The Kingfisher City Commission approved ordinances last Monday to increase utility rates for electricity, water and sewer during its May regular meeting.

Mayor Geoff Covalt and commissioners Dawn Taylor, Debbie Burpo, Kyle Mecklenburg and Jeff Wittrock were all present for the meeting.

City Manager Jim Thomas, who hosted a public meeting last month to make citizens aware of the urgency of the rate boosts and to answer questions, said the increases were “long overdue” as they would be a “step in the right” direction.

He said that even with the rate increases, Kingfi sher would continue to be below the rates charged for those services in neighboring and similar cities in the state.

City Treasurer Anita James said the rate increases would first be seen by Kingfisher residents in the bills they would receive the first of July.

( Ed. note: The legal publications of the ordinances appear on Page 7 of this edition.)

In other business, Wittrock was elected as vice mayor by fellow commissioners. That role had been vacant since previous vice mayor Geoff Covalt was appointed mayor last August.

Kingfisher Chamber of Commerce Director Shauna Rupp made a presentation to the commission, thanking the city for the $11,256 annual amount budgeted toward the chamber operation at the Kingfisher Visitor Center. Rupp said she and her staff of two also welcomed visitors who dropped in at the office and she said it was a pleasure for the staff to answer questions and direct the visitors to stores, restaurants and sites to visit within the community. She passed around a sheet that showed where all visitors came from during the 2023 year, which included residents of many states across the nation as well as from Germany, Moldova, Canada and the United Kingdom. Following the presentation, Thomas commented that he has enjoyed working with Rupp and her staff and he said the relationship has been wonderful over the time he’s been city manager. Thomas said he expected that to only expand over the coming months. Richard Greene, who is acting as manager of the Vernie Snow Aquatic Center which has been re-branded the K-Town Kove, presented a report on usage of the pool since it was re-opened after about $250,000 in repairs were made over the past several months.

Greene said usage was up, with expanded usage by local residents of all ages, which he said was of key focus to him and his staff.

“We’ve got great turnout in early morning usage by our more elderly residents taking advantage of water aerobics and pool parties for younger kids increasing as well,” he said.

He said all equipment was running “as it should” and the facility was in “great shape” heading into the summer high usage months.

Thomas commented that Greene had agreed to stay on a little longer in the position as interim pool director and he was delighted with his efforts in reviving the center’s vitality and usage by local residents.

James commented in her treasurer’s report that sales tax collected was tracking as “flat” over the past several months and it was agreed by the commissioners that family budgets were stretched tight due to high inflation.

Mecklenburg warned that it would be best for the commission to remember to be cautious regarding all future city endeavors.

James agreed that prices for all items the city departments purchased were increasingly more expensive each month.

Thomas commented that even though taxes collected “may be slightly higher” than taxes collected the previous year, that when inflation figures were factored in, overall the income was currently tracking at minus-2.7 percent.

James concluded by reporting the city had slightly over $11.1 million in unencumbered balances in the banks.

However, she added, much of those funds are earmarked for upcoming projects, including the construction of the new fire station as well as planned street projects.

In other business, the commission approved an agreement with Crawford and Associates for financial consulting and accounting and pre-audit work. The contract calls for the work to not exceed $35,000 annually.

James commented that, to date, the firm’s bills for such work has never exceeded that amount.

The commission also voted to accept the collective bargaining agreement with the IAFF Local 3434 (firefighters) union.

Thomas commented that the agreement was a basic continuation of last year’s agreement and that he and Fire Chief Ryan Gibson were very satisfied with the outcome.

Covalt closed the meeting following the approval of the consent dockets, which were all routine in nature, for the public works authority.