An attempt to change City of Sulphur and SMA employee-designated holidays drew opposition at a special council meeting Monday evening.
A proposal to amend the City of Sulphur Personnel Policy to require employees to work on Veteran’s Day, November 11, in exchange for a personal day was voted down by all five council members. After much discussion, members approved the 2025 holiday schedule with the only change being the Christmas and Christmas Eve days will depend on which day of the week Christmas falls.
In other action, members received a 49-page Strategic Plan Report presented by Task Force Co-Chairman Brad Jessop. The plan identifies needs and likes for the future of the downtown area. Jessop said the plan was complied after six meetings of the committee and a survey from citizens and business owners. Members approved the plan which will allow for the city or groups to seek grants and funding for the project.
A motion to increase payroll funds for December was approved to allow for employees to be paid on December 31 since payday falls on January 1.
Board members accepted the resignation of Kris Brinson from the Sulphur Development Board and approved re-appointing Bobbye Gowan as Sulphur’s representative on the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District Board.
The board approved for Southern Oklahoma Development Association to prepare a proposal for the U.S. EDA (Economic Development Agency) public works infrastructure plan on behalf of the City of Sulphur and administer the project when funding is awarded.
In a recent regular meeting, members approved selling water to the rural water departments in Murray County for $2.20 per 1,000 gallons and members approved the contract at the meeting with one minor change. The change is the length of the contract. The contract presented was for rates to remain the same for 26 years and members voted to change the contract length to 10 years.
In final agenda action, members approved three payment items that were tabled at the regular monthly meeting. They are as follows:
•payment of $362,842.81 to CD Brown Construction for Invoice No. 5 of the irrigation water mains project;
•payment of $58,915.00 to Myers Engineering for engineering services on the OWRB-Chickasaw Nation Water Project; and
•payment of $36,193.25 to Beytco, Inc. for Invoice No. 2 of the irrigation booster pump station project.
All five council members were present at the meeting.
