Business owners critical of hotel complex

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June 27, 2017 - 12:00 AM

Three local restaurant owners spoke out against using city funds to support a private business venture — in this case, a proposed hotel and restaurant along the U.S. 169 bypass in East Iola.
Toby Shaughnessy, owner of Sam and Louie’s, Marshall Barnhart, owner of Dudley’s Done Right, and Mike Sailor, owner of Rookie’s Sports Bar and Grill, each said it would be unfair to existing businesses to give any tax breaks or financial support above and beyond what’s allowed in Iola’s property tax revitalization program.
“To give a handout to a non-local business owner, it’d be shameful,” Shaughnessy said. “Moving forward for this would be reckless and irresponsible, and it would jeopardize local businesses. It’s a slap in the face of local business owners who have made a tremendous effort to make Iola a better community.”
Shaughnessy noted he took advantage of Iola’s neighborhood revitalization program incentives when Sam and Louie’s was built, where a portion of the property taxes are reimbursed to the taxpayer for five years, then gradually reduced until 10 years have passed.
“I’ve taken advantage of those property tax incentives, and I’ve given back several thousands of dollars to the community,” Shaughnessy said. “I care about the community, and I want it to flourish and grow. But I want to grow it in ways that benefit the community as a whole.”
Barnhart noted that adding a business of any size in Iola affects all of its competitors.
“If you want to build a restaurant and hotel, do it with your dollars, just like I did,” Barnhart added.
“If you guys want to give money to them, you should have to give money to all of us first,” Sailor told the Council. “I don’t like random people coming in who aren’t going to plant roots here, and are just going to open something along the highway.”

COUNCIL members approved a pair of bids from Mueller & Sons, Iola, to demolish homes at 311 S. Chestnut and 524 North St. Both structures had been destroyed by fire. The Mueller & Sons bid of $6,740 was the lower of two.
After the vote, Councilwoman Beverly Franklin wondered if it would be easier, and less expensive, to use city employees and equipment to demolish homes instead of hiring outside contractors.
“We have so many houses that need to be demolished,” she noted.

THE COUNCIL also:
— Approved a request by Humanity House to waive a rental fee to use the John Silas Bass Community Building at 505 N. Buckeye St. for a “Bridges Out of Poverty” program July 22.
— Accepted the resignation of Brandon Westerman from the city’s power plant. Westerman had been an Iola employee since 2010.
— Noted a retirement party for Ron Conaway, a long-time firefighter, is this afternoon.

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