Homeowners on North Fifth and High streets in Henryetta have been finding tall wooden stakes in their front yards.
According to Jody Agee, city code enforcement officer, the stakes were placed there by crews working for Oklahoma Natural Gas as part of a gas line marking program.
Several homeowners were taken aback by the wooden objects bearing only the words “Road Row.” In one case, a homeowner attempted to find out from the crew members what was going on since workers were not wearing any identification badges or uniforms.
That worker only provided the homeowner with a quick view of their drivers license but no further information.
Agee said it is unusual for a utility firm to work in yards around town without contacting city hall first.
Attempts were made to contact Oklahoma Natural Gas company officials but no phone calls were returned.

Henryetta city council members took the first step toward naming a new city manager Tuesday evening.
At a special meeting at city hall, council members spent an hour in executive session going over applicants for the post that was vacated last month.
During the closed-door meeting, the council visited with Henryetta fire chief David Bullard but no other individuals were called in to the meeting.
Each councilor had an envelope filled with papers but no names were released.
The meeting ended with no announcements.

 

 

For the fourth time since January and the second consecutive month in the current fiscal year, Henryetta’s sales tax check was less than last year.
The September distribution of sales tax money amounted to $291,596.08 this year, a drop of $8,577 from last year. June’s check from the state was the only one in the current fiscal year that was above the previous year and only by $4,050. The city operates on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year basis.
A bright note did accompany the state report with Henryetta’s use tax check this month for $36,255, an increase of $6,978 from a year ago.
Sales tax revenue is based on July business.
The drop in sales tax revenue was not restricted to just Henryetta.
Similar declines were felt by Beggs, down $6,535, Checotah, down $4,133, Morris, down $6,029, Okmulgee, down $11,288 and Weleetka, down $827.
Okmulgee County’s sales tax collections continued to show an increase. This month the county received $496,557.02. That was a $6,106 gain from last year and the eighth consecutive month with increases from $2022.
Statewide, $200,587,224 in sales tax collections went back to cities and towns reflecting an increase of $1,205,740 from the $199,381,484 distributed to them in September last year.

Town	2023	2022	Gain/Loss
Henryetta	$291,596.08	$300,173.72	-$8,577.64
Dewar	$14,015.37	$13,109.25	$906.12
Beggs	$41,454.10	$47,989.65	-$6,535.55
Checotah	$447,656.99	$451,790.34	-$4,133.35
Eufaula	$293,246.73	$241,426.53	$51,820.20
Morris	$20,687.39	$26,716.59	-$6,029.20
Okmulgee	$666,462.33	$677,750.71	-$11,288.38
Okemah	$143,233.88	$129,559.88	$13,674.00
Weleetka	$19,123.89	$19,951.62	-$827.73

Henryetta school superintendent Dwayne Noble will be retiring at the end of the current school year.
Noble announced his plans through a retirement letter to the school board Monday night. He has been in Henryetta since 2014.
Other personnel action taken by the board at the September meeting included a retirement letter from Glenda Ashley and resignation of Christy Johnson.
At the end of a nearly 45-minute long executive session, the board hired Kevin Hargis as lay football coach.
Noble presented board members with a proposal to convert the school buses to natural gas. He said a number of schools are either already converted or I planning it make the change. More information will be presented on the plans in coming meetings.
The board adopted the estimate of needs for the school district. Noble said accountants say the school will be spending $10,838,500, a decline of about $1 million from last year. “This is an estimate, he said. It could be more or could be less.”
Also dealing with funding, Noble said the ESSR funds form the federal government is gone now. “We received the money three years ago and have used it over the three years for repairs, internet, and other things” He went on to point out that some schools went through the money that first year.
Board members adopted the formal guidelines for spectators at sporting events.
Noble said the policy is “not outrageous. The main thing is going in and out from sports venues.”
Part of the problem is enforcing the policy and discussion included having tables set up to funnel crowds to a single file line and having security personnel present. He said there have been issues with people taking tickets and being ignored or receiving verbal abuse.

That complete policy can be read HERE.