A member of the Hennessey Board of Trustees will be elected Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, by municipal voters.

Filing is Dec. 6-8 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Election Board office in the Kingfisher County Courthouse.

The board has been operating with only four members since the resignation of Keith Meek Aug. 30.

The board was unable to agree on a candidate after executive sessions in September and October to select a replacement, so members voted to call an election at their meeting Tuesday, Nov. 9. (Note: the board usually meets the second Thursday of the month, but met earlier due to the Veteran’s Day holiday.)

A second meeting was called for Tuesday, Nov. 16, due to a minor glitch in the election resolution they’d approved last week. That agenda also includes payment of $48,867.06 to Pennacle Underground for waterline work completed so far. The total contract sum is $145,298.

All board members attended the Nov. 9 meeting: Mayor Bert Gritz, Vice Mayor Clif Vogt, Richard Simunek and Harold Shaw.

Bid accepted for water plant repair

In action at last week’s meeting, the board accepted a $390,480 base bid from Worth Hydrochem of Norman to replace equipment at the town’s reverse osmosis water plant.

“What does that in clude?” asked Mayor Bert Gritz.

“It’s a turn key job,” said Bryan Burch, public works sewer superintendent. “It replaces the entire skid.”

“So this is why we borrowed an extra $500,000 (from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board in July),” said Harold Shaw, board member.

Total cost was expected to be $500,000, and the town already paid Cowan Group Engineering for their work, said Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman.

“The other skid is leaking now,” said Shaw.

The second skid was in better shape in May, according to comments made at that meeting.

That’s when the board was told it needed to remove and replace one of the reverse osmosis units, but the other unit would get the town through the summer.

Cowan recommended acceptance of the Worth Hydrochem bid. The only other bidder was Lonehickory Cattle LLC in Taloga with a $424,920 bid.

Bobcat excavator purchase OK’d

After much discussion, the board agreed to purchase a Bobcat compact excavator for $88,313.44 from Bobcat of Oklahoma City.

It will replace the current excavator and “allow us to mow around the lagoon,” said Burch.

He recommended purchase of the E-50 model because it’s 3,000 poundss lighter.

“That way we don’t leave ruts if we have to get up into people’s yards,” he said.

Burch said it will allow the crews to “get the cattails around the bridge at Bull Foot Park and over by the train railroad right-of-way.”

He also said there is a three-year, or 2,000 hours, warranty.

Tillman said the cost went up Nov. 1.

The bid is on a state contract so the town isn’t required to go out for bids on this purchase that’s over the $50,000 bid limit.

It will be paid out of the sewer and water departments’ capital outlay account, Tillman said, and the Bobcat won’t be in for six months.

“Eventually we’re going to need a trailer for it,” she said, “but we won’t talk about that now.”

6 p.m. start for 2022 meetings

The board routinely approved meeting dates for the coming new year as the second Thursday of each month, but changed the meeting time from from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the request of Tillman.

She said the reason is that staff doesn’t leave until after 5 p.m. on board meeting dates and it would be better for them.

Gritz said he didn’t like it because he was afraid the meetings would go even longer.

Shaw questioned that the newly-elected board member might have to work until 5:30 p.m. out of town and couldn’t make it to 6 p.m. meetings.

The board decided they could always go back to a later meeting time if it made it difficult for the new member.

Board’s planning session

The board will discuss needs and wants plans for the coming years in a special 9 a.m.-4 p.m. meeting Saturday, Feb. 5.

Tillman said town supervisors are working on five-, 10- and 20-year plans for each of their departments.

Employees will discuss them in monthly meetings until Jan. 15, then issue plans for board members to look over and discuss and make changes before they look for grants to help fund them.

She said all who file for the open seat on the board will be notified of that meeting.

Administrator’s Report Waterline project – Work continues on replac

Work continues on replacing waterlines on South Cimarron, Tillman told the board. She said they are boring so that most of the yards are not being dug up, and they will start on West Sixth Street next. Funding is from a Rural EconomicAction Plan (REAP) grant.

Drainage projects – Since phase I of a drainage project (Walnut Street at Oklahoma Avenue south to First Street) was completed with the help of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Tillman suggested they complete the second and final phase before they start another project. The Phase I cost was $211,145.52.

Phase II is to correct drainage issues on Third, Fourth and Fifth streets west of Mitchell Road. She has sent a request to the town’s engineering firm, Cowan Group Engineering, and to NODA about getting estimated costs, and another grant to fund it.

Osborn Addition – “We are still waiting on approval from DEQ for that sewer line,” Tillman told the board.

Police Department – Jessica Patzkowsky was hired as a dispatcher and Brady Peck was promoted to dispatch supervisor.

Welcomes signs – Tillman will meet will the Royal Sign staff Nov. 19 to discuss the exact placement of signs. All signs except the east sign will be installed by the end of this year, she said.

Safety grant – Tillman said they received a $2,000 Oklahoma Municipal Authority Grant (OMAG) for safety engagement. It’s a 1-1 matching grant and items purchased include barricades and flashing lights, orange cones, workers ahead signs, safety glasses and reflective clothing.

Ditches next to school – Brueggermann Fencing is working with the school on a Mitchell Road project in front of the Early Childhood Center and the town will help by clearing the ditches. Tillman said David Fuksa will do the work for the town, and will wait until students are out of school for Thanksgiving so it doesn’t interfere with classes.

In addition to Tillman and Bryan Burch, other staff present were Kati Walters, town clerk and recording secretary, and Shelley Burch, town treasurer.

The only ones in the audience were media.