Moe Rimes of the Altus Disabled American Veterans (DAV) presented Chief J.R. Wheeler and crew a carved eagle statuette in appreciation for their support for the DAV Truck Show.
The consent agenda included the approval of the AMA minutes of July 20, and approving the purchase orders (P.O.'s) for fiscal year (FY) 2009-2010 for the Enterprise Fund for $25,302.44 and P.O.'s for FY 2010-2011 for the Enterprise Fund for $1,486,118.17 and the PSA Dewberry claim for $13,118.54 for the City hall. This is paid from Sales Tax Revenue Note, Series 2009.
All but two items were approved. Those items were explained by Finance Director Joe Don Dunham, and they were also approved.
The trustees approved purchasing transformers for the Electric Department, for a total of $31,132. It was estimated by buying better quality transformers, by spending $900, proportionately, the City was saving $4000.
The City has been cited by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to remove the remaining wood chips from the Adams Street location. The trustees authorized getting bids to haul wood chips to the landfill.
They also approved soliciting bids for the splicing of fiber optic cable for communications between the new City Complex and all outside City Departments. The City does not own the equipment to do this procedure.
The trustees approved the council to amend the Altus Code 1980 for rate increases to: Sewer rates: Increase additional charge from $1.00 to $1.125 per 1,000 gallons of water;
Water rates: For residents, first 3,000 gallons $10.00, each additional 1,000 gallons $3.00; For out of City, first 3,000 gallons $10.00, each additional 1,000 gallons $5.25;
Dumpster rates: Increase from $19.00 to $20.00, for commercial accounts
Landfill rates: Increase Resident contractors and businesses from $23.32 to $26.50 per ton; Delete Market Area Contractors; Change Outside market Area to Non Resident Contractors and raise from $40.33 to $45.00 per ton.
There was no new business. The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.
The City Council meeting was held following the AMA meeting, at 6:53 p.m.
The consent agenda included approving the minutes of the July 20 meeting, and approval of P.O.'s for 2009-2010 such as the General Fund for $15,571.27, Workers Comp Fund for $134.01, the Airport Fund totaling $599.40, and the Street & Alley Fund for $2,934.25. In the 2010-2011, P.O.'s including the General Fund for $71,339.89, Workers Comp Fund for $11,758.33, the Assurance Fund for $394.68, the ODOC Grant Fund for $73,200, the Airport Fund for $1,271.49, the Hotel/Motel Tax Fund for $12,996.45, the ODOT Fund for $83,969.10, the Street & Alley Fund for $4,789.25, and the Cemetery Perpetual Fund for $345.95. It also included approving the Mayor to sign a contract with True Steel LLC for the new hangar / terminal. The payroll for Aug. 6 estimated to be $385,720.65, with no mandated overtime, and an additional overtime of $8,913.71 for a total of $394,634.36.
The council received a report from Southwestern Youth Services. All but one item was approved by the council. Council member Perry Shelton asked for clarification on that item, then it was also approved.
Jerry Gibson Jr. informed the council about a change order on the telecommunication system for the City Complex. The price did not change for this order and the council approved it to upgrade the telecommunication network for the City Complex.
The council also approved the purchase of cable for the complex, at $7,150.
Is it wise to put a lot of money into a very old vehicle? Holmes Willis informed the council on the 1996 Volvo loader. The council thought maybe instead of buying a re-manufactured engine for a loader, it was best to table the issue. Willis can have time to check out the possibility of selling the loader at auction and buying a new one. The item was tabled to that end.
The council voted to regulate discharge of water from swimming pools. (See Pool draining.)
The Altus City Planning Commission (ACPC) asked Ordinance 2010-13 changing some zoning off Falcon Road, on 1320 N. Forrest. The council is rather skittish about allowing some types of businesses going into certain areas, as the vote demonstrated. This rezoning was split 5 to 3. City Attorney Catherine Coke explained that council would have needed 6 votes to disapprove the ACPC's recommendation, but only needed a simple majority to approve it. The zoning will be changed to match some of the other lots around it, from Urban Residential to Suburban Commercial.
