Oklahoma Energy Advisors PLLC and attorney Michael S. Booze were unanimously hired to represent the town of Hennessey in its objection to state permit applications for a waste management plant near the town. The law firm’s contract lists a $2,000 retainer and Booze’s time at $350 an hour, Town Administrator Tiffany Rowen said.

All five town trustees were present at last Tuesday’s December regular meeting: Mayor Randy Bohnstedt, Vice Mayor John Peach and Trustees Bert Gritz, Harold Shaw and David Jones.

But before the firm and Booze were hired in a 5-0 vote, Shaw asked him: “Would you like to have another attorney besides you to help you represent the farmers, or would you like for the town to get their own attorney?”

“I’m happy to represent everybody in one group and I have resources to help me,” Booze told him. “I have an office in Oklahoma City. And then, of course, I have an office with Paul Schulte in Kingfisher. So, it’s not like I’m going at this totally alone.”

Booze did tell trustees that, if the need were to arise, he had someone in mind to help.

“But, I think we’re stronger with the landowners and the city working together in tandem,” Booze added. “If another attorney is added, I think whoever that person is should view the case in the same way. There are a couple of different ways and I can talk about that with you in the executive session.”

That executive session called for “Discussion and possible action to have confidential communications with the Town’s attorney regarding the Centennial Solids OCC application.”

Both Booze and Town Attorney Jared Harrison were included in that closed session that lasted about an hour.

Trustees made no comments about the closed session except for the mayor saying no votes or actions were taken.

( Note: There was some confusion with the order and wording of agenda items because the agenda did not call for an executive session to discuss his hiring, but did call for “discussion and possible action to hire” him. Booze did not call for an executive session before he was hired Harrison told trustees: “You have to actually retain him, or he’s not your attorney in the executive session.”)

Fire Department Gear Approved

Fire Chief Brandon Scott explained in detail the need for trustees to approve his purchase order for $120,200 that included 12 SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) equipment; 24 45-minute cylinders; and 20 four-strap harnesses.

Funding will come from the town’s Emergency Restricted Fund. “Occasionally I’ve had some people who have questioned why the fire department doesn’t use county money (sales tax) for them,” said Gritz, a retired HFD chief. “As Brandon pointed out, these are for the pumper trucks. And folks, those are in-town pumpers. One of them does leave town for structure fires and rescues, but they are both what’s helping us keep our ISO rating and that’s what I think is a very justifiable use of a town expense.”

Then Scott said, “More and more of our ISO packs are going out of compliance and we’re not finding the parts to repair them. We’re having to rely on old packs for parts.”

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) ratings determine how insurance companies set their insurance rates.

The board’s agenda also called for approval of increasing appropriations from “restricted” funds to the fire department for $150,000, and $10,000 to the police department.

At the Meeting

Staff at the meeting were Rowen, Public Works Director Alyssa Kubat, Acting Town Clerk Katie Walters, Scott, and Harrison.

In addition to the five elected trustees, also present was Town Treasurer Kelley Vaverka.

Seated in the audience were District 2 County Commissioner Mike Sparks, Richard and Denise Shimanek, Samantha Dowell, Dr. David Matousek, Trent Williams and Booze.