Sulphur City Council members met in regular monthly meeting Monday night.
The Sulphur Municipal Authority portion of the meeting was short lived as all but one agenda was tabled, mainly due to funds not in place to make the payments.
Two tabled items were requested by CD Brown Construction for Invoice No. 2 ($390,506.80) and Invoice No.3 (417,458.50) for the irrigation water main installations in the OWRB/Chickasaw Nation Project.
Two other tabled items were engineering fees request by Myers Engineering for the same project in the amounts of $68,805.50 and $26,316.00.
Lastly, action on approving the bid for the lead line water main replacement along Wynnewood Ave., was also tabled.
The only approved agenda item in SMA was a request to the Oklahoma Emergency Management for Disaster Recovery Assistance.
In the general council meeting, members again heard discussion concerning the contract lease agreement between the City of Sulphur and the Artists of the Arbuckles. The contract has been discussed and previously approved, but still was not satisfactory to the Artists’ request. After comments from the Artists attorney Keith White, and several artists’ members and comments from the council members, all parties agreed to change the wording as requested by the Artist members and council members approved.
Members tabled action on a contract lease agreement with the Arbuckle Historical Society, but agreed to enter negotiations with the group.
Members approved an easement request by OG&E for city property located at 301 West Muskogee (city plaza).
Council members approved appointing members to two commission boards as required by city ordinances.
Members approved the appointment of Sara Freehill, Craig Lemley, Kris Brinson, and Justin Combs to the Sulphur Development Board. The board will also need one more member recommended by the Chamber of Commerce.
The Board of Adjustment members appointed include Tracy Laxton, Chris Melson, Larry Hobbs, Carl Hickman and the chairman of the Sulphur Development Board when named.
Members also appointed Aaron Duck to the Planning and Zoning Commission after accepting the resignation of Chet Tucker from the commission.
Members approved action on requiring a commercial building consultant and inspector for plan review and inspections of all commercial construction at the expense of the builder. Also approved was the process of issuing building permits regarding commercial properties in the City of Sulphur.
Members tabled action on quotes to replace the heating and air unit at the Artists of the Arbuckles building because the funds had not been budgeted.
In the treasurer’s reports, City Treasurer Ginger Cornell told members, “it’s taking all we are collecting to operate.” Cornell said overall, sales tax collections are down more than $36,000.00 for the year.
In the consent agenda, council members approved the following:
•payment to FirstNet, a branch of AT&T, for cell phone service in an amount not to exceed $900.00; and
•payment amount not to exceed $15,000.00 for general fund and $10,000.00 for SMA to Finish Line for fuel expenses for September.
In correspondence and updates, City Manager Andy Freeman told members that work continues on the audit and the auditor is still working on the payroll figures; the city had received an insurance claim payment of approximately $208,000.00; the fuel farm is still not complete; city officials will meet with Parkhill engineering next week on proposed street projects, there is no update on TAP sidewalk grant construction; the lead line inventory is complete; and the water well bid is being opened on Oct. 18 and consultant applications on Oct. 22.
In the Task Force updates, Anne Vest with Oklahoma Emergency Management and Dr. Richard White with FEMA reported that more than $2 million for projects had been obligated for the City of Sulphur.
FEMA rep Dennis Dunnigan told council members the city has two planning and zoning ordinances that are close to same but not exactly and also not consistent with state statutes that need to be reworked and combined and adopted into one ordinance. No action was taken on the issue.
All five councilmen were present at the meeting.
