Oklahoma Ranks 7th for Vaccine Doses Administered

Statistics show that Oklahoma is one of the best when it comes to administering doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Oklahoma currently ranks 7th in the nation for the number of vaccines given.  

According to health care officials, other states are calling wanting to know how Oklahoma is doing it.  Oklahoma Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said, “I think our plan was built around the strengths that we know that we have as a state.”  

Officials note that there are still many more to be vaccinated but the process is moving forward.  Health officials estimate they have vaccinated nearly one-third of the state’s senior population that desire the shot.

Reed said that the state has roughly followed the procedures that have been implemented in the past for distributing flu vaccines. Officials have been reaching out to the citizens through those same clinics and health care professionals and basically using the same system but just ramping out the rollout.

Reed noted that the state is operating with a major sense of urgency.  He said, “We know we always have more to do.”

Those who desire to get the vaccine are encouraged to go to the Oklahoma State Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccine portal online and sign up.

Frank McCoy, News Staff

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CN Shares COVID-19 Respond, Recover, Rebuild Spending Report

The Cherokee Nation Treasurer released the tribe’s COVID-19 Respond, Recover, Rebuild Spending Report on Thursday, showing the number of ways the tribe has served citizens through job and food security, economic relief, health care, housing and connectivity during the pandemic.

The Cherokee Nation received $411 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury for Coronavirus Relief assistance. Other federal COVID-19 funding received was spent as prescribed by each funding agency, such as USDA food program, health or transportation needs.

“The Cherokee Nation Finance Office has worked closely with Administration and the Council of the Cherokee Nation to ensure that our relief dollars helped our Cherokee citizens stay safe, stay working and had the basic essential needs such as food, shelter, health care, and clothing to get through this pandemic,” Treasurer Tralynna Sherrill Scott said. “We are extremely proud to have served more than 130,000 citizens with direct assistance using the Coronavirus Relief Fund and thousands more of our citizens through other essential programs and services we’ve offered.”

The Cherokee Nation provided relief by dedicating $177 million for jobs so that employees did not miss a paycheck or experience layoffs in the past year. Another $54 million went directly to individual citizens for emergency relief, clothing assistance, those with disabilities, utilities and other needs.

The Cherokee Nation also invested $38 million in PPE and safety supplies, including setting up its own N95 and N99 mask production. Once operational, the Cherokee Nation will be the only manufacturer of N99 masks in the United States. An additional $22 million was invested in public health infrastructure needs such as, new employee health clinics, expanded domestic violence shelters, and community water line and water treatment improvements.

“We went where the needs were and the needs were all over, and different for different communities,” Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “There was an ongoing need for PPE manufacturing, so we are having Cherokees produce them in the Cherokee Nation. Other facilities will be used for food security efforts. As we continue the largest emergency food distribution program in the history of the Cherokee Nation we need strategic locations to store and distribute food. Other locations are a way to spread staff and the citizens they serve out through social distancing.”

Another important way the Cherokee Nation is helping communities and addressing needs through the COVID-19 pandemic is by addressing the digital divide throughout the reservation. The Cherokee Nation sent over $19 million in Technology Grants to students to help them purchase necessary equipment for distance learning. The Nation spent an additional $27 million toward improving connectivity, including providing more than 9,000 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots that included a year of service to Cherokee Nation citizens with no internet connectivity, as well as making investments to improve telework and telehealth capabilities.

“Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll also be wrapping up the deployment of 35, Cherokee Connect drive up locations, where folks can pull into a parking lot, remain in their vehicles to socially distance and connect to the Internet,” Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “These sites are strategically placed to make them easily accessible in many rural parts of the reservation.”

The Cherokee Nation also launched the largest emergency food distribution effort in the tribe’s history which served more than 112,000 tribal citizens with boxes of foods during more than 300 food events held in the Cherokee Nation. More than 70,000 ready-made meals were also delivered to Cherokee elders.

The tribe spent $27 million to address food security through the pandemic, including the construction of five new food distribution centers, a meat processing facility, and additional refrigerated trucks. The tribe made other investments in public health, career services, community organizations, housing and economic relief.

