Councilman decries housing trend

Bob Shaughnessy will demolish a house at 417 S. Cottonwood St., but he’s not happy about it.
The Iola City Councilman spoke Monday as the Council discussed the planned removal of the dilapidated home.
The city had ordered the house be improved in January 2011, and when none occurred, ordered it be demolished in February 2012.
Shaughnessy, a local contractor, acquired the home, with the hopes of improving it, “but I can only work eight days a week,” he quipped.
As the months have passed, and he remains busy as ever, Shaugnessy has decided to cut bait and tear down the home. He will retain the property with the hopes of building a new home there eventually.
“But we’re starting a trend we’re going to be sorry to see,” he said. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, there aren’t going to be any houses left.”
Shaughnessy counted 35 homes during a recent drive around town he considered in worse shape than the house in question.
“And those homes have people still living in them,” he said.
Shaughnessy touched on the lack of affordable housing. If homes like the one in question could be renovated, rent likely would be cheaper.
“If I build a new home, the rent’s going to be $650 to $800 a month,” he predicted, and out of the price range of many Iolans.
Shaughnessy also decried what he considered punitive property taxes. He recounted remodeling one home on North Kentucky Street, thus increasing the property tax obligation from $200 annually to $1,000.
Others in the same boat might be dissuaded from doing necessary repairs, he said.
Jon Wells noted the city has incentives for rebates on increased property tax obligations through Iola’s revitalization campaign. Those who improve their homes are given property tax breaks up to 10 years.
“That’s a good step forward,” Shaughnessy said.

THE COUNCIL scheduled a budget hearing for its Dec. 22 meeting to approve the city’s year-end transfers.
City Administrator Carl Slaugh targeted a $40,000 transfer from the Gas Fund, an additional $200,000 from the Electric Fund, and $120,000 from its Wastewater Fund.
One of the funds that will benefit from the transfers is Iola’s fire and ambulance departments.
With the transfers, plus Allen County’s agreement to chip in as much as $89,000 for Iola’s ambulance services, “we’re pretty close to breaking even,” Slaugh said.
With a new EMS contract with the county in place, Iola may still look at its call-back policy for off-duty ambulance personnel and firefighters, to reduce overtime costs.
The city has spent about $180,000 in overtime for its EMS and Fire Department, Slaugh said.
Changing call-back procedures “is going to be a big decision,” he acknowledged.
Councilman Steve French pressed Slaugh and others in the city to return with information that shows “our clear, definitive” responsibility by law on how to staff fire calls.

COUNCIL members agreed the city could assist owners of the new Daylight Donuts shop with potential drainage issues at the intersection of East and Tennessee streets, but they were less inclined to help repair a crumbling sewer line.
The sewer line attracted most of the attention because it crosses through a neighboring property before it connects to a city sewer main. The line also passes under a concrete drainage ditch built decades ago by the old Missouri Pacific Railroad and now maintained by the city.
While the repair is a relatively easy fix — earlier estimates of $2,500 were greatly exaggerated, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said — the city still should not encroach upon private property to help, he opined.
“It’s a private line on a private piece of property,” Schinstock said. “It’s not on city easement, and it’s not in a city alleyway. I would not recommend going in and having the city repair it or having the city pay someone to repair it.”
Doing so would open Iola up for other requests from businesses or residents, Schinstock said.
There are other factors complicating this issue.
For starters, the doughnut shop owners, Sam and Many Chit of Fort Scott, do not own the land on which the damaged sewer line lies. According to a map provided by Schinstock, that land is owned by Dora Honeycutt of San Pedro, Calif.
The Chits must get written permission from Honeycutt before they can do the repairs.
“I know it’s a new business, and it’s great what they’re doing out there,” Schinstock said. “But I just don’t think this is a wise thing for the city to take on.”
The city can potentially help with water drainage by expanding ditches alongside Tennessee.
Council members directed Schinstock to return with prescribed remedies for their Dec. 22 meeting.

COUNCIL members approved cereal malt beverage license renewals for 12 local business. Five of the businesses, Ray’s Mini Mart, Pump ‘N Pete’s, Jump Start Travel Center, Walmart and Casey’s General store, can sell their products only in the original, unopened containers. Seven others, Cedarbrook Golf Course, China Palace, Country lanes, Coronado’s Mexican Restaurant, Denny’s Sports Center, Pizza Hut and El Jimador, allow for consumption on premises.