Estimated costs to repair two rutted, sunken and alligator cracked Hennessey roads caused by “oilfield activity” was $3,494,908.80 in November 2022.

That’s why Hennessey town trustees voted last week to get updated estimates for a 2024 Oklahoma Department of Transportation grant application to repair these roads:

• Mitchell Road from East 7th Street to County Road E630 south to Conoco Road at CR E640.

• Cemetery Road from West 7th Street at CR630 north to State Highway 51/ West Jack Choate Avenue.

The proposed work would include full-depth asphalt pavement on both roads.

This grant is part of a “Municipal Road Drilling Activity Fund” created by the legislature in October, 2022 for communities with less than 15,000 population.

Trustees tasked the update to Cowan Group Engineering during their Thursday, April 11, meeting.

Other Actions

• Scheduled a board “work session” meeting on town codes at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 18;

• Approved a contract with Jared Harrison as the town’s attorney.

• Designated Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman as the authorized agent and payroll clerk and Hannah Larson as the authorized signer for the Oklahoma Municipal Retirement Fund Plan.

Volunteers Needed for Two Boards

Tillman said volunteers are needed to serve on the Planning Board and the Board of Adjustments.

Usually there are meetings only once a year, she said, and asked for anyone interested to call or go by Town Hall to talk with her.

Number of openings and current members are:

• Planning (one opening) – Richard Hedrick (chairman), Dustin Munroe; Dustin Vinson and Rachel Rodgers.

• Board of Adjustment (three openings) – Hedrick (chairman) and Vinson.

Discussed – No Action Taken

(1) Incentive pay for employees who obtain additional certifications related to their jobs; (2) Increases in utility rates to match the inflation rate over the past two years and (3) Board member and ad-hoc group reports. See upcoming issues about those discussions.

At the Meeting

Trustees present were: Mayor Clif Vogt, Vice Mayor Harold Shaw, David Jones and Randy Bohnstedt. Trustee Bert Gritz was absent.

Others present were: Town Treasurer Shelley Burch (and employed as office manager); Town Clerk Kelley Vaverka and Tillman.