A Respond, Recover and Rebuild website to house the spending report for Cherokee citizens will be available online next week.

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Voter Registration Deadline is Feb. 5 for Sallisaw School Special Election

Friday, February 5, is the last day to apply for voter registration in order to be eligible to vote in the March 2, Sallisaw Public School Special Election, Sequoyah County Election Board Secretary Cindy Osborn said today. 

Osborn said that persons who are United States citizens, residents of Oklahoma, and at least 18 years old may apply to become registered voters. Those who aren’t registered or need to change their registration may apply by filling out and mailing an Oklahoma Voter Registration Application form in time for it to be postmarked no later than midnight Friday, February 5. 

Osborn said applications postmarked after that time will be accepted and processed, but not until after March 2. The County Election Board responds in writing to every person who submits an application for voter registration. The response is either a voter identification card listing the new voter's precinct number and polling place location or a letter that explains the reason or reasons the application for voter registration was not approved. 

Osborn said any person who has submitted a voter registration application and who has not received a response within 30 days should contact the County Election Board office. 

Oklahoma Voter Registration Application forms are available at the County Election Board office located at 110 E. Creek St., and at most post offices, tag agencies and public libraries in the county. Applications also are available at www.elections.ok.gov. 

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Well-Timed Truck Theft Gets Man in Hot Water

A brazen truck theft has Sallisaw police seeking Justin Ray Walker, 25, who has been charged with larceny of an automobile, records show.

A felony arrest warrant was issued Jan. 25 for Walker, who was seen on video jumping into the truck and taking off.

He faces up to five years in the Department of Corrections or a fine in an amount that is equal to three times the value of the property that was stolen or both. His bond was set at $20,000.

On Jan. 11, a Sallisaw man reported that he pulled up to a Dumpster near the Boys & Girls Club. He said he exited the vehicle and walked toward the trash bin. That’s when he heard the door of his 2008 Dodge Ram shut and saw the truck speeding away. He said he had noticed someone sitting near a bench about 20-30 yards away when he pulled up. He later received an alert that the pickup had traveled through both tolls on the Muskogee Turnpike.

Sallisaw police went to review video footage at the Boys & Girls Club and they watched as the subject on the bench near the old school met with the suspect who stole the truck. As they continued watching, they saw the man pull up and spotted someone come running from the old school park and jump into the driver’s seat of the truck. The truck then took off headed north at a high rate of speed.

The person sitting on the bench was identified as Heath Looper, who said the person who took the truck was Walker. Looper said he was moving Walker’s belongings out of a residence where he was staying and they were taking a break at the old schoolhouse, which was about 30 yards from where the truck was stolen. Looper said Walker asked him to watch his stuff while he went back to the residence. Looper said he heard a truck door slam and saw it take off. He said he waited on police but could not prove any of that information.

In a written statement, Looper said he returned to the residence where Walker had been staying, which belonged to another male. The residence was about two blocks from where the truck was stolen.

On Jan. 20, police spoke with homeowner. They showed him a video clip of what appeared to be Walker running to the pickup that was stolen. The homeowner stated that he recognized Walker and said he had made Walker leave his residence and had not seen him since.

Also on Jan. 20, police spoke with a woman to review video footage. The footage showed a male subject running from the park area to the truck. The police took photos of the subject, who was later positively identified as Walker.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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Sallisaw Voters to Decide March 2 School Bond Issue

Voters in the Sallisaw school district will go to the polls March 2 to decide whether to allow Sallisaw Public Schools to issue $3.5 million in bonds that the school system would use to construct storm shelters for use by the school and the public.

If the bond issue passes, the school system plans to upgrade buildings, acquire school furniture, fixtures and equipment, along with the construction of the storm shelters.

The storm shelters are made possible by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and they won’t be just for students. They are required by FEMA to be large enough to provide 4 feet of space for each student during school hours, but when school is not in session, the shelters will be available to Sallisaw residents and those in area communities during inclement weather.

