April 8, 2023 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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', April 8, 2023 Elk City Sales Tax Proposition Passes by Landslide The funds generated from this tax will be used to update the police station and fire de- partment. Both facilities have been deemed out of date, and they do not meet the needs of the departments or the com- munity. Growth, technology, Phyllis Cooper with Danny Ringer Elk City election and age of the buildings have been cited as the reason for the additional space and updates. Serving Beckham “Overwhelming victory and 85.96% congratulations to all involved. ‘The half-cent sales tax will be County Election used to refurbish the police station and a new fire build- ing,” City Manager Tom Ivester Board for 50 Years said as the results came in. ‘The architects, REES, have By Sheryl Ponce already been hired for the proj- Phyllis Cooper started working the elections in 1973 and ects, and now they will be able continues to greet voters on polling day. She began to teach to make plans with Ivester and her children about being patriotic by watching the democratic a the department heads on what process firsthand. She said she wants her children to know that FOR THE PROPOSITION - YES AGAINST THE PROPOSITION - NO updates will take place. The they have a voice in government, and that is their way of speak- town is growing, and the needs ing up. Cooper's late husband, Leon Cooper, served as an elec- of the community are chang- tion judge which reinforced their commitment to the voters of ing. Beckham County. By Sheryl Ponce unofficially passed by 85.96 absentee ballots, eight votes ‘This vote seems to repre- “My children and grandchildren haven't worked at the elec- percent to a 14.04 percent were cast early, and 666 were sent confidence in the future tion board, but they are all registered. The kids get registered The continuation of the negative vote. There were 698 cast on the election day. Six of Elk City and the leadership's when they are 18 years old. That is part of their birthday pres- half cent sales tax that was votes cast in the seven pre- hundred total yes votes were vision of what will be on the ents. They don’t know how it will be wrapped, but they all know that it will be part of their 18th birthday,” Cooper explained. proposed Tues., April 4th, cincts. Of those votes 24 were cast to the 98 no votes. horizon in western Oklahoma. Cooper has two daughters and sons-in-law, six grandchil- dren and their spouses, and 11 great grandchildren. The greats are not voters yet, but all the others are registered voters. She started her election career at the Nazarene Church with Commissioners Approve avery different process from the way is done today. Cooper said that they used small pieces of paper with different colors. There were seven workers that counted the votes at the polling site. Participation in Settlement “We were counting, and we would stab them (the ballot) with a dull pin, and we would have yarn that strung them to- gether. There were three ladies that had the papers like this long (showing about two feet with her hands), no papers, and Agreements in Light Agenda See Cooper page 2. By Sheryl Ponce was for the waterline replacement project and part of a loan for- giveness that was approved in 2022. ‘The Elk City Commissioners met for their regular meeting Pay application #5 for Orr Construction for the 2022 Water Mon., April 3rd, at 7 p.m. in City Hall. Mayor Cory Spieker System Improvement project in the amount of $180,765.40, a opened the meeting with the invocation, and Rod Carver fol- budgeted item, was approved. This is the final payment of the lowed with the flag salute. The first five items on the agenda first waterline project. that were approved concerned the participation in settlement ‘The next item on the agenda was the approval of Pay Applica- agreements with Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Allergan, and Teva. tion #1 for Orr Construction for the Main Street Waterline and According to City Manager Tom Ivester, these agreements Storm Sewer Plan project in the amount of $231,211.38, which followed Oklahoma's decision to opt out of the opioid lawsuits was a budgeted item. Ivester said that the project from Broad- that began two years ago. Municipalities that wanted in on the way to 5th Street would be completed by the end of the week, settlement had to participate independently. These actions and they would begin the portion from Sth to 7th Street next. were a result of that participation. Each one of the agenda items Jim Mason Updates the ‘The commissioners voted on two dilapidated structures. The Rotarians on the History read the same with different participants. first one, located at 805 N. Randall, was tabled from April 20, Commission approved Participation in the Walgreen Settle- 2022, July 20, 2022, Sept.6, 2022, Nov. 7 2022, Feb. 6, 2023, ment Agreement dated Dec. 9th, 2022, the Retailer State- and March 6, 2023. City Inspector Danny McClure told the ment Agreement, as recommended by Todd Court and Tony G. asked of them, and they voted to disapprove the item. This re- of the Community Garden Subdivision Agreement as it pertains to the Walgreens Settle- commissioners that they have completed everything that was Puckett, McAfee Taft legal counsel for the City of Elk City and moved the structure from future agendas. other litigating Oklahoma subdivisions, including the approval ‘The structure located at 609 N. Jackson had been tabled By Sheryl Ponce of Resolution No. 2023-4, and authorize the Mayor of the City March 16, 2022, June 15, 2022, July 5, 2022, Sept. 6, 2022, of Elk City to execute the Subdivision Participation Form for Oct. 3, 2022, Nov. 7, 2022, Feb. 6, 2023, and March 6, 2023. The During the Elk City Rotarians’ regular meeting on Thurs- the City of Elk City’s participation in the Walgreen's Settlement commissioners tabled the item until June Sth because of issues day, March 30th, at noon. Rotarian Jim Mason gave a brief Agreement. Each of the other four approved items read the that the family has been facing. history of Elk City’s Community Garden. The story began in same with the exception of the company, the date, and the res- ‘The group approved the Purchase Orders FY 22-23 recurring 2015 while he served as the city’s Director of Economic Devel- olution number. The city expects to get around $500,000 from invoices for April 3, 2023 and then heard the City Manager's re- opment. He was asked about putting a greenhouse that had these combined settlements, which can only be used for specific port from Ivester. He said that they had a breakdown in equip- been abandoned at the community garden located south on Washington. expenditures that combat the opioid problems. ment at the rock yard, but the city employees fixed it before ‘The greenhouse was used by the Department of Correc- ‘The commissioners then approved a bid from Redibuilt for they could get the company to come out. He added that it was tions (DOC) work release center, which was later closed by the repairs to a 40’x67’ Quonset Barn and 67’x17’ lean-to located impressive because they did not know anything about how to state. The actual greenhouse was at the governor's mansion. on Elk City Water Plant property in the amount of $28,542.50. repair it, but they were able to figure it out. When the new administration took over the mansion, they ‘They decided to repair the facilities rather than replace them Ivester told the commissioners that the eSports room at the were told to get rid of it, therefore, it was put on the state due to the difference in pricing, Arrowhead Center was up and running. He encouraged them surplus list. Eventually it was claimed by the DOC. ‘They approved DWSRF from DW-271 Disbursement Request to go see how it is working, The first tournaments at the Five- “It was used for almost 13 years. They actually grew to- No. 8 in the amount of $92,311.76 for Loan P40-200050102 ORD22-0021-DW. City Treasurer Jennifer Rainey said that this See Commision page, See Garden page 2. Weather Vol. 120, No. 28 Mail delivery View online IAM 3 tomorrow ee 70 / 53 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com