Following the approval of the minutes from the previous Municipal Trust Authority meeting, Oct. 6, the council approved purchase orders for the Enterprise Fund for the fiscal years (FY) 2008-2009 totaling $2,322.60 and FY 2009-2010 totaling $1,349,143.37.
Joe Don Dunham presented a financial report for the month of September. City sales tax received are ahead of last year’s receipts, probably because of the 3/4% added since last year. Actually we’re running a little behind, according to Dunham. Utilities revenues are 4 1/2 % ahead of schedule, but will probably level out by the end of the year. Personnel services are 9% ahead. For capital outlay, the General Fund expenditures have run $58,000 and the Enterprise Fund, $372,000 out of a $22 million outlay budget including the MAPS project. His report was approved.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) was authorized by the council for a water drainage project along North Park Lane. This approval will give the authority to design and get the permit for drainage along North Park Lane between Falcon and Tamarack.
The council approved entering into a lease purchase agreement with the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA) for the new Veteran’s electrical substation. This lease, according to City Administrator, Mike Nettles is at the rate of .08%, which is set by OMPA. “This is a decent rate,” Nettles said, and that the city will get credit for owning the substation. The city will pay it off and get money back by 2021.
Per the Oct. 6 regular council meeting, regarding the Yates’ farm to M.R. Williams and Sons, Inc., the council approved giving the option to Williams to cancel the lease and the sum of $6,250.50 will be paid to the lessee or the lease was extended for 6 months at the half-year rental fee.
Next, the council voted to table an item regarding selecting a financial firm to lease purchase equipment and construct T-Hangars at the airport. Though discussion on the topic was not technically open at the time, council member Jack Smiley asked a question many may have been wondering. “Did we know we’d need hangars when we sold the hangar?” These T-hangars, according Nettles, are different than the one big hangar sold by the city and authorized by previous council members. This item is on the agenda for the next council meeting.
Former bids for the Electric department on electrical pulling accessories (dollies and extension arms) were reconsidered as Wesco has withdrawn its bid. The new vendor is Irby, for $7,680.00. This was approved.
There was no new business and the Municipal Trust Authority session of the meeting was adjourned at 6:54 p.m.
In the comments from the audience portion at the regular City Council meeting, Avey Rico commented about the community meeting that was held at the Towers. He thanked the council members who were able to attend and those who expressed interest even when they could not come to the meeting. Rico stated that the walk signal timing has been increased from 10 to 30 seconds. The old wagon that was blocking the wheelchair ramp on the square has now been moved. He so appreciates the efforts it has taken to achieve these things. People still need to give pedestrians the right-of-way, especially when turning right on a red light. Though he uses a blind walking cane, he has narrowly missed being hit by vehicles in Altus three times. The people never even stopped to see if he was unharmed. Rico said he came to the council to ask for audible signals, particularly at the corner of Broadway and Main intersection. In his daily walks, Rico has noticed people parking on the sidewalks, in the area of Liveoak and Spurgeon. Signs reading “Handicap crossing” would be nice in the area around the Towers. The council would have to call the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for that. Rico was very pleased with the help received from the city. At that point council member Smiley mentioned he has received calls about the sprinklers on the square. Sometimes if set too high, they prevent people from walking on the sidewalks without getting wet.Rico mentioned that there is a bush between McDonalds and KFC that sticks out over the sidewalk. Various parties will look into the parking on the sidewalks and the bush on Broadway.
Matt Coppock, Public Information Officer, presented information on the new emergency preparedness Blackboard Connect program. When city officials receive notice of an emergency, they can trigger Blackboard to automatically dial the numbers that are listed in area telephone books. The notifications can be sent to cell phones, unlisted numbers, business numbers, pagers, and devices for the hearing impaired. The city can also send out text messages to PDAs and email accounts. People who wish to add more numbers to their contact list may access the site at: www.cityofaltus.org and click on the Blackboard icon. Call 211 and they will input the changes for you. On Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. Mayor T.L. Gramling will inaugurate the Blackboard Connect system.
