Iola City Council members will consider a request Monday to help fund a new economic development project for Iola and Allen County.
Thrive Allen County is requesting a one-time, $15,000 increase to the city’s economic development contract for 2026.
The allocation would help fund a full-time position dedicated to establishing a maker space/small business development hub, help prepare for the Lehigh Portland State Park opening and expand business retention and expansion efforts, including establishing an apprenticeship program locally.
Iola is one of four partners who pay Thrive for economic development services, along with Allen County, Iola Industries and the City of Humboldt.
Iola uses a 1.5-mill levy from its industrial fund to pay the city’s share, $50,000. The levy brings in a smidgen more than that each year, and should raise about $60,000 in 2026.
In his notes to the Council, Iola City Administrator Matt Rehder said the Council could tack on $5,000 to that, for $65,000; or if the city were to go for $15,000 on top of the full tax levy, its allocation for 2026 would increase to $75,000.
Economic development director Camille Lavon said Thrive already has agreed to put $30,000 toward the new position, while Iola Industries has agreed to increase its funding for 2026 by $15,000 as well. She anticipated visiting with Humboldt and Allen County leaders next week to request similar amounts from those entities.
COUNCIL members have several other tasks at hand at Monday’s meeting, including purchase of an electric distribution digger truck, year-end budget transfers, and an extension request for neighborhood revitalization benefits for Katrina Springer, who is renovating an apartment at 19 S. Jefferson Ave.
Monday’s meeting is the last regularly scheduled Council meeting of 2025, and as such, will be the last full meeting for members Josiah D’Albini, Joel Wicoff and Ben Middleton, none of whom sought re-election this year. They’ll be around to help swear in their replacements — Mark Peters, Jeremiah Ivy and Doug Kerr — at the Council’s next meeting, set for Jan. 12.
Monday’s 6 p.m. meeting will be at the New Community Building at Riverside Park.
The public is invited to attend.
