Plans to expand the Iola Senior Citizen Thrift Store took another step toward reality.
Dimity Lowell, a board member for the group, gave county commissioners an update on Tuesday.
She’s been busy checking with state and local officials to find out the best way to build an addition at the Thrift Store. The building is too small for the amount of donations and patrons.
The county owns the property, but commissioners weren’t able to set aside money to pay for an addition, so the board has been saving money to finance one on its own.
In the past year, the store’s proceeds collected $26,000.
Lowell has been in discussion with Yutzy Construction for a 50- foot by 20-foot building. It could be installed within three to four months, Lowell said.
State officials told her that because the property is in a flood plain, the addition could not be directly connected to the existing building. If the board wanted to connect the two, both buildings would need to be raised above ground level.
The board plans to build next to the existing building with a sidewalk between sets of double-doors on each building.
A large tree next to the building will likely need to come down. Commissioners indicated concern over that, partly because of costs associated. Lowell pointed out the cost of tree removal would be significantly lower than the cost of the building, “which will become yours because it’s on your property.”
Commissioner Bruce Symes pumped the brakes on the board’s plans, telling Lowell to work with county staff, continue to do research and check back in with commissioners before proceeding.
“We gave you the green light to investigate this further. But when we start cutting down trees and hiring HVAC folks, that’s a different pace. I want to keep track of where we are in this process,” Symes said.
LaHarpe Telephone grant request
Harry Lee Jr. with LaHarpe Telephone and Neil Sleevi with Farm and Home Cooperative asked commissioners to support a grant application that would allow them to improve broadband internet services.
The grant would improve infrastructure that would be used to extend broadband to all unserved and underserved residents in Allen County. It would provide more reliable and more affordable bandwidth, and could potentially allow the company to lease services to other providers and bring millions in revenue into the county.
“It’s another tool in our toolbox for another income stream and another way to service Allen County,” Lee said.
They weren’t asking for financial support from the county, but instead hoped commissioners would provide a letter of support and advocate with key stakeholders.
