City council member Christy Jeffcoat took her seat on the Henryetta Economic Development Authority (HEDA) board Monday morning.
Jeffcoat will be serving as the city representative on the six-member board.
During the morning session, board members approved the final reimbursement to the city for water main replacement along us 75 and Trudgeon. That final payment amounted to $335,802.50.
“We are using the line now and seeing a savings on water usage,” said Public Works director Ron Casey.
HEDA’s share of the funds for the project come from a portion of the sales tax revenue received each month.
Casey told board members work at Nichols Park is underway in preparation for the Highway to Henryetta Festival in June.
He said a couple of storage buildings behind the caretaker’s house had been torn down and asphalt chips are being spread out to create a parking lot to the east side of the baseball fields.
The park is going to be the location for the Henryetta VFW Loyalty Days Family Freedom Festival April 30.
“There’s going to be games and activities for the kids as well as a fishing tournament, music and other events,” he said.
Casey said there are plans for repair the bath house next to the lake. He said talks with the metal workers union have included the city paying for materials and union members doing the labor.
HEDA members approved changing the billboard phone number on the west side of town that advertises the 35 acres available for development.
Currently the phone number is for city hall but will be changed to 918-652-3331 in order for callers to reach the Chamber of Commerce office.
Board Member Andy Bealko asked Casey if there are plans to sell unused city-owned property with the funds to be used to tear down derelict house around town.
“The city has land and all over town that could be sold to a developer,” he said. “The city can declare that surplus and take bids for the property. “We have 30 homes that need to be torn down.”
Some of that property is located next to Jim Hall Lake as well as the former elementary school sites.
“That would put the property back on the tax rolls,” said board chair Keith Estes.