Hennessey Town Trustees had agreed last month to gift 13.5 acres to the county and currently plan to add property currently used as a soccer practice field.

Gifting the soccer field came from Town Administrator Tiffany Rowen during her monthly report which lasted about 30 minutes and included a map of that area on a big screen.

It was the concensus of the board for Town Attorney Jared Harrison to proceed with drawing up a contract, but took no official vote because the item wasn’t on the agenda.

Harrison said he still needed to get with the county assistant district attorney “to just double check and make sure that we can work a few things out there, but I think we’ll be able to.”

Rowen said if the board went with her plans then she could income some of the costs in the budget for 2025-26 that starts July 1.

She said some of those plans would also include getting grant money.

Use RV Park for Rodeo Parking

Rowen said no one had stayed at the RV Park for more than six months and proposed they turn that property into parking for the rodeo grounds.

“We’re talking about putting in an underwater drainage system where that little creek is that runs off of 2nd Street,” she said, and pointed to her map on the big screen. “And we’re hoping Mike (Sparks) can help us with this because he’s agreed to help us in any way he can...And then we’ve leveled that all out and it will increase our parking for the rodeo grounds.”

District 2 County Commissioner Mike Sparks of Hennessey said the county would help.

Rowen said the town continues to “have water accessible there (for sale at the RV), but could take out meter boxes, etc.”

Sparks asked where the water service line will be located.

“On the east side of Cemetery Road,” said Public Works Director Alyssa Kubat.

Abandoned Well on Town Property “There is an abandoned well right here in the town of Hennessey (on town property the board plans to give to the county),” said Sparks.

“And I’ve talked to the Corporation Commission. They’re going to give them 60 days to plug it, or they are going to start fining them because this well is not held by any production. It’s just a waste of area that needs to be plugged.

“There is no reason for it to take even six months to get it plugged, “ Sparks added.

“A new oil company has taken it over,” said Mayor Harold Shaw.

“But the same laws apply,” the attorney said.

“But we’ve got wells that haven’t been plugged since 1930,” said Sparks. “And, Harold, I agree, and I see what’s your point. But you’re talking about a well that’s in the city that’s an ISO work and kind of standing in the way of progress, is what I say.”

Shaw said the county is probably going to be able to get that done faster than the town.

“Absolutely,’’saidSparks. “I just don’t want people to get their hopes up that we’re going to plug it as well. Well, and I understand what you mean, but it’s kind of logistics. The courthouse is only a block away from the Corporation Commission. ...So I’ll stay on them about plugging that. And if I don’t have any luck, I’ve always got a real good friend in Rep. Mike Dobrinski who will help me.”

Relocation of Soccer Field Rowen said she wants to move the soccer field next to the town’s pavilion (located off Main Street in an alleyway between First and Second streets). She’d talked with Sparks about more land and he said he take everything he could get.

She suggested 150 by 200 foot field with “a very nice grass lawn” so it “not only wouldn’t just work for a soccer field...but for concerts and other events.”

“This is my vision and I want your input, but we can move further on this later,” Rowen said.

Shaw said the current soccer field is the only place for “kids above 12 years old” on the west side of town.

“You don’t get very many kids from the east side when you’re down there playing on the west side,” he said.

“My main argument on that soccer field,” said Sparks, “is I don’t really recall that soccer field contributing thousands and thousands of dollars to the town. But it can be benefiting the county.”

“Where do you live?” Shaw asked Sparks.

He said on the east side on Oklahoma Avenue.

“You know that. I’ve lived there for 30 years,” Sparks said.

“I live on the west side,” said Shaw. “I see where them kids go.”

Rowen said Public Works Director Alyssa Kubat has talked to a lot of those kids who have played soccer “and they just want a place to play. It doesn’t matter where it’s at.”

“I just don’t want to leave the kids out,” said Shaw. “I want them to have a place to play.”

Rowen said they could put up lighting at the pavilion “like the Methodist Church has...it’s on a timer. ...I think it would increase the activity at your pavilion and centralize it.”

