Iola City Council members will continue tonight discussions on the city’s 2017 spending plan, which is due in August.
The council is working to erase a projected $800,000 budget shortfall for next year.
Several options have been discussed, including delaying street repair projects; removing equipment reserve funds; ending the city’s relationship with Van Scoyoc and Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm; and upping trash collection fees from $8.50 to $10.50 a month.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh has set up a budget with those steps, that still would require a property tax levy increase of about 2 mills, from 42.899 to about 44.899 mills.
Council members also are expected to discuss further the city’s agreement to sell water to Gas. Gas City Council members have balked at accepting a proposed rate increase because Iola has already increased water rates six times since the cities reached a 30-year agreement in 2001.
Tonight’s 6 o’clock meeting will be held at the Bass North Community Building, 505 N. Buckeye St., because the regular meeting site at Riverside Park is being set up for the Allen County Fair, which starts this week.
The public is invited.
