Henryetta council members approved a plan to help local residents get rid of junk at no charge.
The council authorized up to 25 roll-off dumpsters to be placed at the site once occupied by the dog food company on East Broadway. Local residents will be able to bring two loads of junk on either July all day July 14 or until noon July 15. Each load must be accompanied by a current city water bill.
The city will have an employee on hand with a front-end loader to make sure the dumpsters are filled to capacity and volunteers from the city, chamber of commerce and local civic clubs on hand to help residents unload.
The cost to the city will be $13,125 if all 25 dumpsters are required. “We may not need that many,” said mayor Michael Dickey. He pointed out city officials would like to stage three similar events over 12 months.
In the past the cleanup project had been held behind the farmers; market structure but, because this effort takes place during garden harvest season, the decision was made to move it across the railroad tracks.
City manager Ron Casey said that site is a better location for the junk collections. “We will be cleaning up a lot of the area to make it more accessible in the coming weeks.”
Along the subject of cleaning up the town, earlier in the Tuesday night meeting, Casey told the council 129 property owners in town have received notices that they need to clean up their land. “We are working on the codes to get a list of properties to be condemned for in-house demolition,” he said.
In his report to the council, Casey said local residents can now use their credit cards to pay their utility bills and court fines. “We are working on the system to make deposits and getting it ready for on-line payments to be accepted.”
“This brings us into the 21st Century,” said Dickey.
In other council business, the decision to bring back the park board was put off again.
Council members delayed restarting the board until a set of guidelines governing the board could be written. Those guidelines would determine how the board would operate and deal with any funding.
Councilor Steve Sanford said he had a conversation with the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group and was told there was no reason the town could not have one.
The way the ordinance dealing with the park board does not I’ve that authority any spending power. “I feel you could operate the way the Henryetta Economic Development Authority (HEDA) works. If you have a project, bring it to the board. If money is needed we would see if it is available.”
City attorney John Isabella said he felt having the board would bring, “another level of complexity. Another board could bind the city contractually and make it financially responsible.
Currently Jody Agee wears the park director’s hat in addition to his job as code enforcement officer.
“I think a citizen or group can come to Jody with an idea and he brings it to the council,” Insabella added.
“The position Jody has now was created after the board was eliminated. The town has let us know they would like to have this to bring more revenue to the town,” said councilor Vernon VanMeter.
Sanford said that board could consist of representatives from the school, council and other groups.
Plans to put a fence between the Caboose Park and railroad tracks were approved. Sanford said he met with railroad officials and was told Burlington Northern would pay $5,000 toward the project. A low bid of $9,500 for the 300-foot-long, eight-foot-tall fence was approved by the council.
The city manager said that fence would force people to walk down the sidewalk to the park. He said work has been stalled on completion of the new playground equipment pending arrival of correct parts. “I was told it would be completed four days after the parts arrived,” he told the council.
Councilor Jennifer Munholland was recognized by the Henryetta VFW for her efforts in keeping the organization operating.
VFW Post 539 commander Bill Goodner read off a citation making her an honorary VFW member at the start of the Tuesday night meeting.
He pointed out she was instrumental in helping the post move to the former county health department building after it became unfeasible to stay in the large, deteriorating metal building on Frisco Avenue.
“Without her help, our post would have ceased to operate,” he told the council.
He also pointed out Munholland had donated a number of hospital items to the post that were ultimately given to local residents.
The council received notice that Community Development Block Grant used to place a new water line from Corporation to Trudgeon has been paid off.
Eastern Oklahoma Development District (EODD) staff member Jaymes Hayes said all payments had been made and the project closed out. “This means you can apply for more grants,” he said.
The council approved appointing Dilin Munholland to the Henryetta Board of Adjustment.
Council members denied a tort claim filed by Cristi Threet last October. That denial was based on a recommendation from OMAG.
Also gaining approval from the council was a request by HEDA to grant a sales tax rebate for a new business.
County businessman Eldon Day had approached HEDA asking for the sales tax rebate to help him open a new restaurant in town.
The business will be located in the former El Charro building and , according to Day, will feature Mexican cuisine.
Under the agreement with HEDA, Day will receive a 2.5 percent rebate on sales taxes for no more than three years with a $100,000 maximum.That payment will be quarterly and, in the event Day sells the business or it ceases operation, the agreement will be terminated.
This is similar to a sales tax rebate approved when Shoney's opened some five years ago.