Roger Carswell, executive director of the Iola Public Library, will soon have a new room at the library named in his honor.
Iola City Council members approved a request Monday by the Library Board to dedicate the library’s new study room in honor of Carswell, who is retiring this summer after serving as director the past 28 years.
“We thought it would be a nice show of respect to dedicate a room to him,” noted Library Board President Katrina Springer.
“It sounds like a good thing to do,” Councilman Carl Slaugh agreed.
Approval was unanimous, 7-0. Councilwoman Nancy Ford was absent.
COUNCIL members voted, 6-1, to annex a parcel of land at 519 S. Ohio St.
The annexation will allow the owner to hook onto the city’s sewer system.
Council members discussed the matter previously before agreeing the property would be better served if it were in city limits.
Councilman Gene Myrick cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing previously the land should not have to be annexed to allow the hook-up.
Now that the property is inside city limits, City Administrator Matt Rehder noted several code violation notices will be sent out for the dilapidated property.
THE COUNCIL renewed its lease agreement with Doug Strickler, allowing him to farm on city-owned land west of Russell Stover Candies.
The city acquired the land from Iola Industries in 2017 to ensure the site would be available for any potential development.
With the city in the process of certifying the land as part of the Kansas Certified Site Program, city officials suggested renewing the lease instead of using the old Iola Industries lease agreement.
Approval was unanimous, although Councilman Ron Ballard suggested the city putting future lease agreements up for bids.
FOLLOWING a 45-minute executive session to discuss privately terms of the city’s pending bid to continue providing countywide ambulance services, Slaugh asked for and received the rest of the Council’s blessing to pen a letter to the editor, spelling out his opinion on why it’s to the city’s and county’s advantage for Iola to continue to operate the service.
