Air Force pilot Capt. Edward L. Goucher, who died in action during the Vietnam War, will soon have his name added to a monument in Hennessey’s Memorial Park dedicated to fallen heroes.

Hennessey’s Board of Trustees gave approval for the addition at its Tuesday night meeting.

Goucher, a 1956 Hennessey graduate, died Sept. 4, 1967, when his aircraft crashed into a mountainside in Lam Dong Province in Vietnam.

His name is on The Wall in Washington, D.C., but “because his wife and children lived in Oklahoma City, he is listed as being from Oklahoma City,” wrote Lee E. Briix in a letter to the board asking that Goucher be honored.

Mayor Bert Gritz said the town would ask the American Legion to conduct a ceremony once Goucher’s name has been placed on the World War I/World War II monument.

Goucher earned his bachelor’s degree from Central State College in 1961, and his Air Force wings in February 1967 at Laredo, Texas. He went to Vietnam May 25, 1967, according to a newspaper clipping provided by Briix.

A 1961 Lacy High School graduate, Briix taught history at Hennessey for 32 years and lives in Edmond. He is also the author of “The Hennessey Book.”

In his request to the town, Briix also wrote that Goucher was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Goucher, who were lifelong residents of the Lacy and Hennessey communities. Mrs. Goucher was a long-time Hennessey teacher.

Other board members present at this month’s meeting were Vice Mayor Clif Vogt, Keith Meek and Richard Simunek. Absent was Wes Hardin.

Firefighter Raises

Hennessey volunteer firefighters will be raised from $6.25 an hour to $12 an hour for new hires, and $14 an hour for those rated for firefighter 1 status, then five years after that elevated to $15 an hour.

Gritz, who is also the fire chief, said Monday night and at last month’s meeting, that neither he nor any of the firefighters asked for the raises. “Most of them had no idea there was any pay when they signed on,” he said.

Administrator Tiffany Tillman said the checks were such small amounts that firefighters are only paid twice a year.

Meek, who made the motion, said he wanted it to be in line with what reserve police officers are paid ($13 start; two years, $14, and five years, $15).

Tillman said the board also needs to name an assistant fire chief because Gritz will be retiring in a few years.

She said they would have to bring that up at a future meeting since it wasn’t on their action agenda.

Grants/Long Term Planning

Simunek, who went on the board in May, said the board needs to start prioritizing projects, and apply for more grants.

He had researched and found that the town had not received a grant through the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority since 2012.

He said the funding for a REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) grant is based on a point system and that the grant application didn’t appear too difficult.

Public Works Director Curtis Turner said there was a reason they had not applied through NODA, but didn’t want to go into it at a public meeting. He did say that an engineer on a project was funded, but the town wasn’t.

Tillman agreed there were problems with NODA.

She said the town has always matched the grant money because it gave them better numbers on the grant application.

Turner said it might be different at NODA now.

Simunek said he plans to attend a REAP training class this month and that applications are due Sept. 13-Oct. 31.

Turner said he didn’t think that was enough time for the town to put together a grant.

Simunek said someone had done a good job of getting grants in the past and Tillman indicated she was that someone.

Millie Vance, a certified CDBG (Community Development  Block Grant) writer, has written several grants for the town, said Tillman, and the town always got the grant.

The grant writer/agency shares in a percentage of the grant.

Simunek also suggested that the town give naming rights to those who donate items for the new swimming pool.

He suggested that someone might want to have their name on one of the three sections of the pool.

Gritz said they couldn’t do that because a sales tax is being used to fund it.

Simunek said the money could be used to pay off the loan.

Gritz said the loan requires that they must pay on it a certain number of years before it can be paid off. He also suggested that Simunek talk with Tillman about getting grants since she is knowledgable.

No action was taken.

Purchases OK’d

The board approved the $18,223.68 purchase of a Frontier flex wing grooming mower from P&K Equipment with state bid pricing. Turner said the mower will mainly be used on rights-of-way.

Also OK’d was replacement of front windows at Town Hall “up to $20,000” by Oklahoma Glass & Wallpaper of Enid.

Tillman said insulated glass is needed because the blinds have to be shut to help keep the building cool, and it also makes customers think that Town Hall is closed. The windows face the west and sweat during the winter, and make it hot in the summer.

Gritz said it would take a long time to recoup the money in utility bills, but it would be worth it in the long run.

Personnel

After 25 minutes in closed session, the board voted to appoint Bryan Taylor of Bethany and Cameron Brown of Enid as reserve police officers. Taylor is certified and Brown is not, but will be soon, said Police Chief Hank Weber. The officers were not at the meeting.

Hired as a utility billing clerk was Brandi (Watson) Bedford, a graduate of HHS. She replaces Tracy Marney who resigned to “have more time with family.”

Another HHS grad, Mahala Jones, who resigned last month as a police dispatcher, rescinded her resignation, and the board OK’d it.