In what was billed on the agenda as a “sales tax proposal” workshop, Kingfisher city commissioners, staff and fire department personnel narrowed down the path forward for building a new fire station and the sales tax proposal needed to fund it.

The lengthy discussion came during a special meeting Wednesday night in advance of February’s regular meeting when City Manager Dave Slezickey and City Attorney Jared Harrison hope to have a proposal prepared to call for another sales tax election in May.

After a proposal for a permanent sales tax broadly dedicated to capital improvements failed by a dozen or so votes in the November general election, the city has been working to craft another proposal for a 10-year tax for more limited purposes, which they hope will be more palatable to voters.

Fire Chief Tony Stewart and several members of his department were present to join Wednesday night’s discussion.

The Tax Proposal

Slezickey said the consensus developed over the course of the meeting provided sufficient “clay” from which he and Harrison can mold a tax proposal to bring back for formal approval.

Commissioners had expressed interest at an earlier meeting to keep the tax broadly designated for the fire department “and other capital improvements.”

However, after city staff presented figures Wednesday night estimating the likely amount to be collected over a 10-year period and the estimated cost to construct a new fire station, commissioners narrowed the focus to just the fire station and city street improvement projects.

“The fire station has been our priority all along. We’re projecting $4.5 million for the cost but it could be anywhere from $4-5 million once we get formal plans made,” Slezickey said.

“We’re predicting at current ecponomic trends to raise about $6.5 million over a 10-year period if the sales tax passes.

“That leaves about $2 million to commit to something else over a a 10-year time frame.”

After discussing other city capital improvement priorities, commisioners narrowed down the most pressing to street repairs.

“I think those are both very important and those are two things that are important to our citizens,” Commissioner Bill Tucker said.

Slezickey said city staff estimated the tax proceeds based on a seven-year average of normal collection years.

“We took the last two years out of the equation,” Slezickey said.

Next week: Priorities for location of the new fire station as identified by Chief Stewart and other city staff