By Lucky Kidd
IOLA, Kan. — The Iola City Council Monday adopted resolutions ordering show cause hearings to order repair or removal of dangerous and unsafe structures on four properties.
Code Enforcement Officer Gregg Hutton told the Council he has had contact with the owners of one of the properties involved, at 419 South Washington, who has indicated they are planning to demolish the house there and sell the lot to an adjoining property owner who is renovating a home there. Hearings were set for Feb. 24, 2025 on the properties at 14 North Fourth, 108 North Walnut, and 309 N. First.
A fifth property involved, at 429 South Kentucky, changed hands last month and its new owner, Fred Vanwye, addressed the council and said he is planning to renovate the property, some work already done, and asked it not be included in the list of properties to be demolished.
He also said it was his opinion that the fact it was on the list of potential demolitions that should have been indicated on the deed. Hutton said there are 30 properties that can be considered for demolition. The Council engaged in a lengthy discussion on this property, and the council voted to table action on that property for 180 days.
The Council adopted a resolution to annex a 125-acre industrial park site at Allen County Airport into the city. Allen County Commissioners has requested the annexation, this being part of the agreement to extend water and sewer service from Iola to the site.
Even though it was the county that requested this “island” annexation, state laws regarding such annexations still had to be followed, and with that the County Commission made findings at their meeting Tuesday to allow it to move forward.
The final step will be adoption by the City Council of the formal ordinance putting the annexation in effect. Also, by state law, the land comes into the city zoned as single family residential, and the process to change it to industrial and of platting the property will come next.
During the meeting, Mayor Steve French presented a proclamation designating Thursday as Religious Freedom Day in Iola. In presenting the proclamation to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Mayor French talked about the impact religious organizations, regardless of faith or denomination, have on communities, in such things as helping people with food or shelter needs, or assisting in getting people to medical treatment.
Help provided by the faith community can take many forms, an example of this being shared by the Mayor from the California Wildfires. A religious group there has been going through the charred remains of houses destroyed by fire to see if they can find any personal effects or items that can be given back to residents of those homes so they have at least something from their past.
An identical proclamation was adopted by the Garnett City Commission Tuesday.
