Iola city officials expressed concern Monday that the planned opening of a new elementary school on the east side of town will lead to traffic congestion on Kentucky Street.
The brief discussion was prompted by comments from Iola City Councilman (and coming mayor) Steve French, who wondered how funneling hundreds of cars along with a number of buses into the school property east of Kentucky Street will affect traffic flow.
Code Enforcement Officer Gregg Hutton said he has expressed the city’s concernwith USD 257 officials, who reportedly have looked at traffic studies that indicate a turning lane on Kentucky or other measures are not necessary.
“We feel there may be a traffic jam problem,” Hutton said.
Still, French encouraged Hutton and others to keep an open dialogue with the school to determine if other measures are needed eventually.
Monday’s discussion came about after Iola City Council members approved a site plan for a T Mobile cellular phone store in the 2100 block of North State Street (between Dollar General and Sam & Louie’s.)
French said his concern was having cars “dart in and out” onto State Street from the private properties may lead to traffic hazards.
He wondered if the city would be better served connecting the parking lots of the private businesses to allow motorists to get from one to the other without having to get back onto the street.
As an aside, the site plan for the T Mobile center was approved.
IOLA will spend a bit more for its body camera systems worn by Iola police officers.
Council members approved, 8-0, a five-year contract with Axon worth $147,485.14. The expiring five-year contract cost the city $113,395.
The cost breaks down to $29,496.94 per year, or $1,735.12 per officer per year.
Police Chief Jared Warner praised the Axon system management, which has allowed the city to log more than 46,000 videos for potential evidence since the system was introduced to IPD in 2012.
The cameras are triggered automatically when officers deploy warning lights for traffic stops, or if they turn on their tasers or pull their weapon, Warner noted, the “high anxiety” moments when officers may not think to turn on their camera in an emergency.
The Axon system allows for unlimited video storage.
