January 11, 2025 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Weekend Edition Elk City Votes Jan 14 on Two Proposals By Sheryl Ponce ers voting in a special election. Elk City Public Works Au- ferred to the Elk City Public grant ONG Gas, and its suc- grants liability protections to The resolution was approved thority. The repurposed funds Works Authority; this Sinking cessors, a 25-year non-exclu- Elk City; and satisfies legal re- ‘The Elk City residents will by the commissioners at the — will be used for street, water Fund shall be renamed the sive franchise and the right quirements, Elk City has had be voting on two different Nov. 4th meeting. and sewer improvements? Infrastructure Endowment _ to enter public ways to install, a long-term partnership for propositions on Tues, Jan. City Manager Tom Ivester ‘The change as it reads in the Fund; and these funds shall re- operate and maintain a dis- over 70 years with ONG. 14th. Proposal No. 1 will explained the change, “Cur- charter would be, “100 percent main intact with 80% of all in- tribution system. A franchise ‘The commissioners resolu- amend the City Charter by rently the mineral income is ofall fundsso received shall be terest therefrom available for agreement defines roles and _ tion provided, “The franchise, Amending Article VII, Sec- apportioned 75 percent to the deposited by the City Treasur- use for street, water and sewer responsibilities for the use of providing that the city may tion 25. Apportionment of sinking fund and 25 percentto _ er in the Sinking Fund which improvements while the prin- _ public ways. enact an ordinance chang- Mineral Income; Providing for the general fund. This would _ shall be in the City of Elk City cipal continues to grow.” ONG would like a yes vote ing persons transporting gas Severability; requiring approv- change that to 100 percent Public Works Authority and The other proposal is the because the fee provides rev- through grantees, distribution al of the Charter amendment to the sinking fund and then all current balances in the franchise agreement with enue to fund city projects, bya majority of registered vot- move the sinking fund to the Sinking Fund shall be trans- ONG. This ordinance will with no revenue to ONG; See VOTE page 3 Commissioners ECPS Announces hear from Racing Community Teachers of the Year By Sheryl Ponce By Sheryl Ponce ‘The Elk City Commissioners met Each building in the Elk City Pub- for their regular meeting Monday, lic School district announced their Jan. 6th, at 7 p.m., in City Hall. All Teachers of the Year. Each TOY will commissioners were present as May- be submitted to a district commit- or Cory Spieker opened the meeting tee to select the ECPS Teacher of the with the invocation, and Rocky An- Year. The person that represents the dresen led the flag salute. They went district will then send in an extensive ‘on to approve the minutes from the application and/or nomination to the Dec. 18th meeting, then continued to state for the Oklahoma Teacher of the first item on the agenda. the Year, The state’s TOY is usually ‘The commissioners approved Res- announced at the State Fair of Okla~ olution 2025-1: A Resolution calling homa. a non-partisan general election to be Madisson Miller has been named held on Tues., April Ist, 2025. There Early Childhood TOY and Alma was no discussion, but they each voted Sherman has been named the Ele- affirmative on the resolution. They also mentary TOY. Elk City Intermedi- approved several monetary items that EER ate School's TOY is Julie Copeland, were budgeted progress payments. and the Middle School's TOY is Mr. ‘The first one was payment to Loch- Xenos and their Support Staff of the ner for an FAA grant Taxiway Con- year is Brenda Brown. The High struction invoice in the amount of School TOY is Michele Sparks. $7709.36. The next payment was Pay The district's TOY will be an- App #2 to C-P Integrated Services, Mrs, Alma nounced at a later date. It is time to Inc., for Taxiway Construction in the Herman thank these professionals for their amount of $67,636.40. They also ap- hard work and dedication to the children of Elk City. proved payment to Lochner for Ter- Stop by and congratulate them on their years of pro- minal Construction invoice in the fessional devotion to teaching. amount of $5329.72. See RACING page 10 City Manager President Carter’s Gives Rotarians Promise Remembered Project Updates By Sheryl Ponce By Sheryl Ponce President Jimmy Earl Carter, Jr., served as the 39th President of the Middle School Staff of the Year Brenda Brown with her princi~ The Elk City Rotarians met for United States from 1977 to 1981. He pal, Richard Moran. their regular meeting last Thursday at was awarded the 2002 Nobel Prize noon in the Elk City Golf and Coun- for his contributions as he worked try Club. President Rob Stephens toward peaceful solutions to inter- opened the meeting with the tradi- national conflicts to advance de- tional openings. The guest speaker mocracy and human rights, and to for the day was Elk City’s City Man- promote economic and social devel- ager Tom Ivester. opment. He was born Oct. 1, 1924, He began by explaining that there and he recently passed away Dec. are $32.5 million of capital infra- 29th, 2024. structure projects. These are the larg- Upon Carter’s passing, his prom- est infrastructure infusions in about ise and trips to Elk City were re- 40 years, which is larger than the membered by local residents and Richard Moran with the Middle School Teacher of the Year, Mr. CAPS project moneywise. ‘The three state news stations. When he came Kenos. projects include the renovation of Elk to town on his campaign trail, he City Police Department and the new promised to return to Elk City if he $15 million four-bay Elk City Fire became President. He kept his prom- Department. Those projects will take ise and returned. Carter held a town 18 months to complete. The other meeting in the high school gym. Be- project is the airport hangar, length- cause there was limited seating, the ening the runway, and the new ter- town held a lottery for those who minal. were able to get seats in the gym. “Elk City doesn't have any jet air- Carter flew into Burns Flat and craft based out of Elk City, and I re- traveled to Elk City in a motor- SUCUPRATES page See CARTER page 3 High school principal, Jamie McClure with TOY Michele Sparks. | | | |, Weather 4 & Vol. 121, No. 2 Mail delivery View online al l Gas7o"' 13151 tomorrow ae: 75 cents, 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com