Hennessey town trustees tabled hiring an interim town administrator during a special meeting Tuesday night.

That action came after two hours in an executive session with more than an hour spent with the only candidate listed on the agenda, Nancy Ledford.

There were no comments from members about why the item was tabled.

Ledford was recommended by Oklahoma Municipal Management Services for the temporary position. Monday was the last day that OMMS accepted full-time administrator applications.

Ledford had recently moved to El Reno from Hobart where she was director of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce from 2008 to 2015 and again from 2018 to January 2023.

She was also director of Hobart’s Main Street program from 2019 to January 2023 and was the Hobart city clerk/treasurer from 2001 through 07 (OSU certified as a clerk).

Ledford is a certified chamber manager and has taken accounting and business administration classes.

Her resume listed these pay expectations: $40 an hour plus travel expenses and $10 an hour to OMMS for a placement fee.

While she sat in the audience waiting to be interviewed, Ledford said her husband had recently retired and they moved to El Reno to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Drainage Work Payment Trustee David Jones said he was “stunned” to see the agenda item to pay Krapff Reynolds $83,724.45 on the Mitchell Road drainage project that isn’t finished yet.

“This is only a portion of the money owed,” Vice Mayor Harold Shaw said and pointed out the Krapff Reynolds statement.

It shows the town will still owe $154,347.00 after its pays the current bill and includes costs for adding more work from south of Oklahoma Avenue to Second Street.

Jones thanked them for the clarification, then asked Acting Town Administrator David Treanor if town employees were checking on the work that’s being done.

“The street superintendent is out there watching them,” said Treanor.

Added Fire Hydrant OK’d Trustee and Fire Chief Bert Gritz said he didn’t realize that adding another fire hydrant and valve would cost so much ($9,950) when he said a hydrant was needed on the northwest corner of West 5th and Dunlap streets.

“I thought it would be maybe $3,000,” Gritz said.

“COVID doubled the price of everything,” said Mayor Clif Vogt.

Gritz said he’d leave it up to the board members if they wanted to spend the money.

He was asked why it’s needed and he explained that one of the streets would be hard for firefighters to get to a fire hydrant and there was another hydrant in that area that was not one of the best.

“How often are hydrants serviced?” asked Shaw.

Gritz said every year and they are tested annually for how many gallons per minute they put out.

Shaw moved to approve the new fire hydrant and Trustee Randy Bohnstedt, who is a volunteer firefighter, seconded the motion which was unanimously approved.

Fireworks Ordinance Discussed

“… fireworks, other than airborne fireworks (roman candles, pop bottle rockets, etc.) may be discharged within the city(sic) limits from July 1 to July 4 during the hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.”

Gritz said he’d thought fireworks were only allowed on July 4. “Sure,” said Bohnstedt. “Now we know why you retired (as chief) June 30.”

Employees at the Meeting In addition to elected Town Treasurer Shelley Burch and Clerk Kelley Vaverka (who is also the recording secretary), employees at the meeting were Reserve Police Capt. and Sewer Superintendent Bryan Burch, Town Hall Accounts Payable Clerk Denise Meloy and Treanor.