As reported last week in the Times & Free Press, Hennessey’s Board of Trustees voted Sept. 8, to ask the town’s Planning Board for recommendations as to where new residential mobile home districts should be located.

A date for that meeting has not been set yet, Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman told the KT&FP Monday afternoon.

Planning Board members are Richard Hedrick (chairman), Dustin Vinson, Gary Stinebring, Dustin Monroe and Rachel (Meloy) Rogers.

The need for mobile home districts came up earlier this month in the trustee meeting after Salamon Pardo, Jr., attempted to place a double-wide mobile home on his property without a building permit and his property on Nebraska Street is not zoned for mobile homes.

Some mobile homes exist in that area, but were “grandfathered in” before zoning changes, Town Attorney John Wynne said.

If a mobile home is moved from the property, it must be replaced by the owner with one the same size, or larger, and meet other town codes.

There are currently six mobile parks in the town, but due to higher construction costs, lack of affordable housing, and 2020 zoning changes, the Board of Trustees are concerned.

Town Trustees at the September meeting were Mayor Bert Gritz, Vice Mayor Clif Vogt, Harold Shaw and David Jones. Absent was Richard Simunek. Also present was Town Clerk Kati Walters.

Administrator’s Report

Job Openings: street/ parks laborer, full-time dispatcher, children’s librarian.

August Building Permits Issued: one solar panel; one green house; one storm shelter and carpet; one water well, and one playhouse.

Library Building Committee: Still pending architect’s report. Expected by end of the month.

Water Plant: The reverse osmosis replacement is complete and operational. Still waiting on control items to integrate into the overall system.

Osborn Sewer Project: Sewer line completed. Some dirt work to be completed.

Oklahoma Water Resources Board Grant: Engineers are researching old sewer records before starting on ground work. ( Note: Town Board passed a resolution in August to apply for a grant to find out why the wastewater collection system has had increased inflow and infiltration which is increasing treatment costs and affecting the reliability of the collection system. Assessment cost estimated at $220,000.)

Chisholm Tra i l $10,000 Grants: Possibly apply for Lighthouse Preservation at the Pat Hennessy Park, estimated cost $19,000.

Grant Applications

The board approved making applications for these grants: Sidewalk construction: $700,000 state Department of Transportation TAP (Transportation Alternative Program) grant for a half-mile of sidewalk construction on Oklahoma Avenue from Main Street to the schools; from Iowa and Main streets to Walnut Street and from Iowa to State Highway 51 on Main Street.

Waterline replacements: 2023 fiscal year REAP grant through NODA to replace these “worst” waterlines: Arapaho and Bonita; Dunlap to 4th Street and 4th Street to 7th Street. Engineers are looking to see all of the problems before the town decides how much to request.

Fencing/Gate Repair

The board accepted a quote of $9,685 from Titan Fence Co., Enid, to provide all materials and fence around the water tower behind the police department and repair/replace gate into the water plant.

Other quotes were BR Home Service, $9,504, and Wright Construction, $6,718.98. No location sites of those two businesses were listed on their quote sheets.