KT&FP Senior Editor

Kingfisher is another step closer to replacing its nearly 50-year-old fire station after city commissioners approved the purchase of a fouracre tract on South Main Street as the location for the new station, at their regular August meeting Monday night.

Mayor Roxie Alexander and commissioners Wendell Prim, Ryan Deatherage, Geoff Covalt and Kyle Mecklenburg voted unanimously to approve a contract to purchase a home and large lot at 1503 S. Main St. from the heirs of the late Glenn Beebe for $600,000. The purchase price will be paid from the city’s general fund, while the designated sales tax approved by voters continues to accumulate to fund construction of the actual building, City Manager Dave Slezickey said.

Since its inception last November, the half-cent tax has generated about $560,000, City Treasurer Anita James reported.

After the fire station is constructed, any remaining proceeds of the 10-year tax will be used for street repair and other infrastructure maintenance, according to the terms of the tax provision.

The property, located between S&J Heat & Air and the Holt Car Wash, meets the fire department’s request to keep the station on the east side of South Main Street, allowing quick access to Kingfisher’s downtown and older neighborhoods, as well as to the nursing homes and hospital.

The purchase contract was approved contingent on a provision to be drafted by City Attorney Jared Harrison to allow Beebe’s family at least six months to remove items from the house.

The provision won’t delay the construction process since the house will be razed to make room for parking and the fire station itself will be constructed elsewhere on the lot, Slezickey said.

The city has issued a request for proposals – a solicitation for bids on the design work – so the start of construction is months away in any event, he said.

“It’s taken many years to get to this point – we’ve been talking about adding a substation or building a new station since Reuben Pulis was city manager back in the 90s – but it’s gratifying to finally be here,” Kingfisher Fire Chief Tony Stewart told the Times & Free Press after the meeting.

“We are excited knowing that the city and our firefighters will have a building that we can be proud of and that will serve our citizens for decades to come.”

Slezickey announced at the meeting that, at Stewart’s request, the new fire station will include a plaque or some other feature commemorating Beebe, who entered negotiations with the city to sell the property prior to his death in May.

“Glenn loved his community and I think this is just another wonderful thing he has done for his community,” Stewart said Tuesday.

Harrison said he expected official closing on the purchase would be scheduled in about two months.