A $6 surcharge will be added to the utility bills for everyone in Henryetta starting in February.
That money is to be used to pay for a state audit after a petition had been circulated late last year.
The surcharge is expected to cause some financial problems for some citizens but some private individuals are stepping forward to help.
“There’s multiple citizens that would be willing to help,” mayor Jennifer Clason told city council members Tuesday night. She encouraged anyone who feels the $6 surcharge will cause a hardship to write a letter and bring it to city hall. “We are looking at probably three to four months of it being on there unless there is another audit,” she said.
Clason said Trey Davis at the state auditor’s office said there are several more petitions lined up to be filed after this one.
She said the donated money is not to be used for the entire water bill but only for the surcharge. Class called the audit “ridiculous.”
At the Tuesday night council meeting, Henryetta Firefighter First Class Toby Elam and fire chief David Bullard were recognized for their service to the community.
Class presented Bullard with a pin and certificate from the Oklahoma Municipal League. Elam was not present for the award.
Council members gave Aaron Graffman and Amber Baldwin another three year term as Housing Authority members. They also appointed Jana Dugan to fill a third vacant seat on that board.
The council waived the civic center rental fee when Thomas Hudson presents the Territorial Museum with his wagon.
That will take place Jan. 28 with a walk from the tennis courts to the museum.
“There are plans to have multiple veterans in town,” said Clason. “This is an all around good event. Thomas loves Henryetta.”
Bill Goodner said there could be as many as 600 people including a number of veterans present for the 1 p.m. event.
The city has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Muscogee Creek nation to pave Corporation Street from the Lake Road to the Creek reintegration Program headquarters.
Class said the Creek representatives were told that a 12-inch water liens runs down the middle of the street and could cause problems in the event of a water line break. Such a break occurred a couple of months ago closing the street for several hours. No date was announced for that paving project to start.