Sulphur citizens will no longer be allowed to address city council members during regularly scheduled meetings under “Public Participation.” The agenda item that has appeared every month for many years was removed for Monday night’s regular meeting and could likely not be reinstated, city officials announced.
Prior to posting the agenda, City Attorney Les Wesberry emailed council members with reasons why he thought it should be removed.
According to state laws and opinions, it is not mandatory to have a public participation period during the meeting, however it is acceptable.
During Monday night’s meeting, Ward 1 Councilman Alan McKay questioned the decision to remove the item from the agenda during new business. McKay questioned why the citizens are being silenced and not allowed to speak and why the agenda item could be removed without council vote. McKay cited the Oklahoma Municipal League Manual as stating that all items removed from agenda should be by vote of the governing body. McKay said to Wesberry, “all you’re doing is silencing the people.”
Wesberry recommended placing the public participation item on next month’s agenda for discussion and possibly creating a policy. Any elected council member can request items to be placed on the regular meeting agenda, according to the city charter.
McKay said he felt like city taxpayers should be able to address council members with concerns even though in public participation, no votes can be taken.
City Manager Andy Freeman did not comment on the matter.
In other action, council members approved appointing people to several boards and commissions. The boards and commissions are established by city ordinances and follow state statue procedures but have been dormant for the past several years.
Members approved Thursday, October 31 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. as the official Trick-or-Treat night for the City of Sulphur.
According to the city charter, all members of the boards must live in the city limits of Sulphur with the exception of one board that allows for an architect, engineer or other building professional.
The boards are required to hold regular meetings and must follow the open meeting laws by posting agenda 48 hours prior to meeting and keeping minutes of each meeting.
Members appointed to the City Planning and Zoning Board are Mike Crews, Ray Cole, Chet Tucker, Stepahnie Calistro and Dana Bernardi.
The Board of Adjustment appointees include Robert Thomas, Tracy Laxton, Chris Melson and Tody Todd. The fifth member will be from the Sulphur Development Board.
The Sulphur Development Board could not be seated because council members approved amendments to the ordinance that will have to be published prior to becoming valid.
The appointments to the board were tabled and will be seated at the next council meeting.
The final appointments were to the Historic Preservation Commission. Members approved include Cindy Bates, Dale Crawford, Neil Mayo, Darrell Carter and Justin Combs.
Board members again dis- cussed the building lease agreement with the Artists of the Arbuckles. After discussion and changes to the contract presented, members approved the contract.
An item to discuss the lease agreement with the Arbuckle Historical Society was tabled until next council meeting.
Two resolutions were approved by council members. The first resolution allows for permanent and school zone speed zone modifications as requested by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. The second resolution authorizes the city treasurer to invest money on behalf of the City of Sulphur and Sulphur Municipal Authority.
In the treasurer’s report, City Treasurer Ginger Cornell told members the recent sales report show city sales tax collections up $10,000.00, however the use tax and lodging collections were significantly lower resulting in approximately $15,000.00 deficit.
In the Sulphur Municipal Authority (SMA) report, Cornell reported at the beginning of the new physical year in July the carry- over in SMAwas approximately $447,000.00, and currently, the carry-over is approximately $144,000.00.
Two items on the Sulphur MunicipalAuthority agenda were tabled because funds had been received to pay the invoices. One was a payment of $390,506.80 to C.D. Brown Construction for Invoice No. 2 on the Raw Water Irrigation Project. The second was payment of $68,805.50 to Myers Engineering for engineering services on the OWRB/Chickasaw Nation Water Project including the wells, pump station and lines.
Members were also updated on recent Task Force meetings.
In correspondence, City Manager Andy Freeman told members he has been working on FEMA reimbursement claims; no consultant has been hired yet to help with the tornado relief; temporary changes in the parade route for the upcoming homecoming and Veteran’s Day parades were made; surveys are still ongoing on street paving and bridge project; and the lead line water project re-bids will be opened on October 3.
When asked by a council member about the status of the 2022-2023 audit, City Clerk Shannon Couch said she was still re-calculating time sheets. The auditor requested the quantification of the time sheets in the February 12, 2024 meeting.
The audit can not be completed until the information is given to the auditor. The annual audit was officially due December 31, 2023.
In consent agenda the board approved the following:
•payment to FirstNet, a branch ofAT&T for cell phone service in an amount not to exceed $900.00;
•approximate payment amount of $15,000.00 and $10,000.00 to Finish Line for fuel expenses for September;
•payment of $408.00 to James Supplies for annual bottle rent; and
•FY24-25 budget amendment. All five members were present at the meeting.