With hat in hand, Iola representatives plan to ask Allen County commissioners to increase their share of funding to the joint fire and EMS budget, it was decided at the City Council meeting Monday night.
The savings to taxpayers from the city/county venture is estimated to be anywhere from $300,000 to $600,000.
But the city pays an almost two-to-one ratio for the service, budgeting more than $1.4 million compared to the county’s contribution of $750,000.
As is, the city is about $400,000 shy of funds to adequately fund the service.
City council members tossed around ideas to raise the money, including raising utility rates or the city sales tax.
Utility rates would have to increase about $25 a month per household to make up the shortfall, according to City Administrator Carl Slaugh.
An additional half-cent city sales tax would also do the job.
But what sticks in the craw of council members is that Iola residents should bear the burden.
“Iolans are getting the short end of the stick,” said Don Becker, council member. “Seems a service for the county should be paid by the county.”
Iola’s pledge of $300,000 for 10 years toward the management of Allen County Regional Hospital plus the city’s contribution to install sewer and water lines to the new hospital as well as a transformer, should go a long ways in showing county commissioners Iola’s willingness to support county projects.
To date, the city has contributed just shy of $860,000 toward the hospital in sales tax receipts and more than $200,000 for extending utilities.
“I don’t see how they can object,” Becker said.
Slaugh said he would arrange a meeting between him, Mayor Joel Wicoff, EMS Director Ryan Sell and county commissioners.
SHARON BOAN expressed her concerns about parking on the south side of square. Boan said she drives a small car, “and no matter where I park, when I come back to my car some big pickup is parked right beside me, making it very difficult for me to back up. I’ve had almost four accidents in one month,” she said.
Perhaps just alerting motorists of large vehicles of the dangers they pose by limiting the vision to the drivers of smaller cars will help, Boan said.
