With the growing season upon us, Iola city leaders are once again urging those who mow lawns to properly dispose of the clippings.
That urging may soon become law.
City Council members will discuss Monday an ordinance prohibiting the placement of lawn debris on roads, streets, highways or alleys within the city limits.
The city has two issues with grass clippings in the street: it is notorious for clogging stormwater infrastructure; and motorcyclists find it a hazard on asphalt streets.
If the ordinance is approved, violators would be subject to a $25 fine in Iola Municipal Court.
COUNCIL members also will continue discussions about handling past-due utility accounts.
The Council already has agreed to waive penalty and reinstatement fees while a state order prohibiting utility disconnections is in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state order is scheduled to expire May 1.
As that deadline approaches, Interim City Administrator Corey Schinstock has questions about how to handle the accounts that are already past due and subject to disconnection.
Under the current policy, the city would disconnect those utilities as soon as the state order expires.
In March and April, the city is averaging 75 shut-off notices, compared to the previous average of 23 per month.
Humanity House, an organization that works with families that struggling financially, has begun a petition drive asking the city to implement a six-month payback period, allowing those in arrears extra time to catch up on their payments.
As an aside, an article in Monday’s Register incorrectly reported the city does not accept partial payments. Partial payments are accepted; however past-due bills must be caught up if a customer is subject to disconnection.
IN OTHER energy matters, Council members will be asked Monday to approve a new power purchase confirmation letter with Evergy Kansas Central, Inc., formerly Westar. The new agreement would reduce the raw power purchase price to Iola from $23 per megawatt hour to $20.30 per megawatt hour.
Council members also have been asked to approve a contract extension with Priority Power, formerly EMG, is the city’s energy consulting firm.
MONDAY’S meeting will be in the New Community Building at Riverside Park, but will not be open to the public, except for media, because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the statewide stay-at-home order.
