During the combination Municipal Trust Authority and regular City Council meetings on Tuesday, City Administrator Michael Nettles gave a short report on circumstances following the repossession of the Quartz Mountain Aerospace (QMA) aircraft. The aircraft, which was used as collateral in a loan from the City, was taken from the QMA hangar on Sept. 10. The City was given permission to repossess the plane by the FAA. Prospective tenants are now wanting to view the expansive hangar. Nettles has been in communication with David Palmeroy, an attorney for QMA. Nettles stated that the City should now be able to take prospective tenants to tour the hangar if City officials are accompanied with a law enforcement escort.

In other business, following the approval of the minutes from the previous Municipal Trust Authority meeting Tuesday, the council approved purchase orders for the Enterprise Fund for the fiscal years (FY) 2008-2009 totaling $16,055.40 and FY 2009-2010 totaling $1,599,973.22.

City Finance Director, Joe Don Dunham presented his financial report which seemed to indicate a slight return to consumer confidence in the growing economy. Dunham stated he would provide more information on the increase in Altus sales tax revenues in a future meeting.

Two approved items concerned the addition of the new substation on Veterans Drive. Changes in the delivery of electricity to Altus were incorporated into Schedule A. These revisions will be applied to the existing contract between the Municipal Trust Authority and the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA). The council also approved the purchase and financing of the new Veterans substation. This, Michael Nettles, City Administrator said, has many benefits. By the City owning the substation, as it does the other substations in town, the City can avoid about a 5% rate increase. This, in turn, means they can keep electrical rates down. Also, Nettles explained, in about five years, the City will receive a payback for owning the substation.

Several items were approved for bids for the Electric department: wire and cable from three separate vendors, totaling $55.971.84, various transformers for $13,708.00, a roll off containter in the amount of $12,883.00, and a cable puller totaling $50,300.00.

The Municipal Trust Authority session of the meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

After the minutes of the last regular City Council meeting were approved, the following agenda items were all approved by the coucil: purchase orders for the General Fund for the fiscal years (FY) 2008-2009 totaling $4,007.08, the Airport Fund totaling $800.00 and the Landfill Improvement Fund totaling $106,824.12.

The following items were all approved: purchase orders in FY 2009-2010 for the General Fund totaling $44,796.83, Worker’s Comp Fund for $58,783.94, Airport Fund for $56,974.75, Street & Alley Fund $3,320.61, Emergency 911 Fund $311.20, Cemetery Perpetual Fund $346.15, Timberlake Construction Co, Inc totaling $234,324.49 (for 3.14% of work completed on construction of Altus City Hall and Safety Facility,) Boynton-Williams (100% schematic design and 60% construction for Altus Independent School District) in the amount of $81,600.00, for the September 18, 2009 payroll $359,745.75 and overtime for $7532.39 and contractual overtime for $11,245.50 totaling $378,523.64.

Several monthly reports and minutes were acknowledged from: Cable One, Fleet maintenance Fuel Report, Southern Prairie Library System, and Southwestern Youth Services, Inc.

The next item considered was the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between various agencies providing support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. This item is especailly pertinent since October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. City Attorney, Catherine Coke, briefly explained that activities in support of this MOU are already being accomplished in Altus, possibly under different terms. The council approved this MOU between the Altus PD, District Attorney’s office, Jackson Co Sheriff’s dept., JCMH, and ACMI House, Inc and Southwest Community Action Group Inc.

The City of Altus wants to be mindful of both ecological and economical concerns. To this end, the council approved amendments to the City Code of Ordinances to change from 1958 standards in dealing with surplus or obsolete equipment. The old code specified needing council approval for anything with a value above $500.00. The new text specifies council approval for items over $1000.00 in value. The old code said that advertizing must be in the newspaper. The new wording widens advertizing to the open market. Sealed bids will still be used. Another change to the code establishes exceptions to donate property to other municipalities or not-for-profit agencies for State Mutual Aid.

During Mayor Gramling’s statements and reports, he said that the issue of the dog park has been abandoned for now, pending the raising of funds for the project. When the sponsors of the park come back to the council with the money and the contractor, then the issue will be continued as a council matter.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.