A November fundraiser to help local residents pay their utility bills was a success, Iolan Tracy Keagle said, but with such a high demand, those funds are being drained rapidly.
Keagle, on behalf of Humanity House, approached Iola City Council members Monday with her group’s next fundraising idea.
Humanity House plans to host a two-day craft fair March 25 and 26.
Keagle said rental fees from booth vendors will go to Humanity House. She hopes to have as many as 100 booths set up.
Council members allowed use of the Recreation Community Building and waived its normal rental fee.
In addition, Keagle asked the city to consider incentives for schoolchildren who earn good grades.
She suggested the city offer free pool passes to each student who earned an A during the school year.
Keagle admitted she had few particulars — she hadn’t yet approached USD 257 officials about the idea — but thought the promotion would be an effective enticement for children.
The real costs to the city would be mitigated, she continued, “because the pool is open regardless of whether you have one kid or 100 kids.”
THE IOLA Police Department brought in $9,129 in forfeiture funds in 2016, plus a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe valued at about $5,000, Police Chief Jared Warner reported.
The police department was notified by the state last year after an audit noted Iola had no such annual report for seized or forfeited property.
Warner explained those line items instead were included in the city’s regular budget process.
Regardless, the state requires a separate report, he continued.
The forfeitures came from drug-related arrests through the year.
On top of the income, the department spent $5,536 on new fencing for the city’s impound lot, and sent another $2,119.80 to the Allen County attorney’s office.
