Iola City Council talks loaders, short meetings

Iola is in the market for a loader.
City Council members Monday authorized staffers to seek bids to replace the city’s 1996 Caterpillar front-end loader.
At 20 years old, the unit is showing its age, City Administrator Sid Fleming noted.
Crews have logged more than 12,600 hours of work on the loader, and it is considered “one of the true workhorses” within the Street and Alley Department.
Other departments regularly use the loader as well, Fleming noted.
The anticipated price of $150,000 is above the $138,950 the city has set aside for a new loader, Fleming noted. He plans to dip into the Street and Alley Department’s other reserve funds — more than $225,000 is socked away for other equipment purchases — to cover the difference
The Council voted, 5-0, to go ahead with the replacement, with Aaron Franklin, Bob Shaughnessy and Sandy Zornes absent.
Monday’s meeting lasted 16 minutes, including the opening prayer and flag salute.
The brevity was not lost on Councilman Austin Sigg, who noted Monday’s was the latest in a series of meetings that have lasted less than an hour.
“Everybody likes shorting meetings,” he said. “I just want to make sure we’re covering our bases, and we’re being informed of everything going on.”