Iola will disburse $65,000 in transient guest tax funds to a number of local groups dealing with convention and tourism projects.
The recipients are: Veterans Day Parade/ Committee, $3,500; Bowlus Fine Arts Center, $20,000; Farm-City Days, $2,500; Iola Area Chamber of Commerce, $25,000; Fearless Fred trolley maintenance, $5,000; Pickelball Court upkeep in Meadow-brook Park, $1,000; Family Reading Festival, $1,200; Southwind Rail Trail, $600; Iola CITF/ PRIDE Committee for disc golf course improvements, $700; Rotary Day in the Park, $1,000; LeHigh Roots Festival, $1,000; Allen County Fair, $3,500.
Council members rejected one of the line items proposed from the citys Convention and Tourism Board, a $1,500 payment to Tom Ellis to produce renderings for a large-scale public art installation near the intersection of U.S. 54 and U.S. 169.
Instead, they earmarked those funds for to the Veterans Day Committee to support improvements to the Veterans Wall on the courthouse square.
A CONDEMNED
house at 3 W. Neosho must be demolished.
Council members had given the owners a 90-day extension in February to make several repairs to the roof, porch, windows and other elements.
A few minor repairs had been started in recent weeks, Code Enforcement Officer Gregg Hutton said, including repair of siding. Hutton said the repairs, however, were substandard, and too late.
The owners have 30 days to remove the house, or the city will.
COUNCIL members also:
Approved a cereal malt beverage license for ValDev, Inc., for a new business venture in the Shannon Building at 20 W. Jackson Ave., which most recently housed The Shirt Shop. Hutton said the owners have asked her not to divulge what the business will be, but added the application process meets all of the city regulations.
Accepted a franchise agreement with JMZ Corporation, doing business as KwiKom, allowing the company to begin offering fiber optic services to Iolans. As part of the agreement, JMZ will use city rights-of-way and utility poles to assist with the extension. Work should begin within a month, JMZs Zachary Peres told the Register.
Agreed to a number of requests from the Farm-City Days Committee to assist with an upcoming Frankie Ballard concert on the Davis Soccer Fields July
14. Among the items is providing temporary electric service to the performance stage, adding police and fire presence during the event and lifting the noise ordinance there until 11:30 p.m. that day.
Approved a beer garden for the aforementioned concert, which is being used as a fundraiser to support the annual Farm-City Days celebration in October.
