Iola City Council members will be asked Monday to decide if the city should continue hiring a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm.
A citizens advisory committee has been meeting since last summer, at the city’s urging, to determine if the relationship is worthwhile. Iola pays Van Scoyoc and Associates $45,000 annually for its lobbying services.
Van Scoyoc assisted the city in receiving about $1.5 million in diverted FEMA assistance to rebuild the Iola Municipal Pool (the funds originally were slated to replace obsolete generators at Iola’s power plant.)
City Administrator Carl Slaugh, however, contends federal cutbacks have blunted the firm’s effectiveness in recent years. He has recommended the city end its contract with Van Scoyoc, and use those funds for other city projects.
Jerry Dreher, the advisory committee’s chairman, will be at Monday’s meeting to present the group’s recommendations.
The Van Scoyoc topic coincides with other discussions Monday about potential capital improvement projects for 2016.
OTHER topics for Monday’s council meeting are on proposed increases in electric and water rates, a crosswalk at Oak Street’s intersection with U.S. 54 and the city’s economic development contract.
The 6 p.m. meeting will be at the New Community Building in Riverside Park. The public is invited.