Planning Director Barbara Burleson presented information to the council on possibly rescinding the demolition order on 608 N. Julian. The house had belonged to Bob Briggs' grandmother and he wishes to stop the demolition and sell the house to Brandon Reyes for $1.00. Reyes and his father, Roy Reyes, who appeared at the meeting with Briggs, have a rehab plan for the house. After much discussion, the council decided to rescind the order on the unique house. They asked for progress reports from the ACPC on this project.
The council approved Ordinance 2010-14, after Coke, Dunham, and Council member Jack Smiley explained the need to revamp and set dollar amounts for bids. In some cases these changes eliminate the council's need to micromanage funding. The council approved the ordinance.
The companion piece to the AMA item, the council approved Ordinances 2010-15, 2010-16, 2010-17, and 2010-18 to establish the following rate increases on sewer, water and landfill fees to the following:
Sewer rates: Increase additional charge from $1.00 to $1.125 per 1,000 gallons of water;
Water rates: For residents, first 3,000 gallons $10.00, each additional 1,000 gallons $3.00; For out of City, first 3,000 gallons $10.00, each additional 1,000 gallons $5.25;
Dumpster rates: Increase from $19.00 to $20.00, for commercial accounts
Landfill rates: Increase Resident contractors and businesses from $23.32 to $26.50 per ton; Delete Market Area Contractors; Change Outside market Area to Non Resident Contractors and raise from $40.33 to $45.00 per ton.
Regarding the new hangar to be built at the airport, Smiley explained that the roof design would contribute to leaking problems. He asked the contractor if they could restructure the roof and thereby create an extra storage space above the terminal. That change would add approximately 3,000 square feet to the hangar, at a cost of only $10 a square foot. This would necessitate a change order to put stairs and a handrail in the new hangar. The council approved this change.
There was no new buinsess.
Mayor T.L. Gramling appointed Scot Simco to the Altus Municipal Area Planning Commission and the following to the Board of Adjustment: Heath Sirmons, and David Webb, as new appointments, and Jim Norris, and Judy Dodson as re-appointments. He also added Barbara Burleson and Perry Shelton to the dog park committee. These appointments were all approved.
Mike Nettles, City Administrator said: council members should RSVP on the OML conference to Linda Walker. Joe Don Dunham has information on the State Purchasing Card System. This approved by the State and at the end of each year, some of the amounts are rebated. Dunham will provide the council more information. Nettles also said in the first year of operation, the Greens of Altus Golf Course has had nine to ten tournaments scheduled. It has generated $154,000. Improvements are in progress.
Council members remarks included:
Peggy Risinger - She received a letter regarding the upkeep on Imagination Station. It has one of the highest incidence rates of vandalism. The Parks Department received the same letter and Randy Marple said his crew had just been out there to help rectify the situation. Cameras have been installed to film vandals.
Scot Simco - On the rate increases, he said he'd like to see some of the revenue from the increases invested in a fund to replace older vehicles in the City's motor pool.
Jack Smiley - He asked what the City has spent on the golf course so far. Joe Don Dunham said a guestimate would be one-half million dollars, with $130,000 to $150,000 income. But there were start-up fees, such as the $225,000 purchase price.
Perry Shelton - He said that he really appreciates City Administrator Mike Nettles and the work he does. A certain California town was paying their administrator and City Council $100,000 a year for their services.
David Brown - He said that with the new members of the dog park committee, they will be able to accomplish the goals a lot sooner. He also commented on the Altus Times headline remarking on the jump for the City Complex from $5.5 million to $8.2 million. He was wondering where that figure of $5.5 million came from. Smiley said he knew right where it came from. (This is from the April 20, City Council meeting.) It's from the MAPS committee before the MAPS projects were approved. From the Altus Times article dated April 21, the reference said: "Council member Jack Smiley said he had researched the original MAPS projects. He said that the City Hall original estimate was $5.5 million. 'When it was $8.2 million, no one said a thing.'" Brown said the first figures he recalled for the City Complex were around $7 million and $8.2 million. Nettles said that the City Complex grew to incorporate more offices, hence the costs rose.
Rick Henry - He said that the next time the council will meet will be after school starts. He asked that everyone be careful driving, obeying traffic signals and signs.
Sid Willis - He said that some golf courses are offering Segways instead of golf carts. To which some one asked if they could imagine balancing a golf bag on a Segway, followed by laughter.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
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