City of Litchfield Meeting | January 6, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield City Council voted down a proposal to convert Kirkham Street into a one-way thoroughfare, a change requested by the post office to accommodate a drive-up collection box. Business owners and council members cited concerns over traffic disruption and liability, leading to a 7-1 vote against the measure.

Litchfield City Council Key Points:

• Proposal Rejected: The council voted 7-1 against amending the municipal code to make Kirkham Street one-way from Monroe Street to Jackson Street.

• Postal Safety Concerns: Postmaster Tyler Saathoff urged the change, stating the current collection box location is unsafe and has been struck by vehicles four times in three years.

• Business Opposition: Owners of Tism Coffee, located at the intersection, argued the change would disrupt customer routines and suggested installing protective barriers instead.

• Liability Issues: City officials noted that installing concrete barriers in the city right-of-way would increase legal liability for the municipality.

The Litchfield City Council on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, rejected a motion to convert a block of Kirkham Street into a one-way road, deciding against a proposal intended to improve access to a drive-up postal collection box.

The proposed amendment to the municipal code would have restricted traffic on Kirkham Street from Monroe Street to Jackson Street to one-way flow. The measure was introduced following a request from the local post office to facilitate a driver-side mail drop.

Litchfield Postmaster Tyler Saathoff addressed the council, advocating for the change to improve safety for both postal employees and customers. Saathoff reported that the collection box at its current location had been hit by vehicles four times in the last three years, most recently sustaining damage that put it out of service.

“This will keep people in their vehicle,” Saathoff said. “If we keep it two ways and people park on the other side, we have issues like snow, ice, rain, and traffic going both ways.” He added that the current setup creates visibility issues for postal trucks exiting the parking lot.

However, the proposal faced opposition from local business owners. Ann and Brayden Helgen, owners of Kismet Coffee located at the corner of Kirkham and Monroe, argued the change was an “overly complicated” solution that would disrupt traffic patterns and potential commerce.

“Disruption to routine is just an odd thing. It can have financial impact,” Brayden told the council. He suggested the city instead install “immovable objects,” such as concrete bollards, to protect the box without altering the street’s traffic flow.

The discussion shifted to the feasibility of protective barriers. City officials and legal counsel advised against installing concrete barriers in the city right-of-way, warning that doing so would increase the city’s liability in the event of a collision.

“You’d be spending city money to construct concrete barriers on a city street… which increases city liability,” the city attorney explained.

Alderperson Josh Hughes, who made the motion to bring the item to a vote, acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. “I think that this is not the best option,” Hughes said, suggesting that further investigation into alternative locations was necessary.

During the debate, it was noted that postal headquarters in Washington, D.C. had reportedly denied a request to move the box to a nearby city-owned lot, referred to as the “Tomboy” building lot.

Ultimately, the council voted 7-1 against the motion. Alderperson Marilyn Sisson provided the lone “aye” vote. Alderpersons Josh Hughes, Ray Kellenberger, Sara Zumwalt, Dwayne Gerl, Bob Garcia, Huffman, and Holloway voted against the measure.

Following the vote, officials indicated they would continue to work with the post office to find a solution that does not involve altering the street direction.