Commissioners Vote to Hold February 2020 Election

The Sallisaw Board of City Commissioners agreed to schedule an election for Sequoyah County at their monthly meeting Monday.

The unanimous decision will allow staff to notify the secretary of the Sequoyah County Election Board of the need for the vote, which will determine the mayor and chief of police, each for three-year terms.

The filing period begins at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2, and ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4. The vote will be held Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2020.

Tom Dougherty, the director of transportation safety with the Oklahoma Municipal Authority/MESO, was on hand to present certificates to Blakely Smith Jr. and Sheldon Caughman, city electrical workers that successfully completed a series of tests to become certified journeymen. The men were not on hand to accept the certificates.

In other business, the board approved a plan to modify the budget for the 2017 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Wastewater Treatment Plant Flow Equalization Basin Project. The plan will also allow the mayor to sign grant-related paperwork.

The revised project budget is $1,755,492. Phase 1 of the work will cost $792,327, of which the city will provide $343,537. Grant funds will total about $450,000.

The council also approved a purchase order for $28,377.40 to Randall Ford of Fort Smith, Ark., for the purchase of a 2020 Ford F-150 Crew Cab truck that will be used in the Fleet Maintenance Department.

Other agenda items receiving the board’s approval were an administrative plat of the JRT Trucking Addition by Allen D. Owen Jr., as well as the annexation to the city of property currently owned by Cedar Street Properties, LLC.

The panel also approved an amended ordinance regarding fair housing, which will bring the city into compliance with the rules for cities that receive CDBG grants.

In addition, the commissioners approved a city staff request to reinvest a general fund certificate of deposit (CD) for 182 days with Firstar Bank. 

After the commissioners’ meeting, the panel met as the Sallisaw Municipal Authority and approved a similar request.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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