In a ceremonial start to the new year, Iola City Clerk Roxanne Hutton administered the oath of office to four council members during Monday evening’s city council meeting. The newly sworn-in members include Jon Wells and Max Grundy, and the returning incumbents Kim Peterson and Joelle Shallah. Mayor Steve French also was sworn in for another term.
French recognized outgoing council member Carl Slaugh, presenting him with a plaque acknowledging his dedication and service to the city and the Iola City Council Ward 2. French commended Slaugh’s valuable input and knowledge, recognizing his transition from an administrator to a council member.
Council member Mark Peters nominated Joelle Shallah as Council President, a motion that was seconded by Jon Wells and unanimously approved by the council.
Gregg Hutton presented resolutions concerning four dangerous structures. With approval of the resolutions, a hearing will be set to begin the process of condemning the houses. The houses are at 116 N. Fourth St., 306 S. Kentucky St., 602 E. Lincoln St., and 1014 N. Sycamore St.
“These houses are not repairable,” Hutton said. “When you go by these houses, you’ll think that they don’t look that bad. Look at the pictures in the reports. These houses are in bad shape inside.” The council unanimously passed each of the four resolutions.
A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to the selection of a city flag. After deliberating over several options in the previous meeting, the council settled on two final designs: the Land and Water flag, representing Iola’s landscape and agricultural connections, and the Clock Tower flag, depicting the old Allen County Courthouse’s clock tower. The council, led by local artist Max Grundy, opted for a dark blue and cream color scheme for the Clock Tower flag. Both designs will be presented to the community for a vote.
“We will put the two options on the city website and explain where they can vote,” said Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock. “Digitally, we will do some kind of polling mechanism on Facebook.” A ballot box also will be placed on City Clerk Hutton’s desk at City Hall.
In other news, Council member Peters commended the efforts of the Iola Police Department for their role in a drug bust.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported Kristen French’s name. We regret the error.
