It didn’t take long for Hennessey’s Board of Trustees and Utilities Authority members to renew employee health, dental, vision and life insurance plans during their Tuesday, Nov. 12, meetings at Town Hall.

The renewal includes that employees will have two choices as to which Blue Cross Blue Shield health care plans work best for them.

Agent Keith Allen told board members to expect 11-13 percent increases.

He said he’d be at the employee “open enrollment” meeting to explain those options and costs and to answer any of their questions.

New Police Chief

Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman introduced Christian Solis, who will become the town’s police chief effective Dec. 20.

Tillman had announced her appointment of Solis in her written monthly board report that was distributed earlier.

December is the last month for current Chief Aaron Pitts, who was elected Kingfisher County sheriff and will take that oath of office on Jan. 2, 2025.

Tillman also said she’d been working with Arledge and Associates over the past weeks to get the 202324 audit completed and hoped to have it by the December meeting.

Admin Report

Other items in Tillman’s written report, but not discussed during the meeting, were:

• Most department inventory lists are in and when all are received and compiled members will be given copies.

• REAP grant application for completion of automatic water meter system was submitted Oct. 30.

• The EPA started a GLO (Get the Lead Out) Initiative to help communities identify any lead service lines.

Tillman, Public Works Director Alyssa Kubat and Bryan Schwegal of Cowan Group Engineering will meet with representatives next week to get more information.

At the Brief Meeting

This month’s meetings lasted less than 30 minutes and only the insurance and Tillman’s report were not included in approval without discussion/comments: claims, department reports and quarterly financial report.

All trustees were present: Mayor Harold Shaw, Bert Gritz, David Jones and Randy Bohnstedt.

Other elected officials at the meeting were Kelley Vaverka, town clerk, and Shelley Burch, town treasurer.

In addition to Tillman, others present at the staff table were Kubat and Pitts. In the audience were Solis and his wife, Madison.

Absent was Town Attorney Jared Harrison.