Construction is expected to take about 10 months.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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Fort Smith Woman Caught With Sequoyah County Fugitive

           Leigha Ann Yerton                Larry Shane Cureton       

A Fort Smith, Ark., woman was arrested Jan. 21 in Roland and charged with harboring a fugitive from justice, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Leigha Ann Yerton, 43, was released on $3,000 bond.

On Jan. 20, a Sequoyah County Sheriff’s investigator, who is also a task force officer with the United States Marshals Service, was conducting a fugitive investigation on Larry Shane Cureton.

Cureton was wanted out of Sequoyah County for the distribution of a controlled dangerous substance including possession with intent to distribute, a felony motion to revoke warrant, issued Oct. 5, 2020.

After receiving information that Cureton was at Cherokee Casino in Roland, the investigator was allowed to see video footage that showed Cureton entering Room 820 at the casino. Marshals Service personnel went to the hotel room and breached the door, ordering the two occupants, one identified as Cureton and one as Yerton, out of the room. Both were detained.

On Jan. 13, Yerton had told investigators that Cureton usually finds her wherever she may be. When asked if she knew if he had any warrants, she replied, “Yeah, I know he has warrants and he never turned himself in to go to prison in Oklahoma.” She was then informed that the Marshals Service was looking for him and that she was to contact them if she saw him or had any contact with him. She agreed.

On Jan. 20, when the pair was discovered in the hotel room, Yerton was asked why she didn’t contact officials. She said they had been dating for more than a year and it is “hard to let him go.”

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane Declares County a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary

Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane has joined several other Oklahoma sheriffs in declaring their counties Second Amendment sanctuaries.

A Second Amendment sanctuary, also known as a gun sanctuary, is a state, county or locality in the United States that has adopted laws or resolutions that oppose, or purport to prohibit or impede, the enforcement of certain gun control measures.

In an official statement released Jan. 26, Lane said:

“I am joining many other sheriffs across Oklahoma who have declared their counties to be Second Amendment sanctuaries. It is my intention by making this declaration to enforce our lawful citizens’ rights to bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. The Second Amendment clearly outlines that citizens can have firearms in their homes for self-defense so long as they are law-abiding citizens and are not otherwise prohibited to possess firearms. I swore an oath to the Constitution and will always stand by that oath.

“As sheriff and chief law enforcement officer of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, it will always be the goal of the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office to provide service and protection to the people of Sequoyah County without infringing on their rights to possess firearms to protect themselves and their property.

“I am also declaring my support for Senator Warren Hamilton’s Senate Bill 631 of the first session of the 58th Oklahoma Legislature of 2021. If Senator Hamilton’s bill is passed, it will make the entire state of Oklahoma a Second Amendment sanctuary.”

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states: A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

The Second Amendment sanctuary declaration movement among sheriffs is considered to be primarily a symbolic gesture of support.

Oklahoma's permitless carry law allows anyone age 21 or over, unless disqualified from possessing a firearm under state and federal law, to carry without a permit.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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Ensey Fails to Register as Sex Offender

Gary Ensey

A Sallisaw man is being sought by police for failing to register as a sex offender, court records show.

Gary Ensey, 64, faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 on the felony charge. His bond was set at $7,500.

On Dec. 30, a Sequoyah County Sheriff’s investigator asked a deputy to make contact with Ensey after an address verification letter sent to him was not returned to the Department of Corrections and Ensey did not contact the investigator to make an appointment to have that letter signed and sent back.

The deputy tried to make contact with Ensey but was unsuccessful. His nephew stated that Ensey was staying in Fort Smith, Ark., at the time but he did not know when he would be back at his Sallisaw address, which, as it turns out, does not exist. Messages left at phone numbers Ensey provided went unanswered and he has not contacted the Sheriff’s Office to give notice of change of address to the Department of Corrections as of this date.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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Cherokee Nation to Disperse Rare Heirloom Seeds Beginning Feb. 1

White Eagle Corn is among this year’s available heirloom seeds

as well as a variety of gourds, Indian corn beads and native plants.

The Cherokee Nation will begin dispersing its limited supply of heirloom seeds Feb. 1 to tribal citizens who are interested in growing traditional Cherokee crops.

In 2020, the Cherokee Nation distributed 5,140 packages of seeds to tribal citizens.

