(Cushing, Okla.) Commissioners seemed to be on the same page when it came to the approval of most agenda items, however there were a couple of items that led to more discussion, some of which was in executive session.
After hearing a good audit report from CBEW representative Chuck Crooks, commissioners went on to approve the purchase of 9 Motorola handheld radios, 14 Motorola shoulder radios, 3 Motorola mobile radios and Motorola programming software for the Cushing Police Department as well as amending the 2011-2012 budget to accommodate the purchase of bulletproof vests. Both items will use grants secured by Cushing PD to make the purchases totaling $8,394.50 for the radios and $2,470.28 for the vests.
However, when a request for authorizing the City Manager to execute an amendment on the work order with Kleinfelder increasing it from $15,000 to $38,088, eyebrows began to rise, as did the questions.
Kleinfelder was contracted to do soil and material testing for the new public safety center. And according to City Manager Steve Spears, the estimate was much lower than reality.
Because of that, Commissioner Joe Manning suggested the item be tabled until after executive session. “I see there is an item relating to the public safety center in executive session,” Manning said. “I don’t know what it is about, but I suggest we table this until after that.”
Other items approved by commissioners included an additional payment of $238 for required matched funds for the 14 passenger bus recently purchased for the senior citizens center; an airport hangar license transfer from Cushing Flight Service L.L.C. to Keystone Gas Corp.; and the approval of three requests from Calyx Energy to drill and operate oil and gas wells within the limits of the Cushing water district. Calyx representatives were on hand to answer questions about the procedures used in drilling and to assure proper safety precautions are in place.
When it came to approving a request from Calyx to drill and operate a salt water disposal well within the limits of the Cushing water district, both Commissioner Carey Seigle and Commissioner Manning raised questions which were answered in much the same way – safety precautions such as multiple barriers, alarm systems and automatic shut-downs were all in place. In spite of the reassurance, Seigle cast a lone ‘no’ vote.
In other business, commissioners acknowledged a rate increase of 4.7 percent (or approximately 50 cents per month) by Allied Waste for trash service – effective Jan.1, 2012. “The increase is allowed in their contract,” Spears said.
In his City Manager’s report, Spears said it had been a busy month with weekly safety center meetings, Cushing Lake dam inspection and safety training. He also said there will be work sessions called to study options for improving the City lake and also regarding options for Fountain Bleu Apartments. “All tenants have moved out,” Spears said. “The property could be sold or possibly torn down and auction off the appliances – we need to have a study session.”
Under Cushing Municipal Authority business, tension returned during the discussion of the possible approval to authorize the City Manager to issue a purchase order to Haynes Equipment company for material and labor to replace the electronic operating board for the water treatment plant. The board had been damaged due to flooding in the plant. Suggestions were made as to what might be done to prevent it happening again – such as having the plant staffed at all times or by installing cameras. However, it was the seemingly ongoing issues with water lines and equipment that led commissioners to allow the resolution to fail – never receiving a second to the motion.
A bright spot of the evening was when Marian Gilkerson, Director of Cushing Regional Hospital Foundation, presented checks from the Foundation in the sum of $1,485.22 for the balance due on recently purchased physical therapy equipment for Cushing Regional Hospital and in the amount of $2,697 for the purchase of three portable fridge/freezer/warmer units for the City of Cushing ambulances.
Gilkerson also took a moment at the podium to thank the community for all their support for this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon.
“We raised $9200 to be used in the community for breast cancer awareness,” Gilkerson said. “Thank you.”
Cushing Board of Commissioners meet the third Monday of each month. Meetings are open to the public.
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