Sports: Shodeo ropes in entertainment See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
ALL IS FAIR
CITY COUNCIL
Sales tax issue will go to voters By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Brody Nemecek, top left, leads his steer through the ring at the steer show Monday night at the Allen County Fair. Nemecek won overall grand champion. Ty Scharff, top right, presents his chicken during the poultry show in the Baby Barn. Allyson Hobbs, bottom left, shows her rabbit Mini Rex at the rabbit show. Jenna Wilks, bottom right, speaks with photography judge Gary Fail. REGISTER STAFF
CITY COUNCIL
Iola officials pursue ways to cut budget By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola City Council members will continue to look at ways to pare the city’s 2015 budget before next year’s spending plan is approved. The Council has until its Aug. 11 budget hearing to decide whether to approve a 6-mill increase, as proposed by City Administrator Carl Slaugh to cover projected shortfalls in operating a countywide ambulance service. If approved, the city’s levy
would go from 38 mills to about 44, bringing in an additional $178,000. Also on the table is a proposal to nearly double transfers from the city’s electric reserves — from $1.3 million this year to $2.7 million in 2015 — while the council will look closer at water, sewer and wastewater rates to ensure those funds remain solvent enough to pay for ongoing maintenance and improvement projects. The mill levy hike could be removed, Slaugh noted See CITY | Page A6
Iola voters will decide in November whether to approve a half-cent sales tax to support construction of a new elementary and high school for USD 257. City Council members 7-0 voted Monday evening to put the sales tax issue on the ballot. If approved, half of the new sales tax hike — a quarter-cent — would go to support the new schools. The other quarter-cent would be kept by the city for infrastructure needs. The sales tax issue is one of two referendums voters will decide in the Nov. 4 general election. USD 257 Board of Education members will soon pass a resolution — perhaps as early as tonight — asking voters to approve general obligation bonds to fund the school construction. Both votes must pass in order for the project to proceed. If approved, Iola’s sales
tax levy would increase to 8.9 percent, while USD 257’s ad valorem tax levy would rise to about 61.5 mills, or a little more than 9 mills above the existing levy. “That’s pretty affordable for a $50 million project,” USD 257 Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn said. Koehn and Tony Leavitt, school board president, visited with Iola council members to further clarify the district’s needs. They spoke again about safety issues, educational and operational efficiencies and an inadequate educational environment. The school district is pursuing a $48 million project that would build a new K-6 elementary school and a high school for grades 9-12, and another $1 million for improvements to Iola Middle School. Koehn said a site for the new complex could be announced as early as tonight See TAX | Page A6
Iolan seeks healthier lifestyle By KAREN INGRAM The Iola Register
Starla Cox, Iola, was ready for a change. “I’ve been overweight my whole life,” she said. “I don’t want to be this way the rest of my life.” In February, she began exercising and watching what she ate, determined not to get stuck in the trap of yo-yo dieting like many others she knew. “This is the first time in my life I got serious about weight loss, and I’m sticking with it,” she said. A friend who had participated in last year’s The MoveMEnt suggested they try it together this year. The program has encouraged about 200 people in Allen County each year
since 2009 to participate. Damaris Kunkler, program director at Thrive Allen County, worked to rebrand the program from its original format as The Meltdown, creating a Facebook page with events that people can access on their phones to encourage more participation. Area teachers encouraged people to try new exercise programs, such as yoga and Zumba. About 250 people participated. The goal was to collectively lose one ton of weight. Allen County residents lost about 1,900 pounds this year. “It ended up being bigger than I thought it would be,” Kunkler said. Cox won by losing the most weight in eight weeks —16 pounds.
Starla Cox “I was very surprised,” See MOVEMENT | Page A3
Allen County Fair talent show dazzles By KAREN INGRAM The Iola Register
Haley Carlin serenades audience members with an unplugged version of “For What It’s Worth” at the Allen County Fair talent show on Monday. REGISTER/KAREN INGRAM
Quote of the day Vol. 116, No. 192
Nine area children, two of which were dance partners, participated in a contest which included mostly singing and instrumental music at the Allen County Fair Talent Show Monday. Isaiah Fawson won first place and $150 for wowing the judges by playing “Concerto in A Minor, Third Movement” on his violin while riding a waveboard onstage. Keira Fawson claimed
“I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.” — Noel Coward, playwright 75 Cents
second place and $75, also for violin, playing “Etude Doubles.” Third place and $25 went to Felicitas Aguirre and Chloe Bedell for their intense dance routine to the Christina Perri song “Human.” Fourth place and $25 went to Ilenia Aguirre, who charmed judges and audience members by singing a Japanese song, “Caramel Dansen.” For more photos of all performers, visit www.iolaregister.com
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