The Henryetta skate park is going to see some changes in the coming months.
Tuesday night council members approved spending $3,600 for signage, lighting and some other work.
Skate park organizer Marcus Whitworth told the council the park has been in operation for ten years and wanted to get the signpost and roof on it finished.
A sign recognizing the skaters who designed the park and started the work ten years ago will be placed on the entry post. "They were local boys at the time and now are men," Whitworth said. He said other signs would be placed on the entry post that would project a positive image to the youngsters there.
Whitworth said skateboarders using the park now have already contributed $250 toward the work. "That's something to be recognized since these are kids digging the money out of their pockets," he added.
Funds from the hotel-motel tax would be used to pay for the work.
At the council meeting Tuesday, city manager Ted Graham said he has received, "many calls and comments about the claim filed by Fountain View Manor," after the September meeting.
That claim dealt with work on a clogged sewer line under the facility requiring several months of work to repair.
The facility is built across an alley the city vacated in 1968. Under the term of the agreement vacating the alley, the city maintains the right of access, "over, through, along and beneath the alley… for sewer line purposes with full right of ingress and egress incident to the repair, maintenance, removal and replacement."
He pointed out a flier passed around town, "contains false statements and misrepresentations."
That flier and even an email by Howard Sheward wants the building removed from the site.
In a prepared statement to the council, Graham said, "I will not comment specifically about that claim as it is still an ongoing issue, but I will generally state that any time there is a request by any person or entity for the City to pay for damages or claims, that request is reviewed by myself and the City Attorney and when appropriate, it is sent to our insurance provider, Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG), for investigation and determination of possible liability.   The City Council is informed of the claim and makes a determination whether to pay all or a part of each claim based on the advice of counsel and OMAG."
The presentation by nursing home attorney Ron Barnes, asked the city to pay $40,000 of a $103,000 repair bill from work done on the sewer line.
Council members did not comment on the claim.

Click here for video of the Tuesday night council meeting.

Click here for video from September showing the sewer line discussion.