Iola merchants weigh in on bond issue

Gordon and Brek Ulrich work side by side all day, every day, at Ulrich Furniture in downtown Iola.
In their idle time, they’ll debate pretty much every topic under the sun.
In regards to the upcoming vote for new USD 257 schools, they agree to disagree.
Gordon, the father, is opposed to building new elementary and high schools, especially if they’re built north of Oregon Road. Brek is in favor.
“I understand very much where he’s coming from,” Brek said. “And he understands my point of view.”
For Gordon, the plan the district has set forth and the cost involved are too unsettling — and too expensive — to support.
“They should’ve done something with the grade schools first,” Gordon said. “Adding the high school makes it too expensive.”
He also is unhappy with the location of the proposed site. (The school district has an option to purchase 95 acres of property on Oregon Road).
“And on top of (raising property taxes), they’re talking about raising the sales tax, and not all of that will go to the school,” Gordon said. Half of the 1/2 of a percent tax will go to schools and the other half to keep Iola’s infrastructure in good repair.
Brek sees his father’s points, but wonders if Iola will ever get new schools.
“Opponents say it’s not a good time to build schools right now,” Brek said. “When is?
“There’s not going to be a perfect plan. But these grade schools are in bad shape. My wife is an asthmatic and there are days she can’t work at Jefferson because of the air quality.”

THE ULRICHS illustrate opinions on both sides of the upcoming school bond vote.
An entirely unscientific, informal canvass of downtown merchants reveals a healthy amount of both support and skepticism.
Of 28 merchants or business owners around the square, 14 said they were somewhat or strongly opposed to the construction plan, 11 said they were in favor, and three were undecided.
The sales tax proposal — which would mean an increase of 50 cents on a  $100 purchase — was mentioned frequently among those objecting, as was the project’s cost.
One merchant called such an increase as unfairly harming low- and middle-class shoppers, which make up a large segment of the local population.
“I understand the need,” added another business owner, who wished to remain anonymous. “But this seems like it was rushed. It wasn’t a well thought-out plan.”
School officials have said they picked up from the results of an earlier task force of citizens, teachers and administrators who decided in 2008 new schools were necesssary.
Thurman Flynn, owner of Flynn Appliance, cited several concerns: “The price is too high,” he said. “I might have been in favor of it was just a grade school.”
Flynn also praised the existing schools, and the students it sends out into the workforce .
“I’d put Iola schools up against any in the state, as far as producing professional employees, per capita,” he said. “Look at the doctors, lawyers and other professionals. Our schools can’t be that bad.”
He also noted traffic issues sure to arise if two schools, holding more than 1,000 combined students, are built near Oregon Road and North State Street, both of which are two-lane roads.
“Have you been to Garnett, near its new school, at the end of the school day?” he asked. “They have traffic backed up to the highway.”
Another merchant agreed, asking aloud whether Oregon or North State would need to be widened to accommodate the extra traffic.
“That’s an expense that hasn’t been brought up,” the merchant said.

THERE ARE several vocal supporters of school construction in the downtown area.
Kristina DeLaTorre, who works at Duane’s Flowers, with her parents, Duane and Judy McGraw, said she favored seeing one elementary school in Iola.
“It’s time,” she said. “Something needs to be done. The pros outweigh the cons.”
DeLaTorre, who has children attending two separate elementary schools, cites the disparity in materials among the three centers. Lincoln Elementary, for example, lacks the technology available in Jefferson and McKinley schools.
“I just think all elementary school students in Iola should have the same opportunities,” she said. “My parents would agree with me. My mom talked about how the high school was old when she went there.”
Jan Knewtson, owner of Sophisticated Rose, said she supported new facilities being built.
“The children need a new school,” she said. “I hate to see the sales tax go up, but we adjust to these things.”
“To me, it’s a no-brainer,” added Kimberly Folk, owner of Salon Nyne. She cited projections for the cost of renovating versus new construction. “We need to get money from the state before it’s gone.”
The state has pledged 51 percent financing for the project.
Another business owner, wishing to remain anonymous, agreed. “Something needs to be done. It should’ve been done years ago. We’ll just have to bite the bullet with the tax thing.”
But Ken Rowe, owner of American Family Insurance next door, said renovation should be the preferred method.
“If we can’t learn in old school buildings, somebody should tell the folks at Harvard and Yale they’re doing it wrong,” Rowe said. “Sure, new schools would be nice. Driving a $50,000 car would be nice, too, but I can’t afford it.”
Architects for the district say building new schools will cost $48 million while renovating current schools has a price tag of $53 million. Opponents are skeptical of the projection.
One merchant said pulling schools from the middle of town would harm the square.
“It’s hard enough to get shoppers to shop the square,” the merchant said. “Without schools, there just won’t be as many people downtown. Traffic will be less, foot traffic will be less.
“Let’s work on getting a grocery store first,” the merchant added.