“The Cherokee people have a long history of harvesting seeds and passing them down, and this seed bank program is keeping that tradition alive with new generations of Cherokees,” said Cherokee Nation cultural biologist Feather Smith. “Not only do these plants provide an opportunity for Cherokees to preserve our history and heritage, but also to educate our youth in Cherokee culture.”

Cherokee Nation citizens are limited to two varieties of seeds, and each applicant must either confirm their citizenship via the website or submit a copy of his or her Cherokee tribal citizenship card, proof of age and address.

Among this year’s available heirloom seeds include Cherokee White Eagle Corn, Trail of Tears Beans, Georgia Candy Roaster Squash, a variety of gourds, Indian corn beads and native plants such as the Rattlesnake Master, Wild Senna and Possum Grape.

"The heirloom seeds available in our seed bank are varieties that the Cherokee people harvested long before European contact,” said Senior Director of Cherokee Nation Environmental Resources Pat Gwin. "For Cherokee citizens who are looking to make a cultural connection to our history, planting and sustaining these crops is a great way to do so. Cherokee traditionalist Redbird Smith said in his cultural teachings that ‘no self-respecting Cherokee would ever be without a corn patch.’ As Cherokees, this is something we must never forget so our traditional crops can continue to thrive for future generations.”

Due to concerns caused by COVID-19, the Cherokee Nation Seed Bank program will only be taking orders online or by phone.

Citizens can submit order requests online by visiting https://secure.cherokee.org/seedbank. Create an account and follow the instructions to see a complete list of available seeds and to place and track orders. Previous participants of the tribe’s seed bank program can also use this link to log in and update their shipping address before submitting orders.

To submit an order request by phone, citizens can call 918-453-5336. For more information on the Seed Bank program, email seedbank@cherokee.org.

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Deadline for City Election Absentee Ballots is Feb. 2

Less than a week remains for registered voters in Sequoyah County to apply for absentee ballots to be mailed to them for the February 9, City of Sallisaw Election, according to County Election Board Secretary Cindy Osborn.

Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 2, to be processed in time for the election. 

Absentee voters may apply in person at the County Election Board office or may send their applications by mail, fax, or e-mail. An online version of the form may be filled out and submitted electronically at www.elections.ok.gov. 

Any registered voter eligible to vote in the election may vote by absentee ballot without stating a reason, Osborn said, however absentee voters can activate certain special conditions in the following circumstances: 

• Registered voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may apply for absentee ballots only by mail, fax, e-mail, online or via an agent who is at least 16 years of age and who is not employed by or related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot. 

• Registered voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may apply by mail, by fax, by e-mail, online or via an agent who is at least 16 years of age and who is not employed by or related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot. 

• Military personnel, residents of Sequoyah County living overseas, and the spouses and dependents of each group may apply only by mail, by fax, or by e-mail. 

For more information and instructions, military and overseas voters may visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website: www.fvap.gov/oklahoma.

For more information on absentee voting, contact the County Election Board at 110 E. Creek St. The telephone number is 918-775-2614. The County Election Board’s fax number is 918-775-1205. For additional election-related information, visit: www.elections.ok.gov. 

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Deadline to Request Absentee Ballots for City Election Nears

Less than a week remains for registered voters in Sequoyah County to apply for absentee ballots to be mailed to them for the February 9, City of Sallisaw Election, County Election Board Secretary Cindy Osborn said today.

Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 2, to be processed in time for the election. 

Absentee voters may apply in person at the County Election Board office or may send their applications by mail, fax, or e-mail. An online version of the form may be filled out and submitted electronically at www.elections.ok.gov. 

Any registered voter eligible to vote in the election may vote by absentee ballot without stating a reason, Osborn said, however absentee voters can activate certain special conditions in the following circumstances: 

• Registered voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may apply for absentee ballots only by mail, fax, e-mail, online or via an agent who is at least 16 years of age and who is not employed by or related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot. 

• Registered voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may apply by mail, by fax, by e-mail, online or via an agent who is at least 16 years of age and who is not employed by or related within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity to any person whose name appears on the ballot. 

