IOLA, Kan. — The Iola City Council Monday approved in part proposed changes in fireworks regulations. After tabling action at their last meeting, it approved a charter ordinance that will allow year-round sales of fireworks but rejected one that would have permitted temporary stand sales between June 20 and July 7.
The vote on extending temporary stand sales was 4-3 in favor, and to allow permanent location sales year-round was 5-3. Five votes from the Council are required to pass an ordinance, and in this case Mayor Steve French was permitted to vote, and he voted for both. Councilman Ben Middleton missed the vote on temporary stands but was present for the permanent location vote, he voted four.
The Council did approve, subject to approval by Allen Community College trustees, a fireworks display at the KC Iola Hormigas game July 1.
With the potential for an EPA grant to address flooding issues at Riverside Park, particularly for the ball fields, likely gone, the Council was told they will have to review options. Although they have not been specifically told no, all contact with EPA has been shut off for the past few weeks.
This led to some council members again raising the possibility of constructing new ball fields elsewhere, along with pursuing other funding options for a project that would have also involved USD 257, whose football field is also in the park and also issues with flood water getting into the Recreation Building which had to close briefly last week.
The Council discussed changes to its purchasing policy related to a local preference policy during a roundtable discussion. City Administrator Matt Rehder outlined the current policy and said staff is recommending elimination of the policy, or reducing the percentage which a local bidder can exceed an outside bid by up to 7% down to 3%,
Iola’s local preference percentage is somewhat higher than is seen in similar policies elsewhere. Council member Jon Wells said he would like to see this limited to larger ticket items such as purchases of greater than ten thousand dollars.This issue came up in the wake of recent instances where sales taxes were omitted from bid submissions. Decisions on changes to the policy, if any, will come at a future meeting.
In the wake of the filings for City Council positions this year in Iola where one had nobody file, Council member Kim Peterson raised the suggestion of reducing the number of council members from the current eight plus the mayor down to five.
Some years ago, the city changed from a three member commission form of government to the present eight member council, with two members elected from each of four wards and an elected mayor. Those are the two standard forms of government for cities of the second class in Kansas.
To adopt a five-member council or variant of that, it was explained the Council could do this through a charter ordinance through which it would take effect 61 days after final publication in the official city newspaper, and if a valid protest petition is filed it would have to go to an election. This issue will be discussed in further detail at a future council meeting.
