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Sports: Royals slide into first place See B1

THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867

www.iolaregister.com

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

CITY COUNCIL

Drawing gives Daniels GOP seat By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

City Administrator Carl Slaugh, left, talks about the EMS budget during Monday’s city council meeting. At right is Councilwoman Sandy Zornes. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Iola nixes EMS pact By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

With an eye toward restarting negotiations, Iola City Council members voted Monday to terminate the city’s emergency medical services contract with Allen County. Board members Steve French, Donald Becker and Beverly Franklin voted in

favor of giving the county a six-month notice the city will terminate the contract. Councilmen Gene Myrick and Sandy Zornes were opposed. (Council members Nancy Ford, Bob Shaughnessy and Jon Wells were absent.) Since January — and at the end of an extended, grueling negotiating process — Iola has provided countywide EMS

service, although it became evident early on that projected revenues would leave the city with a deficit at year’s end. Since then, the city has forecast a $377,000 shortfall. The city appealed to the county to cover half the projected deficit — $189,000. The county eventually approved the request earlier this See EMS | Page A6

Jerry Daniels, Humboldt, won the Republican nod Monday in the closest primary vote in Allen County Commission history. Daniels’ name was picked in a blind drawing to become the Republican nominee after a recount confirmed a tie vote between Daniels and his opponent, Jim Mueller, Moran. Daniels’ name was picked from a bowl by County Commission Chairman Jim Talkington after the hand recount agreed with the electronic tabulation — a 255-255 tie — from the Aug. 5 primary. Daniels and Mueller were seeking to replace the outgoing Dick Works on the commission. Mueller said after the meeting he would not seek a second recount, calling such a maneuver “a waste of money.” Daniels told the Register he planned to immerse himself this fall in issues facing the county. “I’m going to sit in on meetings to get fully aware of all the issues and details by January,” Daniels said. “If I don’t come

Jerry Daniels to meetings, I’ll review the notes and visit with the commissioners to get up to speed so it’s a seamless transition. “I’m very happy for the support,” he continued. “It was very professional, and I think people were glad to see it was an honorable race. To come up with a tie and then tie-breaker is pretty rare.” Unprecedented, in fact, for a race of this magnitude. While township votes have resulted in ties, this was the first for a County Commission seat. The next commissioner will be seated in January. Daniels faces no Democratic opponent.

USD 258

State law revoking tenure used to fire Humboldt teacher By KAREN INGRAM The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — A new state law that ended due process rights for Kansas teachers was put to use Monday when USD 258 Board of Education members fired Jeff Wilkerson, a Humboldt Middle School physical education teacher and former high school girls basketball coach.

Members of the Kansas National Education Association and Humboldt National Education Association (KNEA and HNEA) attended Monday’s board meeting wearing red T-shirts to show their support for Wilkerson, an eightyear teacher at Humboldt who was suspended with pay July 25. Wilkerson’s wife, Briana, spoke with the board for eight

City puts collar on leash law

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Iolans soon will be prohibited from keeping their dogs tethered to chains or leashes when kept outdoors. Instead, all dogs must be properly penned, City Council members decided. The Council directed City Administrator Carl Slaugh Monday to amend the city’s animal control policies, including the ban of leashes, chains or other restraints. The changes came after an emotional appeal from former Mayor Bill Maness, who has reported on a neighboring dog that has been kept on a chain for more than two

years, even during the hottest summer days and coldest winter nights. “The animal’s a prisoner, and all it wants to be is a pet,” Maness said. The new policy will require all pens be at least 100 square feet — 10 by 10 — and offer protection from harsh weather. Slaugh will rewrite the ordinance for final approval. In a related matter, the city soon will take measures to control wild animals in town. Up to now, it has been up to residents to hire pest control agencies or others licensed to capture animals such as foxes or raccoons. See ANIMAL| Page A3

Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 202

minutes in executive session to read an open letter to them and appeal to them to reconsider. “... Recently I have become disgusted and appalled by the latest unethical behavior demonstrated by the board of education and the administration when they suspended my husband with pay on July 25 with no prior notification or concern with his job perfor-

mance,” Briana said in the letter, which was made available to the media during the meeting. Wilkerson was elected HNEA president last fall. “Jeff did what he was elected to do, which was try to change policy and return USD 258 back to an environment where teachers are proud to work,” his wife said. “In return, the school board

has postponed negotiations repeatedly, violated teachers’ negotiated agreement, and is now trying to take away his due process rights.” Briana Wilkerson’s words had no effect. After another 30-minute executive session with the principals and school attorney Robert Johnson, the board voted unanimously to terminate his employment. See TEACHER | Page A3

Pool party caps summer break Steve Orcutt hasn’t officially taught a class for years. Still, the retired art teacher has a hankering to give area schoolchildren a final dose of fun before the summer break ends. Orcutt’s sixth annual free back-to-school midnight splash starts at 8 p.m. Friday at the Iola Municipal Pool. The event is open to any USD 257 student entering kindergarten through sixth grade, and their families. As Orcutt is wont to do, the party will feature more than just swimming. Milo “Drumsticks” Combs, World Featherweight Champion, will once again make an appearance with his admonition to stamp out bullying in and out of school. He’ll also lead

a mass chicken dance, with prizes awarded to the best dancers. “We need a record turnout,” Orcutt said. “Bring the grandparents. Let’s make it a night to remember as a family.” Several other special guests will make an appearances. “Catfish McFarley,” will offer up his cannonball special. “The kids can swim with the sharks, swim with the piranha and dance with the chicken,” Orcutt joked. The pool party is one of the final events of the year at the swimming pool, which closes for the season Sunday. School resumes for USD 257 students on Aug. 21. Admission to the pool is half-price for the rest of the season.

“If there is a sense of reality, there must also be a sense of possibility.” — Robert Musil, Austrian writer 75 Cents

Milo “Drumsticks” Combs

Hi: 82 Lo: 55 Iola, KS


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