Notes from WAC meeting on Sept. 9, 2013
A meeting of the Watonga Action Committee was held on Monday
9/9/2013 in City Council chambers. An agenda was posted on the door of the City
Clerk’s office. Dr. Bobby Spencer called
the meeting to order, saying it was not an “official committee meeting” and that anyone can speak. This committee does not make decisions but
makes recommendations to the City Council.
Dr. Spencer introduced Vance Laughlin as the new warden at
Diamondback Correctional facility. He
has been warden at three CCA facilities. Mr. Laughlin confirmed that it is trying to fill approximately 400 positions, and that the prison
staff will need approximately 75 rent houses.
Dr. Spencer then asked for nominations for a new CORD
representative. This committee cannot
appoint a representative but can recommend someone to be appointed by the City
Council. Dr. Spencer nominated Edna
Justice and no one objected. This item will be added to the next City
Council agenda on September 16. The
next CORD meeting is Sept. 19 at 2:00 at the Canadian Valley Technology Center.
Edna said she will go to that meeting.
Dr.Spencer asked Gene Pflughoft from CORD to introduce the
representative from American Community
Contractors LLC, Andrew Gering. There was discussion about the City possibly
contracting with ACC for Code Enforcement services. Mr. Gering handed out a
printed power-point presentation. Gene
P. said that lots of towns are dealing with the problem of blight and code
enforcement, except for Okarche. At a
recent CORD meeting, the Okarche representative said ”we just don’t put up with
it.” It was noted that Okarche is a nice looking
town. The recent study that was done for
Oklahoma City was referred to in these discussions. That study says that property owners that
aren’t motivated to do anything with their property don’t –they just hold on to
it. It doesn’t cost them anything except
their annual property taxes to keep a dilapidated building and not make any
effort to fix it up or sell it. But it
costs the City a lot --- to provide police and fire protection, may cause
increased vandalism and other crimes, loss of income to the city for utility
services, and reduced property values overall.
Clay said there are “definite advantages” to hiring an outside
contractor to handle code enforcement.
ACC intends to contract with other towns also, and that experience will
be valuable to Watonga in determining what ordinances work and which ones
don’t. Bobby said the City has a graduated fee scale for mowing but none present knew what exactly the fees were, for first time mowing and for repeat offenders. Edna Justice asked “what kind of
fees are we talking about” for an outside code enforcement service. And Gene P.
said that Andrew Gering would make a presentation to the city council on the 16th. Clay said that matter is already on the agenda but Bobby Spencer suggested that
Andrew call the City Clerk and fill out the appropriate paperwork to be on the
agenda for the 16th.
It was noted that many property owners have started taking care of their yards since the article in the Watonga Republican about Code Enforcement. Clay said another article will be in the newspaper “in the
near future” to remind people that Watonga is enforcing codes. Eric W. from the Watonga Republican suggested printing
offenders names and addresses in the newspaper, or publishing a list of
offenses and the fee and costs.
Clay said there was a difference in dealing with junk
vehicles on public property (i.e., on the street) vs. on private property. He didn’t elaborate other than to say that
the police have to be involved for code violations on private property. Mary Larson noted that inoperable vehicles on
private property are a safety hazard to the public and to the City. Fire and police responders
cannot get to the building if they are blocked by junk vehicles.
Dr. Spencer brought up past discussions of a Retirement
community project at 11th and Laing.
Due to the economy, the investors who were interested in the past have
“changed their focus”. Gene said they
are looking at possibly building housing for incoming CCA employees. Four lots that are available through the Land
Run would have to be rezoned for multi-family.
The nursing home continues to sit vacant and
is deteriorating. The owner has no
incentive to fix it or sell it. It is a
safety hazard and the question was asked as to whether or not it could be cited
for violation of code enforcement. Lawayne
Flaming pointed out that there are many buildings in town that are unsecure and
are fire and safety hazards. Clay said
there are 13 properties on the list to be torn down, but that Marvin Schweigert
doesn’t have the time to tear them down.
Bobby Spencer suggested that we bid those jobs out.
Bobby Spencer has talked to Kaci Cronkhite about putting in
a walking/bicycle trail between the town and Roman Nose State Park, possibly
along the highway that goes past the prison.
Andy suggested a trail from the high school along the now-closed road to
Hwy 8A and then along 8A where the city
owns an easement. Clay said he’d like to
see sidewalks in town, especially between the high school and the middle
school. Andy Barrett suggested sidewalks from
the elementary school to the Library, as that route is used a lot by children
to attend programs at the library. There
was discussion about where there might be an easement to put in a sidewalk and
what area to start with.
Mary Larson said she had signs prepared by the Chamber and
paid for out of economic development monies to advertise which lots in town
were available for the Land Run.
Andy Barrett told the meeting that he had met with the County
Treasurer and discovered that all of the lots that we previously thought had
been transferred to the City by the County for the Land Run had not, in fact,
been transferred to the City. Only 4
lots have been transferred to the City for the Land Run. Donna Hoskins at the treasurer’s office said
that the County is going to put the other lots up for sale by bid if the City
isn’t going to take them for the Land Run. Everyone was surprised to hear that title to the properties
previously approved by City Council had not been signed over to the City and Clay Loosen was not able to answer "why not?" Andy indicated that some of the lots on the list might not be appropriate as they are in a flood zone. Bobby asked Andy to put together a list of the
lots that might be best for the Land Run. Clay said he would get this matter on the next
city council agenda, to approve getting the paperwork done to sign over
those lots to the City.
Bobby Spencer talked about properties along the highway that
are tied up in probate. He also brought
up downtown properties that are beyond repair, eye sores, code enforcement
problems that need to be dealt with.
Everyone agreed that the City needs to enforce Codes on Main Street
properties especially, to motivate the property owners to do something with
their property – either fix them up so that they can be rented, or sell
them. It was agreed by all that financial pain will get
action by the property owners. [Why doesn't the City of Watonga go forward with the remedies and penalties that
the City Code provides for to deal with safety and health hazards?
Gene P. reported to the meeting that CORD is going strong,
that the WAC committee in Watonga is the envy of other communities because they
are actively trying to get things done.
Noble House and Eddie’s BBQ, Firestone has rented property,;
Eagle Nest is being sold and will reopen on Sept. 20 under new ownership with
special meals in the evenings. Everyone
is glad that there will be more places to eat dinner in Watonga. Lawayne said that he’d heard that the Lodge
is going to be closed for meals in the near future because of needed work on
their kitchen.
Vance Laughlin from CCA said he needed the name of a caterer
who could serve 150 people coming in for training at the prison. Eddie Johnson’s name was given. Eddie's BBQ & More will begin serving meals at the Noble House on Friday and Saturday evenings, beginning on Sept. 13.
Next meeting will be Oct. 14 at 7:00 p.m.
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