A request for help by the Henryetta golf course is going to be examined closely.
The non-profit golf course asked for help funding some improvements at the course south of town that included fencing, watering and green upgrades.
Because the course is not in the city limits, council members were hesitant to spend up to $10,000 from the hotel and motel tax fund.
If the funding is approved, it would fall under the tourism provision of the original tax statute. “There’s lots of people coming in from out of state and lots of tournaments,” said Mayor Jennifer Mulholland. “The course is packed every single day.”
She said the request is for up to $10,000 but golf course officials would provide invoices showing how the money was spent.
Other organizations have received funding through the motel tax including the disc golf course and Henryetta little league. It was pointed out those two entities operate at Nichols Park which is inside the city limits.
“We can’t annex them (golf course) because of the law now,” she said.
Council members asked city attorney John Insabella to research the request to see if the funds could be released. The council tabled the request until an answer could be given.
The golf course did get approval to have two truck loads of asphalt tailings donated by the city. Those tailings would be used to help with cart paths at the course.
“We can’t sell them because they were given to us,” Mulholland said. We must donate them or use for our own city work.” Those piles of crumbled asphalt pavement have been stored at Nichols park for several years. City crews use them to fill in holes in alleyways. The golf course would provide equipment to pick up and transport those tailings.
Eight years of bank payments came to an end for the city of Henryetta Tuesday night. Council members gave unanimous approval for the final $6,410 payment on a fire truck purchased in 2012.
Recent water leaks have been plaguing the city. According to public works director Ron Casey, those leaks accounted for some 35 percent of the water produced in the past month to be lost. That also caused an increase in the amount of chemicals the city had to buy to treat the water. All those leaks have been repaired.
City crews are about to finish the storm drain project on East Main.
Mulholland said the original estimate for the project was $350,000. “It will come in under $100,000,” she said. All of the work has been accomplished using city crews and equipment.