” he said. “Noise is one of the major aspects of the nuisance ordinance.”