Promoting community safety is a top concern for the Allen County Multi Agency Team.
Jaime Westervelt, co-chairman of the ACMAT, explained at See, Hear Iola Friday how the team got its start in the county. The organization started as a referral service in the early 1990s. Since then it has grown and includes 12 community sectors and now has 50 members.
ACMAT has organized the Family Safety Night, Sticker Shock campaign and Drug Take Back Day. Westervelt said they also organized Bucks for Buckle. The group would stop drivers coming into the school parking lot and passengers wearing their seat belts received a Smarties candy. Those who weren’t received a Dumb Dumb sucker.
“We noticed a majority of the kids were wearing their seat belts but the adults weren’t,” Westervelt said.
In an effort to get prescription drugs off the streets ACMAT hosts a Drug Take Back Day. So far they have collected 150 pounds. Residents who have old prescriptions medications in their home can drop the medication off with ACMAT at Iola City Hall or Moran City Hall on Saturday so it can be properly disposed of.
“This keeps medications from being flushed and getting in the ground water,” Westervelt said.
On June 18 they will host the Family Safety night. June is safety month and ACMAT will have an array of safety information for families. There will be two bike raffles along with other prizes, sno cones and three inflatables. This event will be on the Iola town square and is free to the public.
ACMAT has also teamed up with the Allen County Substance Abuse Task Force. The task force formed in August and focuses on plans to address alcohol, tobacco and prescription drug problems in the county. They recently received a $21,000 grant to help their efforts.
ACMAT meets the first Tuesday of the month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Iola Pizza Hut. ACSATF meets the second Wednesday of the month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Iola Pizza Hut.
JIM SMITH, the commercial speaker, told the audience about his new museum on the square. As a child Smith would travel on trains with his family to visit an older brother. It was then that he began his fascination with trains. He began collecting model trains, pictures and movies as a hobby in his home. Iolan Clyde Toland offered Smith three rooms above the Old Globe building, at 2 S. Washington, for a train museum.
“I wanted to share it with everyone,” Smith said.
Smith will have an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday during the Allen County Farmers Market. The museum is open on Saturdays 1 to 3 p.m.
In other news:
The deadline to be listed on the city-wide garage sale flyer is at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The cost is $10 and can be turned in at the Iola Area Chamber of Commerce office. The sales will be on Saturday.
The new Iola disc golf course on south Washington Ave. will have its grand opening on June 24.
Shonda Jefferis, code enforcement officer, gave the city update. Jefferis explained the duties of her job which includes sending mowing notices and building permits to citizens.
There are 52 real estate listings in Iola. Twenty homes have sold since the first of the year.
Group touts community safety
