Mayor Jennifer Clason read Koelzer's six-sentence resignation letter at the start of the August meeting. He said requirements from his new employer will prevent him from devoting time needed for the Ward 3 position.Council members will be actively seeking a replacement to fill out the remainder of his term.
During the course of the evening, the council appointed Jeremy Roberts and Ken Patel to the Henryetta Parks, recreation and Tourism board. Also approved was an initial plan for a two-night Nightmare at Nichols halloween event. A similar activity has been held there in 2012 and 2013.
council members held a nearly 90-minute executive session resulting in the approval of the employment contract for city manager Ted Graham.
During that same executive session, council members were brought up to speed on the latest developments in the lawsuit with Mehlburger Brawley and Wynn Construction. That lawsuit deals with work at the water plant and Canadian River intake structure.
No date has been set for the matter to go to trial.
Graham told the council the city received $215,724.47 in sales tax revenue for the month. That was $11,262.48 more than the sales tax revenue last August and nearly $2,000 above the July, 2015 return.
He said some of the signage is in place at the ATV trial system at Nichols Park. "Some of the guys have been working at cutting in the trails." He projected holding a "soft opening" prior to the Labor Day weekend then allowing the public to use it on Labor Day.
"It is a daylight function only," he said. "There will be no nighttime rides."
He said school officials have been meeting with the city in preparation for construction of the new buildings. That work is expected to start in October.
The city will be provided, "a large sum" of asphalt millings from construction work on US 75 and the turnpike.
That material will be used to help repair some washed out streets and may even be used to expand the parking lot at the Nichols Park baseball fields.
Graham reminded the council about the upcoming public forum with EPA and DEQ Aug. 26. It will be held for two hours in the civic center starting at 6:30 p.m.
"We are going to give a general rundown how the Shurden-Leist project was put together. I hope to give people an insight on how it was done and why it was done."
That meeting is open to the general public.
Click here to watch the full meeting video.