Public restrooms pushed for square

Iola City Council members were approached twice Monday on facilitating ways for visitors to “do their business” in downtown Iola and Riverside Park.
Adding public restrooms at both areas was broached by visitors to Monday’s council meeting.
Mike Ford and Lesley Skahan, who were heavily involved in the Mothers Of Miracles (MOMs) playground development at Riverside Park, spoke about pursuing a $25,000 State Farm grant to build a handicap-accessible restroom at the north shelter house.
Ford, a member of the Iola Kiwanis Club and a community resource officer with the Iola Police Department, said none of the existing restrooms in the park are handicap accessible.
Skahan noted the new playground equipment — which also serves children with disabilities — would be well served by an accessible restroom nearby.
Council members voted, 8-0, to allow Ford to pursue the grant — 40 of the $25,000 grants will be awarded nationwide — with a caveat.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh said Code Enforcement Officer Shonda Jefferis is checking with the state to ensure the city can build a new structure inside the park because it is in a designated flood zone.
Otherwise, both Slaugh and Mayor Joel Wicoff said a $25,000 grant should be sufficient to pay for a new restroom after Ford said it would likely be less expensive than remodeling existing restrooms.
In a related matter, the council also voted 8-0 to Skahan’s request to waive rental fees for the MOMs group to use the Riverside Park Community Building for their third annual Stroll and Roll April 25.

MEANWHILE, David Toland, executive director of Thrive Allen County, relayed the Allen County Commission’s wishes to see a public restroom added to the courthouse square.
Toland noted the number of times people congregate at the square, from Farm-City Days, Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run and American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life to the weekly Farmers Market and Iola Municipal Band concerts on Thursday evenings.
Having permanent facilities also would benefit groups that have to spend money to rent port-a-potties, Toland said.
Toland suggested the city consider using its pocket park next to City Hall for such a facility.
The council members will discuss the matter further before deciding.

THE COUNCIL gave its endorsement to having the Iola Area Chamber of Commerce serve as a clearinghouse of sorts for a new Farm-City Days Committee.
Iolan Mike Jewell, one of the outgoing committee members, spoke about the group’s mass resignation with the hopes of handing over the planning and oversight to another civic group.
Several have reached out to Jewell since word of the resignations spread.
“The committee needs change,” he said. “Nobody on the committee wants to see it die, but somebody has to take it over.”
The Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors will be responsible for maintaining the committee’s non-profit status, Jewell explained, while other committee members will handle planning.

COUNCIL members approved the hiring of Matthew Sanchez and Travis Knavel for the Fire/EMS Department and Cameron Kern within the city’s utilities office; and the annual or six-month evaluations and subsequent pay raises to 11 other employees.