GAS — KwiKom efforts to place an antenna on the Gas water tower to provide wireless Internet to the town’s residents was frustrated again Tuesday evening.
For the third, and presumably last time, KwiKom representatives have met with Gas council members only to be rebuffed.
In comments before the meeting, Mayor Darrell Catron said he had no stomach for putting relay switching equipment and an antenna on the tower.
When the meeting began, Catron said an annual payment of $1,200 KwiKom had offered as rent was too low. Instead, Catron said $1,000 a month would be more to his liking. Vogel cringed, saying that was too much and more than the company pays anywhere else.
Deb Sager, appointed to fill a vacancy created by the resignation a few months ago by Rick Schulenberg, observed: “What I’m hearing is you don’t want KwiKom in town, or on the water tower.” The statement generated no argument.
When Ross Albertini, city attorney, said council members did not need to take action to indicate they were finished with negotiations, Catron moved to another item in an equally brusque manner.
A second request by Thrive Allen County for Gas to forbid sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to anyone under age 21, was given short shrift. State law limits purchases to anyone 18 or older.
“I’m not going to get in bed with Thrive,” said Councilman Mark Henry, in a clearly uncivil tone followed by expletives.
His motion to close consideration of the idea passed 5-0.
Catron said Iola’s raising the age limit to 21 had had a positive effect on sales at the town’s only outlet, a convenience store. “Kids under 21 are coming out from Iola to buy cigarettes, as well as gasoline,” he crowed.
In the only new item of business, Albertini recommended an executive session under the a attorney-client privilege.
Gas council members noted last month a contract signed with Iola in 2001 limited the number of increases Iola could make on water sold to Gas to six, all of which have been exercised. Monday night Iola’s council voted to raise water rates by 3 percent.
Meanwhile, Gas City Clerk Rhonda Hill contacted Iola Administrator Carl Slaugh, about the rate increase. He responded that the rate increase limitation was an obvious oversight, one that might lead to litigation between the two cities. Consequently, Albertini advised private discussions. No action was taken afterward.
COUNCIL members said they were disappointed by what appears to be a lack of interest in using the community center. That came on the heels of review of three bids for installing two five-ton air-conditioning units for the gymnasium. Dale’s Sheet Metal, Iola, had the lowest at $14,738.
Members decided to put off installing air conditioning until they can determine demand for the gym warrants the expense.
