Hennessey town trustees voted to override their building code inspector’s denial - and their own codes - to approve an application to place a 2024 manufactured home at 300 W. Oklahoma Ave.

The town’s code calls for a 1,200 square foot manufactured home.

The home the couple wants to buy is 1,064 square feet.

It would cost them another $10,000 to get another 136 square feet.

“And we can’t afford it,” Keri (Hillbolt) Keel told trustees during their Thursday, March 14, meeting.

Those codes also allow only a mobile home that is five years old or newer.

The Keels had that one covered: “It hasn’t been built yet,” said Keri’s husband, Jamie. “It will take two-and-a-half to three months to build it,” he said.

The couple had to get the building permit before they could complete the sale.

Their home at 300 W. Oklahoma Ave., and all their belongings, including two cars, were lost to a fire Sept. 9.

“We love our community and we’re trying to rebuild our lives from the ground up,” she wrote in an explanation to the board.

Keri grew up in Hennessey and graduated from HHS and Jamie works in the town’s water department.

Jennifer Melton sat with the couple at last week’s meeting.

There was more board discussion to “fix that code” and “make a new ordinance with an emergency clause.” The board agreed that David Treanor, building inspector, was just doing his job in denying the permit.

An item on that report includes an appeal process if the inspector denies the permit: “… the applicant may appear to the board of trustees. The official decision may be reconsidered by the board.”

New Pool Party Rates

Trustees agreed to these aquatic park rates for the 2024 season that starts Saturday, May 25:

• Parties at the pool are raised from $150 to $200 this year and continue to require a $50 booking deposit in advance.

Party bookings start Monday, April 1, by calling Town Hall (405-8532416). Dates will not be held if a deposit is not made.

• Season passes: individual, $75; family plan up to five persons, $200 and $25 for each additional family member up to a total of eight passes.

• Daily rates (ages 0-1 free with paid admission); 2-17 years, $3; 8-and-up and 65-and-up (free with paid admission).

Tillman suggested going up another $50 for pool parties because that’s what Kingfisher is charging.

Discussion About Pool “We’ve already had two schools calling trying to reserve dates,” said Office Manager Shelley Burch during discussion.

Tillman said the town lost $300 just from her family last year on those rates.

She was asked if the pool broke even last year.

“Yes, $2,000,” she said, “and that was from the concessions.”

During discussion about setting numbers, Trustee Randy Bohnstedt said, “We have lots who have more than five in their family.”

Trustee Bert Gritz said he has always “looked at the pool expenses as a community service.”

There were questions about the need for a computerized cash register to help make sure everyone is paying, or on a family plan.

“We’re dealing with teenagers here,” Tillman said, “and they’re dealing with long lines of kids all at once who just want to get in.”

There was also discussion about coming up with bar codes or some other system other than a number for an account.

We Need a Records Clerk?

In Tillman’s monthly written report, she said there is a need for records clerk job description, and Trustee David Jones questioned the need. Tillman said that came up when she and the state auditor were unable to find some July 2023 records.

She said this wouldn’t be a new position and she is trying to find out the legalities of who that person should be.

It might be that it could be added to an existing clerk’s duties, she said, and added that she wasn’t on the town staff last July.

Her written report was that most towns and cities “use their Town/City Clerk since they are the official record keepers.”

“I’ve planned to ask the board to consider making the town clerk and town treasurer positions appointed by the board before the next election,” she said.

Elected offices have four-year terms.

For about 20 years, the elected clerk was also a Town Hall employee until last year when Kati Walters resigned as Town Hall clerk and didn’t file for the town clerk.

Kelley Vaverka filed for clerk, went unopposed, and took office in April 2023 for a four-year term.

The clerk’s pay is $400 a month. Vaverka planned, and is continuing, her fulltime job as an operations manager for Love’s Country Store.Vaverka had onthe- job training by the former clerk before and during her first two monthly board meetings where she is to serve as minutes clerk. She also prepares the agenda and makes copies of them and other documents for the meeting.

Open Record Requests Jones said the two new clerks at Town Hall need to learn about the laws regarding open record requests.

He said Mick Dodson of the state Auditor & Inspector’s Office went over those laws in an earlier meeting.

He suggested they go online to hear or read about what Dodson said.

The town has a form to request open records.

Management Software Costs

The town’s yearly subscription cost for a board management software program to Diligent Company is $6,000.

That cost wasn’t in the board packet, or in a motion, at last month’s meeting to enter a contract with the Washington, D.C., business.

“We’re still working on what the installation cost will be,” said Tillman at this month’s meeting That’s because computers are still in the ordering process for each of the five trustees, town clerk, town treasurer and other town staff.

This is the same management software used by Kingfisher city commissioners and is similar to the one used by Hennessey school board members, Tillman said.

The program is designed to make meetings run smoother and will allow board members to add an agenda item from their computer instead of contacting the town clerk.

It also allows board members to make notes to themselves about questions, or comments, they want to discuss during meetings.

It will also allow citizens to make online comments about agenda items.

“There will be a learning curve for trustees and for the public, but it promises to be a time saver,” trustees were told last month by Evan Joyner of Diligent Community during a Zoom meeting.

Vaverka said last month it will also save time and paper from making copies of reports and other information for meetings. Recent meetings had 30-50 pages.

At the Meeting

Present were Mayor Clif Vogt and trustees Gritz, Jones and Bohnstedt. Absent was Vice Mayor Harold Shaw.

Other officers at the meeting were Burch (who is also the office manager at Town Hall) and Vaverka as well as Tillman.

Vistors were Keri (Hillbolt), Jamie Keel and Jennifer Melton.