Iola has an abundance of folks who go above and beyond, helping make the community a better place to live.
Mayor Steve French would like to see some of that benevolence formally recognized.
French brought forth Monday an idea he and Council members Jon Wells and Max Grundy have been discussing the past few weeks: a key to the city.
The distinguished citizen award would be given out on an annual basis, French proposed, although the particulars on who would be nominated would remain up for discussion.
The recipients would be chosen by the City Council.
“We’ve got some pretty stringent ideas on who would qualify,” French told the Council at its regular meeting. “We want to recognize our citizens for their involvement, not just for the city, but for the schools, the arts, businesses, whatever.”
Grundy showed a proposed design of what the key to the city would look like. It would likely be laser-etched on a piece of metal, and then affixed to a wood plaque.
Council members were intrigued.
“It’s a good idea,” Councilman Nich Lohman said.
French said Wells, who was unable to attend Monday’s meeting, has been drafting a list of criteria for the Council to consider.
He hoped to have a formal proposal for the Council to decide on later this month.
COUNCIL members approved rezoning about 126 acres of annexed land adjacent to the Allen County Regional Airport from residential to industrial.
The annexation is part of an ongoing development at the airport in conjunction with the county.
Rezoning was necessary because annexed land comes into the city as residential, Code Enforcement Officer Gregg Hutton explained.
The city’s planning committee unanimously endorsed the rezoning proposal.
Once the property was rezoned, the Council also approved a final plat, the next step in the development stage.
ASSISTANT CITY Administrator Corey Schinstock said the city was successful in a grant application to add lights, seating and restroom facilities to the city’s soccer fields north of Riverside Park.
