Sports: Iola rec league results See B4
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THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
Koehn predicts quick fix
www.iolaregister.com
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
UP IN SMOKE?
By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register
By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Jack Koehn, Iola’s superintendent of schools, is of a superstitious nature. It’s a good sign, he says, that the upcom- Jack Koehn ing special session of the Kansas Legislature will begin on a Thursday. “They’ll have it done by 5 p.m. Friday,” was his prediction for USD 257 board members at their meeting Monday night. Then his confidence wavered, ever so slightly. “They won’t want to work over the weekend, right?” he asked rhetorically. “You’re awfully optimisSee SCHOOLS | Page A2
Lone bid a setback It’s not exactly back to the drawing board, but some adjustments will need to be made to plans for a renovated entrance and improvements to the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Jan Knewtson, president of the Friends of the Bowlus, told USD 257 trustees that the group had received only one bid from area contractors for the work. And that bid, submitted See BOWLUS | Page A2
City expects tight ’17 budget
Iola City Council may nix Tobacco 21 By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola City Council members may snuff a a two-weekold ordinance that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to adults under 21. “It seems the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” Councilman Jon Wells said Monday, “and while we intend well with this, I don’t know if it wil have any ac-
tual effect.” The Tobacco 21 ordinance was approved earlier this year, and took effect June 1. Wells’ comments came after the Council was approached by Iolan and Allen County Commissioner Jim Talkington, who asked the ordinance be rescinded. “I’ve talked to business (owners),” Talkington said. “They don’t like it at all.” Talkington did not specify
how many business owners he has consulted. Talkington noted other communities — notably Gas — rejected the proposal, and continue to sell tobacco products to those 18 and older. “It’s my understanding this is an ordinance that will not be enforced,” Talkington said. “That’s correct,” respondSee TOBACCO | Page A3
Iola officials have some cutting to do, City Administrator Carl Slaugh said Monday. S l a u g h gave Iola City Council members a Carl Slaugh preliminary look at the community’s 2017 budget. Combining the city’s expected drop in revenues in property and sales taxes and utility sales with higher personnel expenses, the city has about $800,000 that needs to be whittled out of the general fund, Slaugh said. “That’s a sizable amount,” he said. “The budget outlook for 2017 is going to be very difficult.” Among Slaugh’s major points: — He has budgeted an expected 2 percent hike in payroll as a cost of living adjustment (COLA) along with a 2.5 percent increase to conform with a pay compensation program instituted in 2014. “That’s 4.5 percent,” although it looks like we probably won’t have a 2 percent COLA,” Slaugh said. “That will give us a little bit of leeway.” — Sales tax revenues were down in 2016, likely because sales were higher than expected in 2014, while the Enbridge pipeline construction project was in the area. — Utility funds, which have traditionally supplemented the general fund to prevent property tax increases, will be utilized once See BUDGET | Page A3
Truck driver killed, overpass closed following wreck HUMBOLDT — A Nevada, Mo., man was killed in a semitruck accident east of Humboldt Monday evening. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Jayson L. Wessley, 52, Nevada, was southbound on the highway when his truck, a 2007 International, went left of center. The truck narrowly missed striking a northbound vehicle as it careened into the east ditch, and struck and became wedged in the overpass along Georgia Road. The overpass is one mile east of Humboldt or five miles south of Iola. The northbound motorist, Craig K. Goodner, 36, Chanute, was able to avoid colliding head-on with Wessley, but See WRECK | Page A2
Crews work to clear wreckage from the scene of a fatality accident east of Humboldt on U.S. 169 Monday evening. An overpass over the highway remains closed today. REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
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