Council addresses annexation concerns

Two residents of Country Estates, Barbara Sherwood and Duane McGraw, came forward to voice their opinions on the annexation of the subdivision into the city and to clarify what it would mean to be inside the city limits.
Sherwood referenced a Register article regarding the planning commission meeting held Wednesday. Sherwood wanted to know if changes would need to be made by the city if the subdivision were annexed — due to the fact that certain aspects of the Country Estates, including its roads, were not up to city code.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh said the city is under no requirement to update the roads, sidewalks or housing to bring them up to code.
One of the concerns, brought up by McGraw, was in regard to sewage pumps that have “not been updated since they have been installed.”
He said he has had overflow twice in his house, where he has found sewage water flooding his floors. His complaint is that people “don’t care” enough to fix any sort of issues in the area, and oftentimes don’t even know a sewage pump is in Country Estates. He said he is in full support of annexation of the area to the city.
“I am anxious to see it annexed into the city,” McGraw said. “I want to see something better than what we have.”
The city would not be required to update the sewage systems in the area. However, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said the city likely would feel obligated to bring the area up to code.
Council member David Toland chimed in about the advantages of annexing an area such as Country Estates.
“In terms of representation, there are some compelling advantages,” Toland said.
He said there is not an accurate representation of how many people live in Iola by the 5,700 on the population signs. There are many people living just outside of the city limits, such as Country Estates, and he said by not including them in the city limits, the city is missing out of some potential qualified civic servants and representatives.
McGraw estimated that there are 45 to 47 homes currently in the Country Estates area north of town.

Toby Shaughnessy came before the council to announce that he and his father, Bob Shaughnessy, will be opening a Sam and Louie’s restaurant on North State Street in Iola, as well as request a tax abatement from the city.
The council agreed to a 10-year abatement incentive, and passed the motion to waive property, utility, inspection and permit fees for the restaurant.
The Italian restaurant chain is based out of Omaha, Neb., and will be the first in Kansas. There are 22 locations nationwide.
Shaughnessy said they hope to start construction in March, in order to be open for business by summer. They will build on the empty lot to the north of Dollar General and south of the Walmart parking lot.

In other business:
— The city of Iola will pay for 25 percent, or approximately $75,000, of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Highway 54 construction project. The construction of 817 feet of roadway is planned to begin on March 18.
— Council members passed a motion to hire Schwab-Eaton, Wichita, as engineers for the Missouri Pacific Recreational Trail project. The report stated that the trail will be constructed as a “new recreation trail beginning at the existing Prairie Spirit Rail Trail and east along Benton Street to Cottonwood Street.”
— After a split decision, Mayor Bill Shirley cast the deciding vote to deny an increase to city employees’ wage adjustment. The increase, proposed by council member Don Becker, would have been a .8 percent increase from the 1.7 percent cost of living adjustment already put in place by the city.
— Council members approved payment of a demolition on 202 S. Third through the Community Developmentment Block Grant program.
— Walmart manager Jeff Livingston and Toland came before the council for permission to accept funds for signage on the Prairie Spirit Trail, as well as signs to be placed in the city.
The funds, garnered from grants from the Gump Foundation out of Miami County and a private donor, will pay for entry signs to the Prairie Spirit Trail. In addition, a Kansas Health Foundation grant will fund new directional signs to be placed in the city to point out key locations. Specific locations for the signs are yet to be determined.