• Military personnel, residents of Sequoyah County living overseas, and the spouses and dependents of each group may apply only by mail, by fax, or by e-mail. 

For more information and instructions, military and overseas voters may visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website: www.fvap.gov/oklahoma.

For more information on absentee voting, contact the County Election Board at 110 E. Creek St. The telephone number is 918-775-2614. The County Election Board’s fax number is 918-775-1205. For additional election-related information, visit: www.elections.ok.gov. 

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Municipal Candidate Filing Period Begins Monday

Candidates for municipal office in Sequoyah County may file Declarations of Candidacy beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1.

The filing period ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Declarations of candidacy will be accepted at the county Election Board office for the indicated offices for each of the following municipalities:

*Town of Gore: Board of Trustees Ward 2, Ward 4 (4-year term)

*Town of Muldrow: Board of Trustees Ward 2, Ward 4 (4-year term); Ward 3 (unexpired 2-year term); Town Clerk/Treasurer

*Town of Paradise Hills: Three Trustees (4-year term)

*Town of Roland: Board of Trustees Ward 2, Ward 4 (4-year term)

*Town of Vian: Two trustees (4-year term); Town Clerk/Treasurer

The municipal offices at stake in Gore, Muldrow, Paradise Hills, Roland and Vian will be filled in the non-partisan election scheduled for April 6.

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DiamondNet Beginning Upgrades to Move to High Definition

DiamondNet technician Jacob Acker works to install new HD video equipment.

The City of Sallisaw has announced a major upgrade to its DiamondNet video services. Beginning January 27, DiamondNet technicians will begin the process of moving most of its video programming to High Definition (HD) signals. 

This change will also affect the channel lineup as well, as most of the channel lineup in the 800 range will revert back to its lower channel home. 

Beginning January 27, video customers will notice periodic outages of video channels while equipment is being changed over. Customers who may not have a HD television need not worry as their digital set top converter will convert down to a suitable resolution. 

“We are upgrading our headend video processing/modulating equipment for the first time since launch back in 2005. It is state of the art and will provide superior picture and audio quality as well as reliability," explained DiamondNet Telecommunications Supervisor Clint Smith. 

"At the same time we are cleaning up our channel lineup by removing all standard definition channels that we currently carry in HD, replacing them with the HD feed which will eliminate the 800 tier of HD channels. We are also launching approximately 25 HD feeds of existing channels as well as launching the Bounce and Court TV/Mystery channels. This will allow us to have a full HD lineup in the very near future as well as give us the capacity to add many more new channels,” added Smith.

DiamondNet was launched in 2005. Sallisaw was the first community in Oklahoma to become a Fiber to the Home Community and offer a triple play in telecommunications services (Phone, Television, High Speed Internet). DiamondNet now provides services to over 2,000 subscribers in and around Sallisaw. 

KXMX News Staff

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City Installing New Payment Kiosk

A new payment kiosk will give City of Sallisaw customers a new way to pay their utility and DiamondNet bills.

City crews are hard at work on the finishing touches to the driveway to the kiosk, which will be on Choctaw Street. Customers will enter the drive-up to the kiosk from Choctaw Street and will exit behind the Chamber of Commerce office or onto Wheeler Avenue. The kiosk itself isn’t here yet, but city officials are expecting it soon.

City Hall will still be open for customers to pay their bills, but for those who work odd hours or have to pay their bills after closing time, the kiosk will provide an additional payment option.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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CASC Launches Cooperative Education Plan with NSU

Carl Albert State College has announced the launch of a new cooperative planning program for all CASC education majors planning to complete their degree at Northeastern State University (NSU) in Tahlequah, OK. The “NSU-CASC Education 2+2 Smart Choice Agreement” program is intended to provide a map for all CASC students to tailor their class schedule around the final NSU degree requirements. CASC is proud to have a premier education program offered to students; the Associate of Arts in Pre-Elementary Education at CASC sets students up to complete their education degree. 

