A recent decision by county commissioners to install storm shelters in four local communities prompted an Iola neighborhood to ask, “What about us?”
For residents in Country Estates Addition in northwest Iola, the nearest shelter is Lincoln Elementary School.
About 55 houses are positioned around Dodge Drive, with other residences, businesses and industries nearby.
Commissioner David Lee sympathized with their plight and requested an additional storm shelter be put in the mix.
Commissioners last month approved that shelters be situated in Mildred, Petrolia and Elsmore, with two smaller shelters in Savonburg because it is divided by railroad tracks.
“I think it’s a valid request,” Lee said of a shelter on Iola’s north side. “They’ve got more people out there than a lot of other areas.”
Emergency Management Director Jason Trego discussed potential costs and location.
The shelter could be located southwest of the county fire barn near 1400th and Oregon. It would be located far enough from the barn and have enough parking so as not to interfere with emergency vehicles, which may need to be deployed during a severe storm.
Trego said he needed to check with the supplier, but estimated it could potentially add nearly $48,000 for a larger shelter, bringing the county’s total cost for six shelters to $256,578.
The sixth shelter could be built on the same timeframeas the others, likely early spring.
Essential worker pay
Allen County Sheriff’s Department employee Patrick Cash asked commissioners to consider paying some sort of additional benefit or bonus to essential county workers.
He’s echoing a previous request by Sheriff Bryan Murphy in June, but commissioners said they were not inclined to do so at the time.
Cash noted, as Murphy had done so, that other county employees were sent home with pay.
“Essential workers are not expendable,” Cash said. “We had no choice but to keep working, pick up shifts of those who were quarantined or sick, answer the phone even while on call, deliver meals to the elderly, even pick up groceries and provide security.”
Cash noted other area counties had paid additional compensation to some of their essential workers, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
The money could come from the American Rescue Plan Act. Allen County received $2.4 million in ARPA funds, and some of that can be used to compensate essential workers.
Commissioners did not respond to Cash’s request.
Thrive transportation plan
Transportation came up again for consideration at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, but only in an informative way.
Thrive’s deputy director Jessica Thompson gave commissioners an update on their public transportation plan for the elderly and disabled, as it is time to reapply for a grant. No county funding is needed for the grant, but it required an update to commissioners.
The grant provides rides from Allen County to other communities, such as for doctor appointments or treatments in Kansas City, Wichita, Chanute or elsewhere.
It’s been active for about a year, and has given 1,188 rides averaging about 4,000 miles each month. Of those who take advantage of the service, 62% are elderly and 84% are disabled.
The county has a similar program, but provides rides only within the county.
The services are complementary, not competitive, Thompson said.
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