Iola’s 2012 budget remains in abeyance.
City commissioners again deferred action on the budget at their meeting Monday night. The meeting was a continuation of their Aug. 22 meeting at which they rejected their budget, which by state law must be completed by Aug. 25.
Monday’s budget talks were held in back-to-back executive sessions, to the exclusion of the public.
Once back in open session, City Administrator Carl Slaugh’s explanation of the budget was quickly interrupted by Councilman Steve French with a motion to adjourn until 6 o’clock this evening.
French’s motion was tabled in deference to a handful of people who came to discuss the site of a new hospital.
Karen Gilpin, an Allen County Hospital trustee, said trustees had narrowed the site to two possible locations, 30 acres lying south of Oregon Road on the west side of Kentucky and a 25-acre plot on the northwest corner of U.S. 169 and Oregon Road, which lies outside of city limits and would require annexation.
Either site would be in support of Iola’s master plan, Gilpin said, which projects the city’s growth to the north. And, she added, “I hope there’s no conflict going forward. We will put due diligence in the decision tonight,” referring to the 7:30 p.m. meeting at Allen County Hospital when trustees will review soil tests from North Kentucky.
Councilmen, polled by Mayor Bill Shirley, gave their support to the North Kentucky site, generally noting they were not for annexation and they wanted to provide utilities to the new hospital.
A year ago Iola committed a one-quarter cent of city sale tax revenue, not to exceed $350,000 a year for nine years, in support of the hospital.
Budget still in flux
