More signage and handout costs for a “Welcome to Hennessey” promotion were approved by town trustees at their Thursday night meeting.

Jack Quirk presented his company’s plan using QR code signs on Main Street, in parks, at The Hennessey Event Center (aka The Dome) and other sites.

His plan includes “Welcome Tickets” that includes the QR code that will take visitors to his All About Hennessey site.

Visitors can click on with their phones for a town map (showing locations of The Dome, Cow Palace, Rodeo Grounds and other community parks, schools, banks, hotel, etc.)

They may also click for a list of restaurants (their locations and menus), shops (and what they offer), where they can stay and current/upcoming events such as the annual Wine & Chocolate Festival, car shows, musical performances, school athletic programs, etc.

The site is up now and updates will be added as needed, Quirk told the board.

He said costs for the metal signs for downtown light posts and at other locations, decals and welcome tickets will run the town $5,230.

“I’ve never used a QR code,” said Mayor Bert Gritz before the vote to approve the cost.

Quirk told him he could do it on his phone and also said most young people use it all the time.

Gritz took a photo of the code on a sample sign used in Quirk’s pitch to the board before the board approved the expenditure.

There is a link on the town’s website to Quirk’s site because he gets “20,000 hits a month,” he said in answer to a comment by Vice Mayor Clif Vogt.

Other trustees at the meeting were Richard Simunek and David Jones. Absent was Trustee Harold Shaw.

The town hired Quirk for $3,500 a month in June 2022 “as long as funds are available” to create a “Discover Hennessey” program on his website to promote the town. The two-year program is to be paid through hotel/motel taxes returned to the town each month.

The town is already using a new logo design by a Royal Signs, a local company, on its vehicles, letterheads, signage at Town Hall and on entrances into town.

Quirk’s arrangement with the town does not include “hard costs” such as printing, signage, labor to install signage, postage or travel expenses, he told the board last year.

Dispatcher Severance Pay

Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman recommended severance pay for two dispatchers who plan to stay until the town switches over to county E-911 dispatchers once all the mechanical updates are made.

The pay and benefits for those two employees is $5,800 a month, she said.

She suggested three to six months pay.

Trustee David Jones asked if it was OK for them to discuss the pay in open session as long as they didn’t use any names.

Tillman said that was correct.

Jones said he’d gone over the information she emailed them and Jones thought it should be three months instead of six months, he said.

Tillman said those two employees had stayed through all of the unknowns that started in December about their jobs.

Jones said he thought three months is enough time for them to find another job.

Gritz agreed with Jones on the three months.

Tillman said their pay was in the budget through the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

Vogt motioned for the two dispatchers to be paid severance through June 30, and it was unanimously approved.

Other Actions

The board approved a request by the Howdy Truck Stop owner to make quarterly payments of sales tax returns payable directly to the First National Bank & Trust Co. of Chickasha via a lockbox agreement.

The town had agreed to repay Howdy for paving costs on the Main Street extension if they would locate inside the town limits.

They also routinely approved an interlocal governmental contract with the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office to house inmates there.

Tillman said if county charges are filed against an inmate, there is no cost to the town, but if there are only municipal charges filed, the town pays for their housing.

Other Comments

Jones said he’d been told that there are several street lights out.

Tillman said when they get calls, or they are reported on the town’s website, OG&E is notified.

It was mentioned that street light outages may also be reported on OG&E’s website.

From the audience, Frank Patton said he’d noticed a lot of flooding near his house and believed it was on Cheyenne.

“It’s from Cheyenne to Cherokee streets,” said Town Clerk Kati Walters, “and I noticed it was worse than usual.”

Tillman said she’d have it checked out.

Administrator’s Report

Water Plant: Tillman said the replacement project is finished at the water plant, and “it’s up and running.” However, in a walkthrough “Cowan Group, our engineer, found seven more items that need attention.”

Drainage Project: On Third, Fourth and Fifth streets is underway and started on Fifth Street. “It will be an open ditch due to the cost restraints,” she said.

Water Main Leak: On South Cheyenne. She said the last was at least 12 feet below ground and they don’t have equipment to fix it “without opening up a big liability.” Gradework Construction was called in to make the repair which will run about $2,700.

Annual Planning Meeting: It was canceled last month due to illnesses, but she is still trying to get an open date.

Ordinances: Attorney is still working on (1) RV/ Sewer Dump and (2) Food Truck.

Building Permits

604 E. 5th St., storage shed; 217 W. Iowa, fence; 108 N. Main, canopy; 319 and 322 W. Kansas, mobile homes (permits denied, being appealed and will go to the Board of Adjustment for decision).

January Police Report

Total Fines: $21,398 (218 traffic stops, 85 citations) Calls for service (92) — Agency assists, 4; Alarm calls, 8; Civil, 6; Animal complaints, 16; Arrests, 4; Civil, 4; Debris in Roadway, 2; Motorist Assists, 7; Medical emergencies, 6; Disturbances, 7; Domestic disturbance, 1; Fire, 6; Gas Leak/Gas Odor, 1; Lift assist, 1; Medical Emergency/ Ambulance Requests, 18; Motorist Assist/Citizen Assist, 10; Reckless Drivers, 5; Runaway, 1; Stolen Property, 1; Suspicious persons/ suspicious vehicles, 13; Warrant Service, 1; Welfare checks, 2.

At the Meeting

In addition to those mentioned above also present was Town Treasurer Shelley Burch.

Visitors were Patton, who is among the five who filed to run for one of the three trustee seats up for election April 4, and Kelley Vaverka, who was the only person to file for the open town clerk position, and who will take office in April.