The City of Kingfisher is looking to relocate a wetlands area from north of the airport to an area east of Atwoods.

The move will allow for a runway extension at Kingfisher Airport to accommodate larger airplanes.

In order to extend the runway, the wetlands that border the airport north of town must be filled in and, according to the Department of Environmental Quality, a space of equal size must be chosen in the area to replace the wetlands being removed.

All of that movement created the most discussion at last Monday’s meeting of the Kingfisher City Commission.

Mayor Geoff Covalt, Vice Mayor Jeff Wittrock and commissioners Dawn Taylor, Debbie Burpo and Kyle Mecklenburg were all present for the meeting, as were City Manager Jim Thomas, City Clerk Brittney Hladik, Treasurer Anita James and City Attorney Jared Harrison.

As part of that discussion, commissioners approved a proposal from CLS & Associates of Oklahoma City for landscape architectural services for the potential move.

The proposal was for $6,555.

John Gooden, who has done much work on behalf of the Kingfisher Airport Authority to help prepare for the wetlands relocation, told the commissioners that he had secured the agreement of the Francis family – with the principles being John Francis, Danny Francis and John Kenney – to relocate the wetlands to an area east of Atwoods on the east side of the railroad tracks that extends east toward Uncle John Creek on the south side of the city.

The area is known as “Harry’s Hole” and was established by Harry Thompson.

Gooden said he is hosting a public meeting at the Interbank Community Room at 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, to provide for public input.

There is an advertisement in this issue of the Times and Free Press explaining that the city of Kingfisher is pursuing a land and water grant to purchase the property for the creation of a new “emerging and forests wetlands.”

(Ed. note: See the accompanying detailed image with descriptions of the property provided by Gooden.)

Gooden commented that Kingfisher Trails has been in discussion with the Francis family to create a walking path through the area east of the railroad tracks as well.

The commissioners also approved an Oklahoma Department of Transportation grant for a crossing at Will Rogers Avenue and Main Street that Gooden has been working on.

The city will pay for $7,500, which is 10 percent of the $75,000 total project budget.

Gooden noted after the meeting that this project ties in with a $375,000 grant project that is part of the overall Kingfisher Trails plan that will connect the Trails from Kingfisher High School on 13th Street east along Will Rogers Avenue to the U.S. Highway 81-Will Rogers intersection.

Gooden said that, as a favor to the Kingfisher Airport Authority, he has been helping with the overall plan for the wetlands relocation, as it fit with the overall Kingfisher Trails vision.