After the minutes of the last regular City Council meeting of Oct. 6 were approved, the following agenda items were all approved by the council: purchase orders for the General Fund for the fiscal years (FY) 2008-2009 totaling $671.65, and the Workers Comp Fund totaling $1,016.49.
The following items were all approved: purchase orders in FY 2009-2010 for the General Fund totaling $63,220.78, Worker’s Comp Fund for $3,949.32, Assurance Fund for $148,328.30, the Donation Fund totalling $85.00, the Airport Fund for $5,481.44, Street & Alley Fund $3,715.47, Emergency 911 Fund $332.34, Timberlake Construction Co, Inc totaling $392,300.00 (for 8.33% of work completed on construction of Altus City Hall and Safety Facility,) for the Oct. 30, 2009 payroll $366,030.00 and overtime for $0.00 and contractual overtime for $7,717.50 totaling $373,747.50.Monthly reports and minutes were acknowledged from: American Red Cross and EDC Minutes.
The next item to be approvedl was Resolution 2009-48, which amended the FY Annual Budget by $11,700 for a Hazard Mitigation Grant to reimburse individuals for 75% of the purchase price of a NOAA Weather radio.
The city needsto advertise for architectural and engineering services on Phase V of the Navajoe Gateway Project. This project, part the the Enhancement Act, has a budget of about $1 million. Eighty percent of these funds come from state coffers and the remaining 20% will be city funds. The council approved advertising for those services for the project.
The council was asked to approve the purchase of 140 tons of asphalt at $55/ton to be delivered from Hokett Asphalt Products of Blair. The total price is $7,700.00. This asphalt is to be used as a temporary fix for North Park Lane. The council wishes the public to know that this will only be a temporary patch. They are aware of the concerns of citizens since the Park Lane project has taken 11 years so far. Currently, part of the patch is necessary due to water getting under the road on the shoulders. This temporary winterizing project will start in a couple of weeks.
The next 5 items concerned resolutions to make slight changes to some city ordinances. Four of these resolutions, 2009-18 through 2009-21, regarded city employees. Because of Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund (OMRF) requirements, they each also needed separate approvals for their emergency status. These changes involved in the four resolutions were previously approved by the council, but needed resolutions to actually change city ordinances. They concerned employees making their own decisions with retirement funds, some word changes to comply with IRS regulations, to change section and subsection numbers around as needed in regard to the Employee Retirement System Plan. Each of these resolutions were approved and then each was aproved as an emergency measure as required.The fifth item was actually changed in 1993 and the original of the change was lost. It was an authorizing signature on a 50-year Special Use Permit. This was approved.
There was no new business and the Mayor did not have any appointments.
City Adminstrator, Nettles reminded the council of a District Dinner Oct. 29 for which he’d sent them memoes. The next council meeting, he said he should have some information on the city getting permanent access to the Quartz Mountain Aerospace facility. Also there will be more information and paperwork on the purchase of the land surrouding Altus Air Force Base.
In the City Council members comments and reports section: Council member Smiley said he’s been receiveing calls regarding the (private Altus) prison. He said that people think it’s further down the road and it isn’t.
Council member Sid Willis commented about the progress on cleaning up of the trailer park on Park Lane.
Council member Rick Henry said that he’d received a letter addressed to the whole city council. He said he had been misquoted in the letter. City Council meeting minutes accurately reflect what he stated. The letter caused a lot of heartache and grief that didn’t need to happen.
Council member David Brown commented on the progress of the City Hall complex.
Council member Perry Shelton said, “God bless America and Altus, Oklahoma.”
During Mayor Gramling’s statements and reports, he encouraged city council members to attend return their Altus code books which will now be updated to incude the new ordinances. He also reminded them of the reception for city employees. The employees years of service pinning will be held on Friday, Oct. 23, at 3 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:29 p.m.
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