In addition, CASC boasts a very active chapter of the Oklahoma Aspiring Educations Association, with the goal of providing an enriching experience for all future educators at CASC. The Smart Choice agreements are applicable to the Elementary Education, Early Childhood, and Special Education degree programs at NSU. “We should all celebrate what this will do to help our current and future students who are pursuing a degree in education,” said Bill Nowlin, CASC Vice President Enrollment Management. “Thanks go to the College of Education at NSU and our own Susan Hill, whom CASC is blessed to have in our family.”

“Working with Dr. Lisa Bisogno, Associate Dean at NSU’s College of Education, has just been so great. She deserves a great deal of credit,” said Susan Hill, CASC instructor and coordinator of the project. “With this degree plan, nearly all of the courses from NSU can be completed online or as synchronous courses from the student's home. Most courses will be synchronous or virtual. It’s a win-win for the student!”

Under the Smart Choice Agreement, students should be able to complete their bachelor's degree in four years. Those taking concurrent classes or summer classes could actually complete the degree even more quickly. “Thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Hill and our NSU partners our institutions are able to continue to grow stronger, more efficient opportunities for students to succeed,” said Dr. Marc Willis, CASC Vice President Academic Affairs. “Truly, this is a wonderful opportunity for students throughout Eastern Oklahoma.”

Carl Albert State College has been named the best community college in Oklahoma with over 28 degree programs. Northeastern State University’s early childhood education degree has been ranked No. 27 out of 85 by Discover Early Childhood EDU as the most affordable bachelor’s degree.

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Hooper Charged After Gun Theft

Bryan Randale Hooper

A felony arrest warrant was issued Jan. 21 for a Sallisaw man accused of several crimes. Hooper was arrested and released on $15,000 bond Jan. 22

Bryan Randale Hooper, 27, was charged with grand larceny, which is punishable by up to two years in the Department of Corrections and a fine of up to $1,000; third-degree burglary, punishable by five years in prison; and possession of a firearm after former felony conviction, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. 

On Jan. 2, a Sallisaw police officer learned that a Kimber 1911 LHX custom pistol had been pawned at a pawn shop in Broken Arrow. The pawn shop confirmed that the gun matched one that had been entered as stolen by the Sallisaw Police Department.

The officer contacted the male who said he had bought the weapon for $200. 

After an extensive investigation including interviews with multiple people who had been in possession of the gun, officers were able to identify Hooper.

Officers were able to locate Hooper at a Sallisaw residence where he was caring for the children of one of the women interviewed. When asked about the gun, Hooper acted as if he knew nothing about it, then said he found it on the side of the road in a black bag. He said he sold for $50.

The officer informed Hooper that he had been working on the case for a while and that Hooper looked like the person who was seen getting in the vehicle the gun was stolen from. Hooper admitted getting into a red truck and taking the bag from inside. 

Hooper was then advised that he wouldn’t be going to jail that day because he had children in the residence. A warrant was subsequently issued.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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Sallisaw City Manager Releases State of the City

Special submission from Sallisaw City Manager Keith Skelton

State of the City and Looking to the Future

As we move into 2021, and hopefully leave the many national issues of 2020 behind us, I thought it would be a good time to discuss the City of Sallisaw; where we are and where we are going.

Needless to say, COVID has been a big issue for our community, state, and the world. Being rural, Sallisaw has been somewhat shielded from the large outbreaks seen in other places. But that doesn’t mean we have not had our issues and challenges. For the City of Sallisaw, those challenges have centered around keeping employees and their families healthy so that city services can continue without interruption. I am happy to say that we have been able to do that, although at times it has been extremely challenging. Our city workforce has seen infections and quarantines, but we have been able to work through everything and continue to provide services to our citizens.

For city operations, we have been on a three-year program to improve operations and to lay out a plan for future infrastructure needs of the city. The numerous services we provide dictate that we must continue purchasing and performing preventive maintenance on many types of assets, including equipment needed to provide our services. But, it is just not city services alone we must pay attention to. We must also look at quality of life items in our community. All of this requires that funding be in place; both current and future funding. Some of the items we have completed the last three years include replacement of sewer lines, completion of Phase I of our flow basin project at the wastewater treatment plant, renewed efforts on our street asphalt programs, completion of landfill cell VIII, and replacement of electric poles at all of our Interstate 40 crossings. Since 2017, we have documented over $5.2 million worth of projects that have been completed in the community.

