Joelle Shallah often thinks of her kids when at Iola City Council. Not because she misses them, though she surely does. Rather, it’s because she hopes to build the type of community that would inspire them to come back home. They’re part of every decision she makes.
“We always hear that people want our children to come back so that we can grow. But we’re not quite ticking all the boxes,” said Shallah. “We need to figure out how to get our kids back.”
Shallah, 55, and her husband Sam have two adult children, Brittany and Sam. Brittany, her husband and five kids live in Wichita, while Sam and family are in Texas. “Both of my kids have ties to southeast Kansas, yet they still live elsewhere.”
Shallah is running for re-election to represent Iola’s Ward 4, which covers the southeast part of town. She faces a challenger in Darcus Kottwitz, who is also profiled here. The election is Nov. 7, while early voting starts Oct. 18.
APPOINTED in February 2022, Shallah replaced Steve French, who vacated his seat to become mayor. Her first council meeting was, in her words, “baptism by fire,” as the council unanimously approved the rezoning of the old Arkhaven Nursing Home building from single-family to a multi-family property.
“I saw both sides of it,” said Shallah, “but progress has to happen.” Shallah “did her homework” before the vote, meeting with local officials and studying documents. As a council member, that’s how she operates. “I don’t want to just be a vote. I want to make an educated decision. I always hope to make the best decision for the city of Iola, for the community. Every vote I take, I think of how it would affect my own family, my own home.”
Shallah’s passions lie in economic development and housing, which “go hand in hand.” She sees the council’s decision to extend infrastructure to the Cedarbrook Third Addition north of town as a smart move.
“It’s a good start. We pushed forward so that we now have shovel-ready sites. We’ve proved we can be a good partner and are ready for a developer, with one less roadblock for them to worry about.” She sees the project as a way to take advantage of Coffey County’s new microchip plant, a project valued at around $1.9 billion. “We’re in a great position to capitalize on that growth.”
She’s also excited about Iola’s new state park. “It’s an amazing step forward for tourism and will bring people to our community,” said Shallah. “My priority is economic development. I want to see progress in bringing new business and housing to town. Without that, we’re not going to see change.”
A CALIFORNIA native, Shallah celebrates two anniversaries this month. Oct. 19 will be 30 years since she and her husband moved to town, and her 36th wedding anniversary was Tuesday. No big plans, though; Tuesday night was reserved for the city council meeting.
And while Shallah has worked for Gates, the U.S. Postal Service and others, since 2006 her life has revolved around her small business, Bella Donna Salon. “I like the people and the friends that I’ve made,” said Shallah. “And I love that I can make somebody feel good.”
Shallah’s time on council has enriched her. “I like what I’m learning – seeing the ins and outs of government. I love learning, and I never want to stop that. Taking this on was out of my comfort zone, but I’ve loved the challenge.”
She also notes how much respect she’s gained for city employees. “It’s been eye-opening. I’ve always believed we have great employees, but this July’s storm really solidified my belief in our community.”
Sure, she often hears people ask, “‘Why do we always have three city employees doing the work of one?’ But safety also comes into play. It’s easy to coach from the bleachers.”
SHALLAH points to the EMS contract renegotiations with the county and the ongoing discussions with PrairieLand as work she’s proud of. And work she hopes to have a chance to continue.
