In a bustling session held on April 9, the Webbers Falls Board of Trustees addressed a range of community matters, from park activities to infrastructure projects and employee compensation.
During the public speaking segment, Meghan Johnson apprised the board of upcoming events in Webbers Falls, highlighting a Walk, Bike & Roll to school on May 2 and two scheduled 5K runs for the summer months.
Communications from various departments revealed progress and initiatives within the community. Mayor Johnny Pollard reported on tree removal in the park following a safety incident, while police chief Cartwright announced a significant Cherokee Nation donation and ongoing efforts towards accreditation. Fire chief Armstong provided updates on the fire department’s ISO audit, and city maintenance reported completion of the sewer lagoon project. During code enforcement, Justin Ohl reported mowing season had started and they were making progress on cleanup.
One of the significant discussions centered around the selection of a contractor for a roofing project. After opening bids from A-1 Commercial Roofing and Ricochet Roofing/Coating, the board voted to award the project to A-1 Commercial Roofing for $168,000.
Other agenda items included approving payments for various invoices, authorizing contractor payments for completed projects, and discussing plans for future grants and community participation initiatives.
No action was taken on a first public hearing for the 2024 Water/ Wastewater Engineering CDBG application for the town as required by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. However, the trustees voted to adopt the Citizen Participation Plan for the application. The trustees then voted to adopt the resolution to apply for the grant for the purpose of engineering and construction of a chlorination basin and related items at wastewater treatment lagoons, according to meeting minutes.
In a move to support local employment, the board voted to raise the starting pay for parttime summer help from $11 to $13.50 per hour. Additionally, they approved the Chamber’s request to utilize the lower section of the park for activities on June 8.
The meeting concluded with an executive session to discuss personnel matters, specifically regarding Wayne Cartwright, without further action taken.
With the agenda items addressed and decisions made, the meeting adjourned at 7:29 p.m., marking another step forward in the ongoing development and management of the Webbers Falls community.
This news story is based on the unofficial minutes from the board meeting and could be in error if the minutes are changed prior to adoption.