Jeff Cokely on Tuesday withdrew a request to Allen County commissioners to place $200,000 in landfill funds in the Allen County Community Foundation. Cokely recently took the foundation’s reins as director.
The proposal was for landfill funds to be endowed — $100,000 this year and $100,000 next from $1.1 million sitting idle and drawing 1.79 percent interest — with matching grants and interest going to health care or recycling projects.
Because the funds would have come from those set aside for the landfill, discussion centered on recycling.
“I didn’t realize the county did as much as it already does,” Cokely said, referring its purchase and maintenance of semi-trailers to haul paper to a recycling center in Wellsville.
Recycling other materials such as metal, plastic and glass, aren’t forgotten, Cokely added. “I think a grassroots effort can take us to the next level.” Iola Rotarians are considering going beyond newspaper and magazine collection, which they have done for about 20 years.
“I think there will be some possibilities down the road,” including he and commissioners revisiting the topic, Cokely said. “I think we need to take it slow for now.”
He said “a lot of people have a passion for recycling and we’d love to have Allen County more involved than it is now.” An optimist, Cokely’s prediction is an eventual win-win outcome, for the foundation, the county and recycling.
THREE VACANT lots in south Iola, near but not in the flood zone, soon may be sold for $5 each, County Counselor Alan Weber told commissioners.
Weber said the lots failed to attract bids in two tax sales — “not even $1 each.” Recently a person offered $5 each, which “I think we ought to take,” he said.
Commissioners agreed and will complete the transactions after a legal notice in the Register announces the pending sale.
Weber said outstanding assessments against the properties totaled about $16,000. Of that about $1,000 is for unpaid taxes; the remainder are charges for razing houses and periodic mowing.
Commissioners put off until next Tuesday whether to front the cost for Angie Murphy, director of 911 dispatch and emergency services, to take a certified public manager course offered through the University of Kansas. The charge for attending daylong courses twice a month in Kansas City or Topeka would be $3,300. Murphy said she would drive a county vehicle and return home after classes each day to save cost of the county paying mileage and for a motel room.
Murphy said she thought her learning more about management would be to the county’s advantage.
Commissioner Tom Williams suggested rumble strips might be recourse to make drivers more aware of the upcoming stop sign at Oregon Road and U.S. 169 when approaching on Oregon. The comment in part was in response to a fatality accident at the intersection last week in which Iolan Don Hillbrant reportedly failed to stop before driving onto the highway.
A sign back from the intersection warning of a stop sign ahead also would be helpful, commissioners said.
