Locally owned since 1867
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
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City restarts search for administrator By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola is back at square one in its search for a new city administrator. Mayor Jon Wells said after Monday’s City Council meeting the city is starting over in its search. Iola had agreed to terms last week to a three-year contract with Garnett City Manager Christopher Weiner. However, Weiner was enticed to remain in Garnett after Garnett city leaders reworked his contract at a special meeting Friday. Iola Council members discussed the events privately for 15 minutes Monday. The city has been without a fulltime administrator since Sid Fleming left his post in March. Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock has filled the position on an interim basis since then.
Iola Municipal Pool. FILE
Pool hours extended By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola Gas, Water and Wastewater Superintendent Mitch Phillips speaks at Monday’s Iola City Council meeting. Also attending the meeting are City Attorney Bob Johnson, left, and Power Plant Superintendent Mike Phillips, right. At left, Iola Mayor Jon Wells, left, and City Councilman Nickolas Kinder listen to a speaker.
A SERIES of treatments seems to have mitigated an ongoing cockroach infestation in the 300 block of South Buckeye Street. Several neighbors sur-
REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
See COUNCIL | Page A3
Royals: Improved play may last
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Russia’s virus vaccine greeted with alarm PAGE A3
Now is the time to plant fall veggies PAGE A5
US is weak link in global economy PAGE A6
Small town charm can come with hefty price tag By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
The pros and cons of small town living became evident at Tuesday night’s Humboldt Council meeting when longtime citizen Rex Heape asked Council members to consider the effect of raising property taxes in order to fund the 2021 budget. The charm of a quaint community comes with the reality that fewer people are relied on to support services such as water and sewer, public safety and roads and sidewalks. And when such infrastructure begins to age, the burden grows. “We’ve got a $6 million sewer project that we’ll be paying for until 2060,” said Cole Herder, city administrator. And for the last six months crews have been patching city streets to the tune of $36,000. As a former civil engineer, Heape didn’t contradict Herder, but only asked council members to consider living
within their current budget, “as I do.” “High taxes make it hard to live in Humboldt,” Heape said, noting property taxes are almost double those in Iola, and a third again more than those in Independence. The 2021 budget called for a property tax increase of 3.024 mills, bringing them to 93.742. Iola’s are a tad under 48 mills. The increase means the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $1,100 in property taxes, an increase of $60. Council members acknowledged the burden on residents. “It’s a problem we all have to face,” said Mayor Nobby Davis. That said, everything is going up. “When I was 14 years old I worked for Doc Cartwright and got paid 50 cents an hour. Nowadays, 14-year-olds earn $7.25 an hour,” Davis said. Herder noted that compared to 20 years ago, there are 950 fewer electric meters being read in town, showing a decline in population.
District suffers duo of budget hits By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
USD 257 was hit by a onetwo punch of bad budget news for the coming school year. Enrollment numbers are likely to decrease, and the county’s property valuation dropped, all of which will translate to higher tax rates to meet essentially the same budget needs as last year. Superintendent Stacey Fager warned board members Vol. 122, No. 200 Iola, KS 75 Cents
Swimmers will get a few extra days to take a dip this summer. The Iola Municipal Pool, scheduled to close Sunday, will remain open through the week. Interim City Administrator Corey Schinstock said Recreation Director Jason Bauer is managing the pool this week because the regular managers have left for college. “After this week, we will absolutely run out of staff,” Schinstock said, noting school is set to start soon. The pool was a month late in opening this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
at Monday night’s meeting that the district’s tax rate will increase to 17.3 mills, up from last year’s rate of 15.4. “It’s a double whammy,” Fager said. He expects fewer students this year, and building principals each said they are still trying to track down students who have not yet enrolled. The district offered enrollment last year, with 901 students planning to attend in-person classes and 127 planning to
participate in remote learning from home. In 2018, the district had 1,150 students. In 2019, enrollment was 1,142. For budget purposes, Fager submitted the 2018 enrollment numbers, as allowed by the state. The district also will lose about $602,000 from the decreased county valuation, Fager said. Last year’s valuation of about $54.8 million dropped to See SCHOOLS | Page A6
The bandstand in downtown Humboldt is part of its charm. FLICKR
Heape wondered if city staffing was too flush. And while Herder said payroll for the city’s 25 employees is its biggest expense, the city runs a tight ship and that wages, if anything, are not competitive.
“We average in the $11-anhour range,” Herder said. “Turnover is high.” The city is limited is three sources of income, Herder said: Property and sales taxes See HUMBOLDT | Page A6
Virus cases continue to rise By The Register Staff
The number of COVID-19 cases in Kansas rose by 1,092 over the weekend, bringing the total to 31,730. One month ago, the state had 17,618 confirmed cases. Allen County continues to have 17 confirmed cases. Neighboring counties’ numbers are, Anderson, 30; Neosho, 62; Bourbon 67, and Woodson, 11. In the southeast region, Crawford County has the
most cases, 401. Kansas City and Wichita continue to be the urban frontrunners, with each city recording more than 5,000 cases. Information is provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at covid.ks.gov. As a nation, the United States has passed the 5 million mark of confirmed cases. More than 162,000 Americans have succumbed to the virus.