Jim Baker, long-time Iola electric distribution city employee who was appointed recently as interim superintendent, will keep the job for good.
Iola City Council members Tuesday removed the “interim” tag on Baker, the only applicant to replace Kent Tomson, who resigned to become grounds and maintenance director at Allen Community College.
The promotion did not increase Baker’s pay, City Administrator Carl Slaugh said, although Baker is eligible for six-month and annual increases, in keeping with the city’s pay schedule.
Baker’s promotion creates a vacancy, which will be filled in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Gary Kimball, a former lieutenant with the Iola Fire Department, has been promoted to a deputy fire chief, filling a position held by Tim Thyer, the new fire chief. The promotion carries with it a 1.27 percent pay raise.
Charles Ecton and Andrew Hill, IFD employees, have been promoted to the position of paramedics, now that their schooling and certification are complete. Each receives an 8 percent bump in pay.
Council members approved annual evaluations and subsequent pay raises of about 2 percent for two other employees.
In a related matter, the Council voted, 3-2, to pursue a grant that would pay the salary for an additional police officer for the next two years.
The Council eschewed Slaugh’s recommendation to not pursue the grant from Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring program.
Slaugh noted the grant would not cover such things as training or equipment for any new officers. In addition, the grant funding would be in place only two years.
Even so, a divided Council agreed having an extra officer on staff is worth pursuing. Council members Gene Myrick, Beverly Franklin and Don Becker voted to pursue the funding. Bob Shaughnessy and Sandy Zornes were opposed. Council members Nancy Ford, Steve French and Jon Wells were absent.
THE CITY has once again agreed to sanction the Iola Elks Lodge’s annual Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza.
The sponsorship is in name only, and allows the Elks to more easily earn certification and insurance in order to put on the show.
The Elks have shot off fireworks for the public for years, with a similar format planned for this year.
Russell Beth, an Elks member in charge of the show, provided council members with a map noting crowds are kept more than 1,200 feet from where the fireworks are lighted on the west side of Elks Lake.
COUNCIL members approved a recommendation to distribute $40,000 in funds to 12 local groups, as recommended by the Convention and Tourism Committee. The funds are generated through guest taxes assessed by local hotels.
