Council fixes error on ordinance

The Cherokee Development Authority and City of Cherokee councils met at 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 14, for their regular meeting.

The Cherokee Development Authority meeting was called to order with Chris Padilla, Luke Hague, Adrienne Wessels and Mayor Kolby Arnold present. Jeremy Hickman was absent.

The consent agenda was approved first with Hague making the motion and Wessels seconding it.

The consent agenda consisted of the minutes from the June 23 meeting and the claims lists.

Next, ordinance 2021-22 was approved. The ordinance corrects a scrivener’s error and presents and adopts the correct increases to the solid waste collection and disposal rates.

When the ordinance was written, not all the trash rates were changed correctly. This is just fixing an error for the solid waste increase.

The following are the new rates for solid waste collection and disposal rates:

• Residential one polycart: $19.78.

• Residential two polycarts: $27.69.

• Residential three polycarts: $36.91.

• Residential four polycarts: $46.15.

• Commercial one polycart: $22.42.

• 2 yard dumpster one time weekly: $50.10.

• 2 yard dumpster twice weekly: $64.60.

• 2 yard dumpster three times weekly: $105.48.

• 4 yard dumpster one time weekly: $64.60.

• 4 yard dumpster three times weekly: $129.30.

• Commercial two polycarts: $31.65.

• Two 2 yard dumpsters three times weekly: $209.64.

• Three 4 yard dumpsters three times weekly: $387.63.

• Two 2 yard dumpsters one time weekly: $98.89.

• Four 2 yard dumpster twice weekly: $243.60.

• One four yard dumpster three times weekly/one 2 yard three times weekly: $234.68.

• One residential polycart/one 2 yard one time weekly: $68.57.

• Two 4 yard dumpster twice weekly: $203.04.

• One 4 yard twice weekly: $101.52.

• One residential polycart/one 4 yard once weekly: $83.06.

• One 2 yard once weekly/one residential polycart: $77.80.

• One 2 yard once weekly/three residential polycarts: $85.70.

• One 4 yard once weekly/four residential polycarts: $109.43.

• One 2 yard twice weekly/one residential polycart: $83.06.

• Landman special 2 yard: $92.29.

• Two polycarts/ two yard dumpster twice weekly: $50.10.

• 2 yard once weekly: $64.60.

• 4 yard once weekly: $64.60.

• 2 yard twice weekly: $64.60.

• 4 yard three times weekly: $129.20.

• 4 yard once weekly/2 yard once weekly: $113.38.

• Three 2 yard three times weekly: $148.99.

The ordinance was approved as well as declaring it an emergency.

Next, a resolution authorizing an application for Rural Economic Action Plan grant from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

The grant the city is working for is for $150,000 to redo the water valves and help the city isolate a section when the city  needs to work on a water leak.

The financials were presented by RSMeacham CPA’s next.

City Manager Mike Jones gave his report:

• ORWA has been on-site since July 1 assisting with leak detection. Once a leak has been identified, crews begin work to repair that leak. Four large leaks have been identified through this method:

– 9th and Grand Avenue.

– 6th and Oklahoma Avenue.

– 11th and Oklahoma Avenue.

– Kimberly Drive and Kirsten Street.

Repairs have been made at all but one, the city is just waiting on repairs.

• Customers with water meters larger than 5/8″ will have their water meter size listed on their utility bill. This will help ensure customers are aware of their meter size. If anyone has a question about how the rate increases will effect their individual bill, they can call City Hall.

• The consumer Confidence Report is available for the public to view at: http://sdwis.deq.state.ok.us/DWW/CCReports/OK200008.pdf.

After hearing no new business and no remarks, the meeting adjourned at 6:24 p.m.

The City of Cherokee Council Meeting was immediately called to order with Padilla, Hague, Wessels and Arnold present. Hickman was absent.

The consent agenda was approved first containing the minutes from the June 23 meeting and the claims list.

Next, the June 2021 financials as presented by RSMEacham CPA’s was presented.

City Manager Jones gave his report:

• Hickman submitted his letter of resignation from the council due to him moving out of the ward.

A few people have showed interest in filling the spot.

• Jones will be attending the CMAO Summer Conference July 20-23.

• Interviews for the part-time library aid were held and two positions were filled.

• On July 6 a second seasonal worker was hired to help keep up with mowing responsibilities.

• Jones will be on annual leave coming up.

• Aerial mosquito spraying was scheduled on July 15.

• Jones attend the county commissioner meeting on Monday, July 12. He talked to them about changing water meters, help with mowing at the airport and helping clean-up two properties.

• The crews are staying busy with the mowing.

• There are several holes in the roads from fixing water main leaks. As soon as the holes dry out, they will be filled in.

• The Fourth of July Celebration was successful with no reported injuries or fires from fireworks.

• There is some discussion about changing some parts of the firework ordinance.

• The fines through citations have almost doubled from Fiscal Year 20 to Fiscal Year 21 and with a portion of the additional funds, four AEDs (three for police department and one for fire department) and three less lethal tasers have been purchased.

• Police Chief Ryan McNeil gave his report:

– In June there were 230 service calls at an average of eight per day.

-The police responded to investigate and/or document 42 criminal violations, collisions and other incidents, which resulted in 39 reports generated.

– Officers made five arrests and investigated one motor vehicle collision.

– The department made 26 traffic stops and 18 ordinance violations which resulted in 26 citations, 11 written warnings and nine verbal warnings.

– On June 15, all the officers attended and completed the mandatory training on the department’s TASER weapons. This is an annual requirement that all officers must complete in order to be qualified to carry a TASER.

– McNeil attended the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Shawnee. The conference provided 15 hours of continuing education geared towards law enforcement administrators and command staff. Areas covered included ethics, management, leadership and updates regarding changes to state statutes and also upcoming legislative action that impacts law enforcement.

– There are two trainings for the police department coming up.

– Officer Cross is working with Northwest Technology Center to get more trainings coming to Cherokee.

• City Clerk Amber Wilhite gave her permit report on what was issued in June 2021:

– One contractor license for $20.

– Two annual peddlers license for $75 each.

– Six building permits for $25 each.

– 10 animal permits for $4 each.

– Two UTV permits for $40 each.

The final item of business approved was an interlocal governmental agreement between the county and City of Cherokee.

This agreement allows the City of Cherokee to help Alfalfa County and Alfalfa County to help the City of Cherokee.

After hearning no new business, the meeting adjourned at 6:53 p.m.

The next city council meeting is set for 6 p.m., Aug. 11 at Cherokee City Hall.