Three more Iolans announced their candidacy for Iola’s new city council when it is seated in April.
Filing were Jim West, in Iola’s fourth voting ward, and Nancy Ford and Steffen Centlivre, who both live in the first voting ward.
Their filings bring the total number of city council candidates to six. Previously filing were Jim Kilby, Melinda Luttrell and Ken Rowe.
All three who filed on Monday spoke of their eagerness to serve the city as its new governing body is formed. Two council members representing each of Iola’s four newly redrawn voting wards will be elected April 5. Also to be elected are a mayor and city treasurer, both of whom will be voted in at large.
West worked for the city for 28 years, the last 17 as superintendent of the city’s gas, water and wastewater department. He retired about seven years ago.
“I figured after working for the city for 28 years, it was time to give something back,” West said.
West cited the herculean task facing the new council when it is seated, not the least of which is setting the functions for the new mayor, whose role changes substantially with the new government, as well as what duties should remain with the city administrator’s position.
“We really need to get a lot of good people who can work together,” West said.
West also carries a keen interest in the city’s utilities. Iola’s utility reserves have been an integral part of the city’s budget planning for decades and have allowed city planners to keep its mill levy static.
“We have to keep those utility reserves in place or risk cutting services,” West said.
This is West’s inaugural foray into elective politics.
FORD, DIRECTOR of public relations at Allen County Community College, ran for city commission once previously, losing to Bill Shirley. She has gained insight into city governance by serving on a charter ordinance committee, an advisory group appointed by commissioners to help propose a new governing body. The five-member commission ordinance rejected by Iola voters in November was endorsed by the committee.
“Serving on the committee opened my eyes,” she said. “There are a lot of opinions out there.”
Ford spoke of the city’s need for a progressive vision, to continue to reach out to new businesses, in order to make the city appealing to bring more families into the community.
“I don’t think we need a lot of radical changes,” Ford said. “But there is a need for more voices. The ‘same old, same old’ isn’t going to get us anywhere.”
Ford also serves on Iola’s Community Involvement Task Force, which has been integral in attracting federal dollars for such things as improving Iola’s wastewater lagoon facility.
CENTLIVRE ALSO served on Iola’s charter ordinance committee and thinks he has ideas to attract new businesses and industry.
“I’m not a politician by trade, and I wouldn’t be serving in order to get what I want,” Centlivre said. Instead, “my goal would be to do what the people who elected me want.”
Centlivre said he was confident the new city council would attract enough qualified candidates to ensure a group able to work together to best serve the city.
Formerly from southern California, Centlivre is a retired firefighter. He now drives a bus for USD 257.
He moved to the Iola area about six years ago, “but I have family members who have been here for the past 100,” he said.
IOLANS have until noon Jan. 25 to file for any of the city’s elective positions.