County’s Plan for Soccer Field

“We’re going to rock it, have surpluses of road material in an area where we badly need, road and bridge material,” said Sparks. “If we had a stockpile and we have an emergency and like a tornado comes through Hennessey, we can get to our material.”

Mitchell Road Repairs

Trustees had approved the grant for the Mitchell Road street repairs “but we’re just waiting for a signed contract back from the state,” Rowen said in her report.

Ordinance Re-runs

Trustees unanimously reapproved an ordinance enacting a compilation of town ordinances and a resolution notifying the public of the publication and a resolution on town codes.

The Town Code of Ordinances 2024 are in the County Law Library in Kingfisher and are available “for purchase by the public at a reasonable price,” according to the resolution.

“You’re probably wondering why in the world you’ve got this back in front of you (since it was previously approved Jan. 14),” said Harrison.

“Just with the way we’ve handled ordinances and resolutions and getting them signed and published and all of that, we were going to be too close to get the publication the way we really needed it to.

“And obviously, this is one we want to make sure is 100% correct. So I think it’s best if we just go ahead and re-approve it, publish the ordinance in the newspaper on the 16th of April.”

Flashing Street Lights Needed at Fire Station

From the audience Tom Streck suggested flashing lights be installed on Main Street in front of the fire station for the safety of drivers and pedestrians.

“A couple times I’ve been driving through town and the fire trucks are coming out and I’ve had to stop when they are pulling out, he said.

“It’s not their fault. I’ve been where those guys are,” said Streck, a retired Hennessey firefighter.

“It’s the equipment. It’s big and when they go to pull out it’s hard for them to stop.

Streck, a former Hennessey mayor, told trustees he’d also been where they are and understood they had to go through the state Highway Department to get approval.

“I’ve seen those lights in smaller towns,” he said.

Rowen said Streck had talked with her earlier about his concerns.

The two discussed: stoplights in each lane that let you know to slow down; lights that activate before the truck goes out the door, signs that would activate and flash, etc.

Swimming Pool Party Dates Filling Up There were 40 parties booked at the pool April 1 (the first day to accept them) and people were waiting outside Town Hall that day to sign up, then as of April 8 there were 54.

“Is there a way we can help the local folks?” asked Streck.

“I don’t know how to answer that,” Rowen said. “We put it out months before April 1...and our phones start ringing the first of January. Everyone is told!”

“We tell them, I know,” said Streck, “but if they’ve got people out of town waiting in line, too, that kinda makes the people in town go, wow, we’re paying for this, it’s our tax money.”

“That’s up to the board,” Rowen said. If they tell me to do it a certain way, then we will do it.”

“That’s just food for thought,” Streck said. “I’m just ecstatic that it brings people here.”

Board members were also told that one church group is bringing 300 people, “and they are requesting that our concession stand be open.”

“We do parties on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. Mondays and Wednesdays are one party each night and then Friday and Saturdays we do two parties each night,” Rowen said.

She said the pool also accommodates schools and YMCAs who want to come in the mornings for a party.

“In fact, both of the Kingfi sher programs and Enid Public Schools have booked and Lomega usually brings some over. We have a bunch of schools,” Rowen added.

Opening day is Saturday, May 24 (Memorial Day weekend).

“We’re still taking lifeguard applications,” Rowen said. “If there’s anyone who wants to apply, come to Town Hall as soon as possible. Or, we’re going to (have to) put four board members on the guard stand.”

At the Meeting

All four town trustees were present at the meeting: Shaw, Gritz, Jones and Randy Bohnstedt.

Other elected town offi cers at the meeting were Treasurer Shelley Burch, and Clerk Kelley Vaverka (Vaverka was recently elected as town treasurer, and since she cannot assume both jobs the board is expected to appoint someone else as town clerk effective July 1. That person could fill out the remaining two years of Vaverka’s term).

In addition to Rowen, other staff present were Kubat, Police Chief Christian Solis and Harrison.

In the audience were Sparks and his wife, Lori, as well as Streck and Tammy Lott-Hopkins.