Iolans went to the polls on three occasions over a span of 18 months in 2009 and 2010 to come up with the citys existing eight-member city council.
Since that time, the lack of interest among citizens to run for Council seats has prompted some members to rethink the idea of keeping such a large governing body.
Council members have touched on the idea of downsizing, most recently in May 2017, but have not pulled the trigger, in part because of the lack of public demand to do so.
They may take another swing.
Michael Middletons resignation from the Council on Tuesday sparked another round of discussions focused on whether Iola would be better represented with a five-member governing body.
The issue was broached by Councilman Ron Ballard, citing the large turnover in Council members.
Of the eight members on the Council, three Middleton, Danny Mathew and Chase Martin are appointees from the past 18 months.
Three others, Ballard, Ford (who was appointed to her seat in 2012) and Gene Myrick, were unopposed when they ran for re-election last fall, as was Mayor Jon Wells. Mark Peters, meanwhile, was elected as a write-in candidate.
Only one Council member, Aaron Franklin, faced opposition when he was elected in 2015 over incumbent Steve French.
Middleton was appointed to the Council last May to replace former Councilman Austin Sigg. Like his predecessor, Middleton is moving out of the voting ward.
With the turnover we have, Id like to look at going to a five-person council, Ballard said.
Wells replied that he and City Administrator Sid Fleming likely will broach the subject with the other Council members sometime soon.
IOLANS, by a 2-1 margin, voted in April 2009 to do away with the old three-member city commission.
A 14-member citizens committee subsequently was formed to gather consensus on what Iola should adopt as a replacement. The group eventually returned with three options five-, seven- and nine-member governing bodies.