CARLA CAPPER of Capper’s Jewelry, said she opposed a single, all-encompassing, elementary school.
“I prefer small, community schools,” she said. “My kids went there, and I’ve always loved them.”
Small schools provide more 1-on-1 interaction with students and teachers, Capper said.
“I also don’t think kindergartners should be in the same vicinity as high school seniors,” she said.
While the elementary and high schools would be a part of separate complexes, getting to and from the schools could create instances in which the young and old students intermingled.
Angie Wray, owner of Decorator Supply, said the district will pay too much for the land ($521,000) if voters approve of the schools plan.
“That is outrageous,” she said.
Wray also disliked putting the schools on both sides of the Prairie Spirit Trail, noting the land could be reclaimed by rail companies if the need were to arise.
“Can you guarantee me we’ll never need rail service?” she asked. “They really need to find a different location.”
Another merchant, who declined to be identified, said the city’s economic situation hasn’t improved enough from the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009.
“I want the community to grow,” the merchant said, “and I want the community better itself. But right now, Iola is shrinking. Our valuation is going down. We lost several properties in the flood of 2007. It’s a question of what we can afford.”
Another merchant noted that while the district is projecting a 9-mill increase in property taxes, voters also must remember tax levies are going up elsewhere, such as for the city and county.
“It hurts,” the merchant said.
Joanne Butler of Jones Jewelry agreed. “I don’t think Iola can afford it,” she said. “It seems like a large percentage of our population is on Social Security, and there aren’t enough good paying jobs here. People are making the same amounts they were five or six years ago.”
Another business owner said he favored keeping neighborhood schools in place.
“I’m a big fan of them,” he said. “I went there. The right thing to do is keep the schools we have in place.”
Ron Moore, owner of Iola Office Supplies, noted he does not have a vote because he lives near Humboldt.
“If I did, I’d probably vote for it,” Moore said. “I voted for the school bond in Humboldt. I don’t have any problems with schools being built outside of town. I had to drive 10 miles to school every day, anyway.”

REGINA COCHRAN, owner of Renee’s Bakery, said building a new school out of town would hurt her business.
She notes her busiest time of the day is between 7 and 8 a.m., frequently by parents taking their children to school.
“I’m not so sure they’ll come south for somebody like me,” Cochran said. “It’ll be harder for them.”
Cochran also disputed the need for added technology. She said schools should remain focused on fundamentals, such as reading or math.
“You’d be surprised at the number of people I get in here who just hand me money because they can’t count it out,” she said, as she pulls out a pencil. “Sometimes, I think this is the only technology we should have in our schools. It’s what you teach, not the building, that makes the difference with these kids.”

BREK ULRICH understands the generational issue that may play a hand in his disagreement with his father.
“He doesn’t have kids in school any more,” Brek said. “I do.”
Gordon agrees with his son’s sentiment that pulling schools from downtown will not affect his business.
“We don’t have many kids walk by and decide to buy furniture,” Gordon joked.
As an aside, Gordon noted the apartment complex he owns was built by his father, Leland, about the same time Jefferson and Lincoln elementary schools were built.
“They have a lot of the lumber from the old Jefferson School,” Gordon said. “They just don’t make them like that any more.”