There will be less squirming to deal with nature’s call if Thrive Allen County has its way.
Bill Maness, director of economic development, encouraged Allen County commissioners to lock arms with Iola city leaders and find a way to finance downtown restrooms. Maness’s plea to Iola council members Monday night drew a receptive response.
Commissioners Tom Williams and Jim Talkington also expressed interest, as did Commissioner Jerry Daniels, who joined discussion by speaker phone while on duty as a life-flight helicopter pilot in Chanute.
Maness, former Iola mayor and southeast Kansas representative for Sen. Jerry Moran, said he envisioned a federal Community Development Block Grant as a likely source of revenue. “If you (county and city) come up with a 50 percent match (rather than 25) it would enhance our chances of getting a grant,” he said.
Public restrooms to accommodate the crowds attending the summer band concerts, the farmers market, and any number of downtown events long have been discussed as desirable in downtown Iola. Maness proposed putting two restrooms — one for men, the other for women — in the pocket park west of City Hall. Timed locks, he said, could protect interiors from vandalism during the dead of night. If constructed of brick, the building would blend into that of city hall next door.
No cost was mentioned. Maness said he would pursue details and report back to commissioners, as well as Iola council members.
Ron Holman, courthouse maintenance supervisor, quickly signed on as a fan of the proposal. Holman often is called on to open the courthouse during off-hours to make its restrooms available.
In other business, commissioners heard several requests for budget increases in 2018, including from Allen County Conservation District – $10,000 more from $30,000 this year to $40,000. Colleen Riebel, district manager, said state cuts to the district’s budget amounted to $2,000 this year and that she had been told the state would pare another $5,000 in 2018.
Tim Cunningham, Tri-Valley Developmental Services director, asked for a more modest increase of $2,000, to $67,000. Tri-Valley Development has proposed a budget of $5.17 million for 2018. Allen County’s contribution has been $65,000 annually since 2014.
TVDS serves 86 Allen County clients. Of its staff, 23 work in Allen County and 22 live within the county’s boundaries.
Services are provided in Allen, Woodson, Neosho and Bourbon counties, to find and hone ways for people with any number of challenges to live normal lives.
Public restrooms pursued
