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Recreation director outlines facility repairs and budget options as utilities staff warn of aging infrastructure
Summary
At the Iola City Council meeting, the recreation director summarized modest revenue changes and significant capital needs (pool roof, gym roof, LED field lighting), while utilities staff described decades‑old water and sewer mains and ongoing plans for lining and equipment reserves.
The Iola City Council heard a departmental budget review that flagged deferred maintenance and possible modest fee increases to address capital needs.
The recreation director reported overall revenue is close to last year, changing by roughly $7,000, and urged caution on broad fee hikes to avoid losing program participants. He said raising the pool fee from $2 to $3 is under consideration and that rental fees for the gym and community building have likely not been updated in years. "If I told her raise fees… I've done a study in the past we can raise the pool fees even to $3," the recreation director said.
The director outlined capital needs including a gym roof quote cited from prior work and an estimated $200,000 for LED lighting across six ball fields; other items mentioned included replacement equipment (mowers, vehicles) and pool house repairs. Council members asked for clearer cost‑benefit and revenue projections for potential fee increases and tournament‑driven revenue scenarios.
Utilities staff described the breadth and age of the city's underground systems — dozens of miles of water and sewer mains, multiple lift stations and manholes — and said the city budgets roughly $100,000 every other year for sewer lining to maintain service. "We got 90 probably over 90 miles of main," a utilities presenter said, noting the difficulty three‑person crews have maintaining extensive infrastructure. Staff warned that some parts of the system are obsolete or in poor condition and may require state or outside funding for major projects.
The council asked staff to prepare prioritized, itemized lists showing costs, potential funding sources and projected revenue impacts so members can weigh fee changes versus drawing from reserves or pursuing grants.