Quality of life amenities for our community have also been part of our projects. Our new splashpad at Jay Reynolds Park is operational and has been enjoyed by many families. We have a new civic center/event room that will open as soon as the COVID situation allows. The construction of our new walking trail at the sports complex is almost 100% complete, with more amenities coming quickly. Along with the sports complex, Sequoyah Trail will soon become a staple of our community and a popular gathering spot. We have constructed a new gazebo on the library lawn, as well as completed improvements to the outside of the library. These improvements included fresh paint, replacement of rotten wood and windows, a new entry door, and removal of flower beds, which were replaced with concrete and flowerpots. A very exciting addition to the library lawn was the chainsaw carving of a young girl sitting on books and reading. Watching Mr. Coss carve out the girl with a chainsaw was an amazing sight to witness. This year we were also able to provide new Christmas decorations for the downtown area, with the library being the central focal point. Our plans are to add more decorations in the next budget.

Financially, the City of Sallisaw is strong. The City is in as good of shape as it has ever been. We continue to build our reserves and improve the net position of the City. Our net position has increased over 80% since 2016. Sales tax has seen a 13% increase since 2017 and has set many records for monthly receipts. Use tax has seen an enormous 100% increase since 2017, and our hotel motel tax receipts continue to average around $98,000 per year. All of this shows that Sallisaw is growing!

Over the course of the next two years we have many projects that will become reality. The replacement of the North Electrical Substation, a $1 million project, is on track to start construction in September of 2021. We are currently completing Phase II of the wastewater treatment plant flow basin project, and we plan to install a new bar screen and rehabilitate an out of commission aeration basin. Once our work at the wastewater treatment plant is completed, we will have invested close to $2 million on the aging plant. Did you know the wastewater plant was originally built in 1970 and upgraded in 1991? Portions of this plant are over 30 years old, with some approaching 50 years in age. I must complement our employees at the wastewater plant, they do an excellent job in keeping this plant operational and dependable. But, as with all things, soon we will have to address the construction of a new plant.

This year we will also work on continued expansion of our landfill facility, as well as the construction of a new methane gathering facility. The methane facility is a perfect example of a public/private partnership that benefits all involved. The methane will be harvested through wells, sold and injected into a gas transmission main.

Of course, the exciting news about our community is the new Veterans Care Facility coming to Sallisaw. This facility will provide a new home to 175 veterans and create over 275 new jobs in our community. Construction has started and we are very excited to welcome the Veterans to Sallisaw. I cannot say enough about our city project team and our many community partners who worked tirelessly to bring the new facility to Sallisaw. Along the way we have made many new friends and partnerships with members of the ODVA and their Board of Directors. It is an honor to have them as part of our community.

Along with the new Veterans facility, city staff has been answering many inquiries from investors and companies looking at Sallisaw for expansion. Although this slowed due to the COVID virus, we are seeing an increase in inquiries again. Economic Development is high on our list for our community and we are constantly looking for the right partnerships to bring to Sallisaw. SLPT and Aviagen continue to benefit the community, with Aviagen continuing to grow their presence in Sallisaw with multiple expansions. Economic Development is about the right company, the right people, and the right location at the right time. All of this and more must fall into place for other growth opportunities in Sallisaw.

As we move into 2021 the Board of City Commissioners and our employees will continue their efforts to make Sallisaw an even better place in the future. Our city employees work very hard every day for our community. On a daily basis they are taking care of your sanitation needs, keeping the electric and water on, protecting our great community and providing many other services and customer service needs. Our City Council provides the leadership and forethought our community needs. They are a great group to work for and do an excellent job guiding city staff. I have always said we have the best employees in the State of Oklahoma. Combine our employees with the tremendous leadership of our City Council, more great things will come to Sallisaw.

I invite all of you to follow our social media accounts, as this is our way of communicating with you on a daily basis. If you ever want to visit in person, please let us know, we will be happy to answer any questions you have and to help in any way possible.

Sincerely,

Keith Skelton

City Manager

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