Richard Simunek, Hennessey town board member, presented a model of a proposed outdoor entertainment/pavilion/park area off Main Street between First and Second streets at last Thursday night’s meeting of the town board.

The property is located behind Main Street store fronts on nine lots purchased by the town from Lee Lumber Co. for $50,000 in 2014 and Simunek owns the 11 lots south that connect to the town’s property.

The board decided to have a community-wide “vision” planning meeting in January and Simunek said the model would help people visualize what could be done if that’s a project they want to consider.

His model shows a 40- foot pedestrian walkway where the alley is located now.

Owners of the Main Street front buildings could offer another entrance into their stores from the walkway, he said.

The structures and area could also give a nod to both the oil and gas industry and wind farms in designs of buildings and art, Simunek said.

The model also shows a new senior citizen’s center located at the south end of the property which he owns and a park on that property. tourist attractions.

Voters approved the 3% motel tax that went into effect January 2013 and the ballot wording restricted the funds to these uses:

“Encouraging, promoting and fostering conventions, conferences, and tourism development in the town of Hennessey; promotion of cultural, recreational events or development for the Town of Hennessey

Simunek suggested the board set a date soon for the January planning meeting.

Funding for proposed project He suggested the town use its motel tax money to start the project off with one building then add to it later with another structure, then another.

Simunek said use of the motel tax is broad and includes recreational and and solicitation of visitor attractions, events, tourism conferences, conventions and meetings in town of Hennessey.”

Mayor Bert Gritz said the town’s attorney told them those funds couldn’t be used for brick and mortar.

The March 31, 2020, quarterly report showed $164,182 in that tax fund and Simunek suggested they call an election so Hennessey voters could extend the use to include structures.

Gritz and others on the board said they feared, with today’s economy, that it might not pass.

Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman said most of the motel tax money is used for advertising and promotion and also pays for the annual July 4 fireworks show.

It will also pay for the town’s new signage plans.

Simunek said they could get started with donations from non-profits and build on those contributions.

He’d said in an earlier meeting that Oklahoma City started Bricktown with one building.

Zoning issues

At last week’s meeting, Simunek also talked about Hennessey’s spot zoning.

Gritz said he wasn’t on the board at the time, but that had been a problem many years ago, but don’t allow spot zoning now.

Tillman said that’s why the board is working on a “comprehensive (zoning) plan.”

Simunek said he was told when he renovated the 1921 Champlin Gas Station into apartments that it put him in a “commercial class” which cost him more to build.

Gritz said he has been asked by several people in the last few months why he or the board couldn’t approve them using property for a different reason than it’s zoned.

“I’ve told them that I, and we, can’t do that,” he said.

Tillman said someone could apply for a variance to use property for another reason.

“Because it’s a lesser use than retail, then someone could put in an apartment downtown,” Gritz said.

Waterline on Conoco Road

Ivan Cabral asked for an update on the town’s plan to run a waterline south to Conoco Road and west of that road.

“We’re still waiting on the engineer’s (new) estimate,” said Tillman.

The board had a $200,000 estimate to run the line from Energy Meter Systems located on the east side of U.S. 81 to west onto Conoco Road, but last month Hardin suggested it might be cheaper to run the line from Seventh Street south to Conoco Road.

The board also earlier discussed possibly offering water service to homes in that area.

Cabral asked the board in November if they could install the line and has attended monthly meetings since then.

He owns 25 acres in that area and said he wants to put in a dance studio and an event center.

Tillman appointed to county board

Trustees appointed Tillman to the Kingfisher County 911 Board.

She replaces Hank Weber who resigned as Hennessey police chief earlier this month.

Tillman had served on the board when it was first organized.

Other business

The board renewed the annual $11,555 Peopleware agreement with Computer Information Concepts for financial software.

Printed reports from the clerk showed the town’s monthly 4% sales tax income of $93,046.60.

That’s based on July sales.

Use tax income totaled $12,385.06. That compares with $103,208.75 and $14,120.73 a year ago in September, and $99,521.94 and $26,872.20 last month.