The Elk City Commissioners met for their regular monthly meeting on Monday, July 3rd, at 7 p.m, in City Hall with all commissioners present. Mayor Cory Spieker opened the meeting with the invocation, followed by Jeff Waters leading the flag salute. Prior to tackling the agenda, the commissioners held a public hearing for two rezoning proposals.
The first hearing was from petitioner Season Mayfield concerning the property located at 1700 Blk of W. 6th. The request is to rezone it from R-1, Single Family Residential District to C-2, Highway Commercial and Commercial Recreation District. Kelci Werner represented the planning and zoning commission. She said that the plan for the property is to expand a daycare and possibly add a skating rink at the site. The commission found the proposal agreeable and voted unanimously to approve it.
The second proposed change was by Princess Martin for the owner Brent Nelson Blalock for the corner of S. Washington and W. Main Street to rezone it from I-1, Light Industrial to C-2, Highway Commercial and Commercial Recreation District. Werner again spoke to this issue, saying the owners want to put a daycare on the property that has not been used in years. They unanimously agreed to the change.
Once the public hearing closed, the commissioners proceeded to approve the minutes of the June 21st commission meeting. They then approved Ordinance No, 1254: An Ordinance of the City of Elk City, annexing a 7.05 acre tract of property in the SW/4 of Section 13,TIIN, R21 WIM to the City of Elk City, classifying the zoning thereof, classifying the ward thereof. City Manager Tom Ivester said that this is the property that had been introduced at the last meeting.
The introduction of the rezoning of the properties that were heard in the public hearing were the next two items on the agenda. No action was taken because it was the introduction of the changes.
Items four and five on the agenda were also introductions to Ordinance 1257 and Ordinance 1258. Both involved vacating the alley and easement located on the block of the property owned by GAS and runs between their buildings. The company is requesting those be invalidated and repeal all the Ordinances that on in conflict with the property. Because these were introductions, no action was taken but will be voted on at the next meeting.
Commissioners approved Pay App # 5 to Orr Construction for the Main Street Waterline and Storm Sewer Plan project in the amount of $217,728.66, a budgeted item. They then revisited the issue of dilapidated buildings that had been tabled from previous meetings.
The first property located at 609 N. Jackson has been on the agenda since March 16, 2022, and tabled nine other times. City Inspector Jackie Addington told the commissioners that the structure was tabled 30 days ago, and no action had been taken. There have been family issues, and they have been unable to attend the meetings to address the problem. They have been keeping the property mowed. The commissioners voted four to one, Rocky Andresen abstained, to declare the structure dilapidated and order for it to be removed. The commissioners voted to disapprove the structure, located at 604 N. Boone, to be dilapidated because the owners already removed most of the building. Addington told them that the only part left would be completed when the ground dried.
The final property on the agenda, located at 101 Hughes Access Road, was tabled for an additional 30 days. Local contractor, Cole McCollum, told the commissioners that he has been in contact with the owners and is waiting on them to make a decision about demolition of the structure. He said that he would keep the commissioners and Addington about their communication.
They then approved the Purchase Orders FY 22-23 and recurring invoices for July 3rd, as well as the Purchase Orders FY 23-24 and recurring invoices for July 3rd.
In the City Manager’s report, Ivester began by talking about the Aquatic Center numbers. Beginning with June 29th there were 504 people at the pool, and then 407, 568, 471, and on July 3rd, 597. He said that they have been able to address the issues that have come up quickly because the builders were still on site with the deep-water pool.
Ivester reported that there would be an inspection by the Health Dept., as well as the Labor Dept. on Tues., July 11th. If the deep-water pool were to be approved, they would be taking down the construction fence and opening that pool to the public.
He also talked about the discrepancy with the rock invoices and the price being charged. He said that they have come to an agreement, therefore, the invoices would be paid in the future. Ivester also noted that the Cheyenne Tribe came to the museum and erected the tepee. He said that the city has provided the tribe with a specific tree for their sun dance ceremony that would be happening in Hammon last weekend. Museum Curator Charles Wren was invited to attend the ceremony.
The last item that Ivester talked to the commissioners about was the airport. He said that they are trying to get a grant to build a larger hanger, 100x150 ft., so the aviation mechanic that is working independently could repair Citation Jets. These are large private jets. He is also working with the Oklahoma Aviation Commission to obtain a grant to construct a new terminal.
City Treasurer Jennifer Rainey’s report will be given at the next meeting, but she said that they are working on learning the new software.
Mayor Spieker asked for public comments and two individuals stepped forward to talk about a property that was condemned at the last meeting. They were not able to attend the meeting and wanted to appeal the decision to take down the structure. One of the individuals said that he has been working on the property located at 1402 Simpson, and it would be ready to rent soon. The commissioners were not allowed to respond to any public comments because it was not on the agenda.
The meeting adjourned at 7:37 p.m., and the next meeting will take place on July 19 at 2 p.m., in City Hall.
