Sports: Iola summer baseball, softball results reported See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Official defends school district’s plight By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
A full-page advertisement from the Kansas Policy Institute has local school officials steaming mad with the Register. “I understand the importance of freedom of speech,” Jack Jack Koehn Koehn, superintendent of schools, said Tuesday afternoon. “But their numbers are misleading, to say the least.” The ad contends Kansas schools are flush with money and that school superintendents across the state are trying to fool voters into thinking otherwise.
For Iola’s USD 257 schools, its budget continues to shrink, despite greater contributions by the state. “That’s where they spin the numbers,” Koehn said of the Kansas Policy Institute, a spin-off of Koch Industries. While state funding has increased, local funding to schools has decreased. This change in funding came about when earlier this year legislators complied with a court ruling to more equitably fund school districts across the state, which meant an increase in equalization aid. That did not mean more money for public schools, but only that it came from different “pots.” Districts in poor areas such as Iola and Humboldt witSee PLIGHT | Page A4
Deep cuts possible By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas schools could be forced to increase class sizes, and state universities and hospitals would lose funding under spending cuts that a top aide to Gov. Sam Brownback says are likely if legislators don’t increase taxes to avert a budget shortfall. Officials in some agencies said Tuesday that they’re still trying to evaluate the effects of a potential 6.2 percent across-the-board cut in the state funds budgeted by lawmakers for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The budget doesn’t balance, and Budget
Doubts growing By NICHOLAS CLAYTON and JOHN HANNA
Director Shawn Sullivan has said the Republican governor would most likely impose a $400 million cut in spending if the GOP-dominated Legislature fails to pass a tax plan to make up the difference. Republican Rep. John Rubin, of Shawnee, said he believes there’s room to cut spending, but he said an
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Doubts grew among Kansas legislators Tuesday about whether they can approve tax increases necessary to balance the state budget without deep spending cuts that could lead to more-crowded classrooms and even layoffs of prison guards. Three Senate and three House negotiators canceled a second consecutive day of
See CUTS | Page A4
See DOUBTS | Page A4
Gas mulls building codes By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Swimmers, take your marks Iola swim team members Rio Lohman, foreground, and Hallie Sutherland practice their starts this morning under the tutelage of instructor Fryendz Wallace at Iola Municipal Pool. The Seahorses open their season tonight with a meet in Independence. Two home meets are on the schedule, June 17 and July 15. The Seahorses are coached by Wallace, Michael Wilson and Katrina Springer. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
County proceeds with grocery plans By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Allen County commissioners were unanimous Tuesday morning in fortifying their pursuit of demolition of the old county hospital to create a site for a new grocery and residential development. That came after Chuck Apt, an Iola attorney, spoke
on behalf of Arlyn Briggs, who had proposed to reconfigure the hospital as a care center for Alzheimer’s patients and others. Apt begged reconsideration, saying Briggs had in hand $157,000 to purchase the building and had arranged to acquire a performance bond from Personal Service Insurance, with “whatever you want in it.” “Mr. Briggs is serious
about doing the project and has the ability and want-to to do it,” Apt said. In March Briggs proposed to purchase the hospital. He was given until June 1 to provide fiscal and development plans. On May 24, at his request, commissioners met in special session, during which Briggs said he was withdrawing his proposal.
GAS — Gas councilmen will consider an ordinance at their July 14 meeting that will outline building codes for the city. At present the city has none. City Attorney Ross Albertini said Tuesday evening he would prepare the ordinance, based on 1997 Uniform Building Codes, 2008 National Electric Codes and 1994 Uniform Plumbing Codes. Councilmen may endorse what is proposed as is, or order modifications. Motivation is to ensure construction of new structures, and improvements to those in place, are done in such a manner to avoid Gas becoming rife with substandard homes. Discussion of codes initially arose at the council’s May 12 meeting. Also Tuesday, councilmen — only three were on deck with Mark Henry and Larry Robertson as well as Mayor Darrel Catron absent — tabled consideration of a contract to sell two lots the city owns to Iolan Wayne Barnett. That came after a bit of a set-to with Barnett, who said he was under the impression a contract sent for his review — offering the lots of $1,000 each — made the
purchase binding. Not until council members vote to approve it, Albertini interjected. City Clerk Rhonda Hill returned a check to Barnett he brought to her office on Monday, and which, Hill said, she reluctantly accepted because the contract had not been approved. A good part of Barnett’s beef was that he had ordered materials to start construction of houses on the lots in the southwest part of Gas, with payment already made to a Topeka company. Meanwhile, councilmen told Jason Barnett, Wayne Barnett’s son, that he would have to stand the expense of installing sewer lines and pay connection fees. The younger Barnett has purchased land also in the southwest part of town. “I feel like you don’t want us here,” he accused councilmen, after they refused to complete the transaction with his father. Council members responded with courtesy, but said they wanted a full body to decide the contract with Wayne Barnett. See GAS | Page A3
See COUNTY | Page A3
Zoning change approved for salvage yard By BOB JOHNSON The Iola Register
Terry McDonald got his wish Tuesday morning. After extended discussion, commissioners unanimously accepted an Allen County Planning Commission recommendation to rezone about 15 acres he owns east of Gas from commercial
to heavy industrial. The change will permit McDonald to open a salvage yard. For several years he has had a towing service, repaired cars and offered some for sale, all of which was permitted within commercial zoning. To curry favor, McDonald agreed to erect an eight-foot fence facing U.S. 54 to screen
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 153
it from U.S. 54 about half a block away. He will plant trees on the west, north and east sides. At behest of commissioners, McDonald said he would have no more than three cars from the salvage area in public view at one time in or near his shop. He also agreed See ZONING | Page A3
“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” — Arthur Conan Doyle, British writer 75 Cents
Hi: 94 Lo: 71 Iola, KS