Hennessey’s Board of Trustees accepted a $160,000 REAP grant during its Thursday, Jan. 11, regular meeting.

The grant will fund the replacement of six-inch water lines with eight-inch lines on the west side of Mitchell Road in front of the early childhood, elementary and middle schools.

New waterlines lines will run from Iowa Street south to Oklahoma Avenue.

The grant includes adding a fire hydrant and valve on the northwest corner of West 5th and Dunlap streets.

Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman said they will go out for bids soon and may need to use about $220,000 from the town’s federal COVID money on it.

Trustee Bert Gritz said increasing the size of the old water lines will be of benefit to customers and help firefighters.

As a recently-retired fire chief, Gritz said adding a fire hydrant and valve are needed because one of those streets would be hard for firefighters to get to at the present fire hydrant.

Also, there is another hydrant in that area that was “not one of the best,” Gritz said.

He said the town’s project would also help the school with a parking project that had been put off due to costs in moving those waterlines.

The school wants to put in angle parking on the west side of Mitchell Road by cementing over the utility ditches in front of the elementary school to the south, Gritz. said.

That cost isn’t feasible for them if they had to move the town’s water lines so “this could be a win-win for both of us,” he said.

Trustees unanimously accepted the grant: Mayor Clif Vogt, Vice Mayor Harold Shaw, Trustee David Jones, Randy Bohnstedt and Gritz.

Water Meter Damages Will Cost You $$$

The board approved an ordinance to charge utility customers for parts of, or entire water meters, damaged or destroyed. Those costs run from $25, $30, $175 up to $850 plus $45 an hour labor to replace parts.

An emergency clause was added to the ordinance, which means it will go into effect as soon as the public notice is published in the Kingfisher Times & Free Press.

Jones said he had to have his water meter moved outside his fence because of a building error.

Now “lots of teenagers” turn east near his house “at high rates of speed on their motorcycles or in cars. What if they run over my water meter?”

“Call the police,” said Gritz.

Jones said he has a surveillance camera, “but they are going so fast that it’s just a blur on the screen and I can’t read their tag numbers.”

Tillman said, “Some people run over them while they are driving into their garage, or drive over them with mowers.”

Other Business/Discussion • Trustees accepted Richard Simunek’s deed for 11 undeveloped lots to be used for “public purposes.” (See story in upcoming editions.)

• They tabled acceptance of a job description for the street superintendent’s position (Tillman said Troy Watkins’ last day is Jan. 26) and that she has asked support employees to write their duties before they decide on a manager’s responsibilities and pay.

• Jones asked why they aren’t hiring a public works director.

“The board approved a job description,” Tillman said, “but not hiring one.”

Gritz said, “I don’t see the need for someone between her and another employee.”

• Approved a policy to encourage citizens to drip water faucets during extended days of sub-freezing temperatures.

Trustee Jones Has Questions

• Have all requests by the state Auditor & Inspector’s Office been answered?

“No,” said both Tillman and Town Clerk Kelley Vaverka.

Tillman said she recently hired two town hall clerks (Hannah Larson as accounts payable and payroll clerk and Melissa Macy as utility billing clerk) and they are helping “catch up.”

Office Manager Shelley Burch is training them.

Vaverka said she doesn’t have all of the minutes and records they asked for, but is working with Kati Walters, the former town clerk, to help her find the missing copies.

Tillman said all of the trustee meeting agendas and minutes should be placed on the town’s website.

• Do we have an open records request clerk yet?

Tillman said no, but the staff would handle any requests.

“Good,” said Jones, “because I have some requests.”

“How far back do you want to go?” asked Gritz. “From 1913 to present?”

Jones said several months.

Tillman told Jones to come by her office “anytime” with questions.

She said she’s available unless her door is closed and she again suggested if board members have questions, or want information, to call her or come by Town Hall.

There was also discussion about getting documents scanned and Jones suggested they get a couple of high school students to aid in that process.

Tillman hedged and Jones suggested it was because of confidential personnel records.

Tillman said her biggest worry is someone taking records out of the office.

Jones reminded staff that although he’d been told by town hall staff there were certain records he couldn’t see, the state Auditor and Inspector’s Office said a town board member could see any document they wanted, including payroll.

“But not an employee’s medical records,” said Tillman.

Jones said he didn’t know they kept them.

• Agenda “read-ups” earlier.

Board members currently receive agendas the same time they are made public (24 hours prior to the meeting as are required by law).

Jones said he’d like to see them earlier so he’d have time to research or “readup” on items he wasn’t familiar with.

“That’s my fault,” said the mayor (because he’s charged with approving the agenda before it goes out).

Tillman said once they get computers set up for each of the board members, they’ll be able to add agenda items weeks, or days, before the deadline and see what others added.

She is working on getting computers for board members so they can get training to use them, she added The board’s next regular monthly meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8.