Iola City Council members offered mixed reactions Monday to a proposal to down-size the council from eight to five members.
Iolan Jacki Chase, an advocate of a five-member council, told councilmen she’s been approached by several residents in favor of the smaller council. Chase’s letter to the Register May 1 has received 40 subsequent letters of support, while only one has been opposed. (Make that two as of today’s paper.)
Councilmen Jim Kilby and Steve French, on the other hand, said they’ve received only support for the eight-member council. Councilmen Kendall Callahan and Ken Rowe both noted voters twice in recent years rejected other forms of government in favor of an eight-member council, which set up the existing governing body.
The five-member council issue came to light after council members said they would consider charter ordinances that would greatly reduce the mayor’s powers, set up staggered elections for council members and change the city treasurer from an elected to an appointed position.
Iolan Gene Myrick also spoke in support of an eight-member council.
“Leave this as is,” he said, noting the country’s founding fathers set up a federal government in 1776, but did not abandon the plan a year later. “We should give this more than a year.”
Callahan said he would be more receptive to a five-member council if more public sentiment is expressed for the smaller governing body. He suggested a petition drive with more than 50 percent of the number of votes cast in the last city election on the matter.
Such a petition would require at least 850 signatures.
IOLA’S wastewater rates will likely need to be raised in order to to meet loan payments for upgrades to its system and other day-to-day expenses, City Administrator Carl Slaugh said.
Slaugh pointed to the city’s wastewater fund, which had about $5,800 in reserve at the end of 2011. By the end of March, the sewer fund was in the red by nearly $3,000.
The city last adjusted its wastewater rates in September 2006.
Councilmen directed Slaugh to come up with rate proposals sufficient to build reserves and pay the loan and other expenses.
Councilman Rowe, while agreeing rates may have to increase, repeated a mantra he has voiced on several occasions: the city should consider ways to cut costs in addition to raising revenues.
Councilman Joel Wicoff, however, said cuts in services could harm the city’s vibrancy.
In a related matter, Slaugh presented council members a proposed policy that establishes proper fund levels for each of the city’s utility funds. Slaugh said the utility funds should each have a three- to six-month cushion.
