Hot, dry weather has made its presence known around Iola in different ways, Iola City Council members were told Monday.
Iola Water Plant Superintendent Toby Ross said the city is bracing for a series of water restrictions, which may be necessary if the ongoing drought persists, although such measures are likely more than a month away.
“It’s a matter of waiting for it to rain,” Ross said. “We want it to rain here and up north” at the John Redmond Reservoir north of Burlington.
John Redmond feeds the Neosho River, he explained.
Iola’s water usage is as high as it’s ever been since the city built its new water plant, Ross said, with more than 1.5 million gallons of water treated daily.
Iolans are not being asked to curtail water usage, yet, but city staffers are monitoring the situation closely to determine if restrictions are necessary later on.
COUNCIL members accepted a bid from Solomon Corporation to purchase a pair of transformers to accommodate construction of a new Allen County Hospital. The Solomon bid was the lowest of four received and was one of only two that met city specifications, anyway, City Administrator Carl Slaugh said.
The Council also filed a request with the state to extend the city’s deadline for housing rehabilitation projects funded through Community Development Block Grants. Approximately $200,000 remains in unspent funds from the $400,000 grant.
The funds allow for housing improvements to qualified residents living between Madison and Spruce streets from First to Fourth streets.
The deadline extension would extend to Jan. 31, 2013.
Council members also accepted a bid from Michael Burns of Garnett to purchase a pair of basketball goals from Iola’s Recreation Department for $4,105, the higher of two received.
COUNCIL MEMBERS approved a request from the Molly Trolley Committee to have the city pay for liability insurance for the trolley, which provides tours around Iola on a regular basis.
The premiums will cost the city $1,286. The city has paid the insurance for the past several years, trolley committee member Barbara Anderson said.
FORMER Human Resources Officer Ken Hunt asked council members to further examine whether a failed vote to hire SE-Kan Asphalt Services as the city’s sole supplier of asphalt products should have been considered a successful vote.
The vote to hire SE-Kan failed on a 3-3 vote because one member, Beverly Franklin, abstained and another member was absent. Hunt asked if Franklin’s absention should have been considered a “yes” vote.
He asked the city to investigate the vote through the Kansas League of Municipalities.
