Allen County voters will have plenty to decide when they go to the polls Nov. 4 for city and school board elections.
On top of picking their representation on respective city council races, voters also will decide a pair of sales tax questions.
A countywide vote will ask Allen Countians to extend a quarter-cent sales tax to support Allen County Regional Hospital.
If approved, the tax would remain effective through 2031.
LaHarpe voters also are being asked to institute a 1.5% sales tax to help pay for street repairs and other capital improvements, after rejecting an identical measure last fall. The tax would replace a 1% sales tax that had been in place for the past decade but expired after voters rejected last year’s question.
THERE are plenty of other choices to be made at the ballot most, most notably with Iola’s USD 257 Board of Education, where five hopefuls are gunning for three seats.
Incumbents Robin Griffin-Lohman, John Masterson and John Wilson are being challenged by Nathan Cunningham and Lisa Wicoff.
The Iola City Council will have one contested race, with incumbent Nich Lohman facing Myra Gleason in Iola’s Third Ward, which covers the southwest quadrant of the city.
Former Councilman Mark Peters was the only candidate to file in Ward 2, the northeast quadrant, to fill the seat held by Joel Wicoff, who opted not to run again. Jeremiah Ivy is the only candidate seeking to represent Iola’s Fourth Ward, in the southeast part of the town. He is looking to fill the seat of Benedikt Middleton, who is not running for re-election.
A write-in candidate will be needed to represent Iola’s First Ward, which covers the northwest part of town. Incumbent Joisah D’Albini did not run for re-election, nor did anyone else.
Mayor Steve French is unopposed in his re-election bid.
THE REGISTER will host a meet-the-candidates forum for Iola City Council, USD 257 and Allen Community College’s Board of Trustees (more on them later) at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 20 W. Jackson Ave., the former site of Derryberry Breadery and current home to the Watershed Collective ministry.
ON TOP OF the aforementioned sales tax question, LaHarpe residents will have some choices to make in its City Council race, with six candidates seeking three seats.
Incumbents Cynthia Carr, Ronald Knavel Sr. and Sharlyn Thompson are being challenged by Harry Lee Jr., Kendra Michael and Craig Trester.
The Moran City Council race also will be a contested one with three newcomers, Brad Barrere, Michael Stodgell and Candace Tyler, gunning for two seats. Councilman Lee Roberts, whose seat was up for re-election, is instead running as the only candidate for Moran mayor.
The LaHarpe PRIDE Committee is hosting a public forum at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20 at LaHarpe City Hall to give local residents a chance to visit with the Council hopefuls, and to ask questions about LaHarpe’s sales tax proposal.
