ALTUS - City leaders took a step aside on a plan to ease traffic flow along the city's two main thoroughfares Tuesday night by voting to rescind the vote taken Oct. 2 to spend $13,500 at various intersections while the state Department of Transportation implements its own plans.

The Altus Municipal Trust Authority took the action during its regular meeting in light of information indicating that ODOT would be incorporating signal improvements in the north and south lanes of Main Street, leaving the city responsible only for the signals on the side streets.

With ODOT's participation, it could not be determined exactly how much would be required to spend on the project.

Mayor T.L. Gramling is to appoint a Traffic Signal Committee to review a study of the project by Public Works Director Robert Stephenson and make recommendations for improvements.

In other action:

- The AMTA voted to locate a new 138kV electric transmission line on the north side of West Tamarack from the Tamarack substation east to North Main. The entire line, currently under design, is to run from the Tamarack substation east to Veterans Bypass, then south to South Veterans Drive and ultimately to the PSO Altus Junction substation on West Ridgecrest Road.

The portion from the Tamarack substation east to North Main had come into question, in particular, from officials at Southwest Technology Center who were concerned that its wireless computer signals would suffer interference from the new line if it were located on the north side of Tamarack. Through discussions with representatives of SWTC and WOSC, it was determined that there would be no such electrical interference. Also, for aesthetic reasons, SWTC officials suggested that the line be placed on the south side of the road where a double circuit distribution line already exists.

However, although construction of the line on the south side of the road would be “do-able,” according to Stephenson, the overall cost for the project would cost the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority an additional $300,000 or so because the line would have to cross Tamarack to the south and part of the network at North Main would have to be rebuilt.

- The AMTA awarded a $592,986 construction contract to JC Plumbing of Altus for installation of a new water line on the east side of North Park Lane in preparation of a planned project to widen the roadway.

- The AMTA authorized a cost sharing project with McDonald's of Altus to replace water and sewer utilities in an existing alley near construction of the new restaurant on East Broadway. The action would authorize expenditure of $10,150, representing 70 percent of the replacement cost.

- The Altus City Council approved an agreement for mutual aid in fire protection and hazardous materials incident response between the city of Altus and Altus Air Force Base fore departments to reflect the change of command in the 97th AMW.

- The council upheld an appeal by property owners Rudy and Betty Reyes concerning a Dilapidated Building Commission order to demolish the property at 708 N. Blain. Lois Leach, of 621 W. Walker, appeared as the representative for the Reyeses and is to return at the next regular meeting of the council with a plan of rehabilitation for the building, including a dollar amount.

- The council approved an ordinance changing the zoning classification of 12 lots in the Beesley Addition - the former Thomas Street Church of Christ Multi-Purpose Activity Center - from “AR” Auto-Urban Residential to “SC” Suburban Commercial. The property is projected to be the location of Altus Gymnastic Academy Inc.

- The council approved an ordinance changing the zoning classification of the former Falcon Terrace Mobile Home Park at 1200 N. Park Lane from “AMH” Auto-Urban Manufactured Mobile Home Park to “AC” Auto-Urban Commercial.

- The council approved an ordinance amending the Unified Development Code to require a subdivider to contribute $350 per dwelling unit as a park and open space fee with the funds to be used for the purchase of land for future parks and pedestrian easements and to maintain and develop existing and future community and neighborhood parks by the purchase of equipment.

- The council approved a modification to the groundwater lease agreement between the city and Keith Spears and Sherry K. Spears, of Wilbarger County, Texas, related to the Round Timber Water Wells, increasing from 2 cents to 75 cents for each 1,000 gallons of water transported off the leased premises and establishing procedures for renegotiating the rate every five years.