In an effort to combat complaints of people aimlessly wandering around town, a new city ordinance was passed Tuesday night.
Henryetta council members made it illegal for anyone to loiter in public places or obstruct others from using a public place.
The ordinance wording can lead to an arrest if a person loiters, “in a place, at a time and in a manner not usual and appropriate for the place, or where circumstances warrant alarm or concern for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity.”
Under the new law, loitering is defined as standing idly around, lingering, delay or wander about a public place.
Nichols Park was the subject of several discussions Tuesday night at the monthly city council meeting.
Chief among the discussions was the Troy Aikman’s Highway to Henryetta festival set June 11.
Council members agreed to allow workers access to the part June 6 and 7 to start unloading equipment. The park will be open to the public during those two days but park visitors will have to contend with the workers setting up equipment on the north side.
June 9 and 10 will see the park closed to the general public as final preparations for the festival are put into motion. The following day, June 11, will see the park open only to festival ticket holders. The park will remain closed June 13 and 14 to allow workers to tear down their equipment and move it out.
Joshua Craig received permission to use the park for three disc golf tournaments. The first will be May 28 with another Oct. 1 and winding up with a two-day tournament Nov. 19 and 20. Even though the tournaments will be going on, Nichols Park will remain open to the public during those dates.
Sandy Warshaw was given permission to use the park Oct. 22 and 23 for a special Donkey Days event.
She explained the two day event is expected to bring in several thousand spectators and participants and would be the only event of its kind in Oklahoma.
Those events would start off with a short parade down Main Street at 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
Admission would be charged with adults paying $5 with children ages 6 through 12 paying $2. Youngsters five and under would get in free of charge.
“We will have several events for the children,” she said.
Council members agreed to allow the north side of the park to be closed to the general public but the south side would still be open.
An application process for wrecker companies wanting to be included in the city rotation schedule was tabled for more work.
The plan was sought to help improve wrecker service at accidents or police-ordered towing. According to police chief Steve Norman there are five wreckers in Henryetta and currently the police department has a rotation system that would have dispatchers call the company next on the list.
“We had 25 calls for wrecker service in March,” he said. “Eight times we have had wreckers pass because they were on other calls or didn’t want to go.”
Jennifer Munholland said some communities have one service that is used. “But people can call others.”
“We just want somebody to show up on time every time,” the police chief said.
“There is no written guideline,” council member Michael Dickey said. He said he would like to see a policy developed and an application process put in place.
The issue will be brought up at a later meeting.
Council members appointed Munholland to serve during negotiations with the firefighter’s union.
Jacci Lackey was reappointed to the Henryetta Library board for a five-year term. She is a current member of the board whose term would expire this year.
Approval was given for Grass Grabbers to mow the city lots and parks. The charge is $40 for each park just to mow and $65 to mow and pick up trash.
A resident who did not give her name asked the council for help with people allegedly terrorizing her neighborhood.
She said there were a number of people living in abandoned houses across the street from her home. “They have no water or electricity. It’s getting dangerous,” she said.
She said there were instances of people walking around late at night and asked for something to be done.. When asked if she had contacted police, she said that activity took place at times when she was sleeping.
She was told to get with police try to come up with a solution.