Community Development meeting highlights

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Community Development meeting highlights

Sat, 10/23/2021 - 14:12
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A Community Development meeting was held in the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce’s meeting room on Thursday, Oct. 21.

Brad Fox called the meeting to order and with no new business, committee members provide their updates.

Dawn Brakey with Pioneer Technology Center shared that Joey Felts with GSA will be coming to the facility to talk about training.

Dawn Janda shared some of the Opportunity Center’s happenings. Adult Day is slated to open in December. All their clients got quarantined during the last uptick in COVID-19, but all those that are living in the houses are back to work again.

Shasta Scott provided updates on Community National Bank and the City of Ponca City.

The bank has been doing well he as is New seeing Emergency an increase Tin online Resource and Agency, drive-thru a food traffic, and while resource in-bank agency traffic and has partner gone down. to the Regional

Food The Public Bank, Safety continues Center to is operate progressing fully and with completion recent demands has been that moved continue to August to rise. 2022. NERA The City has voted shifted on its a model waste water drastically line emergency, to ensure it because adheres during to the polar Centers vortex, for Disease some lines Control did not hold and up due to their age and an Prevention’s social distancing emergency in the Bodock guidelines. Under area. The emergency meeting meant the City was able to forego the Competitive Bidding Act since the situation could’ve resulted in environmental issues.

City linemen competed in the Lineman Rodeo recently and had several winners.

Contractors are still going around working on meters in town and should be finished sometime within the week.

The City requested more American Rescue funds and will be doing several generational projects in the City.

Rick Hancock of the Rusty Barrell Supper Club revealed they are on track for a record year. Christmas parties are already booking at the restaurant with limited spaces.

Sue Lunsford, a volunteer in the community, shared several updates.

Marland’s Place has 14 kids in foster care with three or four of those children to be very adopted proud by their of foster the work families. being They done,” are hoping said to NERA build Board more houses President on the Erin property Liberton. take care of more kids.

“Typically, Community Health one in Foundation six will have face their hunger. Grills Oklahomans Now and Chills we are (the facing new name layoffs for and Guys other and Grills) hardships, on April, so the 29, service 2022. A location being provided for Grills and at NERA Chills is is yet critically to be determined. impor

NERA is critically important.” Kelly Cross of Rick Scott Construction NERA Executive shared Direc some information about the various constructions projects they are involved in.

Work has wrapped up in Schidler on the Middle and Senior High School, Rick Scott Construction was asked to come back and do an additional parking lot for the school. They are also wrapping up a project for Covington-Douglas Schools.

As mentioned above, progress is being made on the Public Safety Center.

They are turning over the OSU Extension Office in Newkirk, and have some last second change orders on the annex. Once that is wrapped up, the actual renovations to the courthouse in Newkirk will go out to bid and they will move onto that.

Pre-construction is underway on the Newkirk Public Safety Center and the structure for the Kay County Amphitheater has arrived.

They will be starting an expansion to Bintz Pharmacy in Ponca City.

And lastly, they are in preconstruction for the Ponca City School District bond issue projects.

Mindy Myer with Alliance-Health shared an update on physicians working with the hospital.

New physicians include: Dr. Timothy Hoekstra, OBGYN; Dr. Andrew Bauer, neurosurgeon employed through OU once a month; Dr Guillermo Robles is a new OBGYN started in June; Kelly Stratton, MD from OU Medical, and is a Urologist; Family Practice Christen Ground, D.O.; Surgeon J.W. Ground, D.O.; and Shea Charbeneau, DPM podiatrist out of Edmond.

Many upgrades have been made to the hospital including the addition of LED lighting.

There are new staff members including Director of Materials Management Dan Brinkman; HR Director Cassandra Miller; Interim ER director Chris Montgomery; Aaron Morgan is the new IT director; and new marketing director Brooke Jones.

Industrial Coordinator at Pioneer Technology Center Johnny Thornburgh shared that the truck driving training is continuing and the wildland fire training will be coming up soon.

The current construction project is still on hold, as they are waiting on materials.

Brooke Jones of Redland Office Solutions shared that the business is currently looking for a sales rep.

Bel Welch of 104.7 The Bull revealed that they had acquired 95.9 KSOK in Ark City, and will have more details once they have all the information from the FCC.

Chris Henderson shared numerous ongoing projects for the City of Ponca City including the Pioneer Tech expansion; the Public Safety Center; remodeling at Quality Inn on Bradly and 14th; a new storage facility on Waverly; roof replacement at the RecPlex; the Scooters Coffee Project at Bradly and 14th that is currently litigating access from Quality Inn; a strip center at Pecan and Lake; projects at Standing Bear Park including a new pavilion and erosion control; sewer repairs on Kingston and on Oklahoma; a water line project to improve pressure in the area above Pecan; a detention pond northeast of Joe, to alleviate flooding that occurs at Hartford and Joe when it rains heavily; installing a new bathroom and shower at the Lake Ponca campgrounds; building a driving range at Wentz Golf Course; repairs to the Marland Grand Home; and the bridge deck on Union over Highland, which will be closed for three months.

They have also hired two new building inspectors.

Brad Fox shared some updates with Evans and Associates.

They have finished up US 77 north of Newkirk and are laying down some sod. They’ve finished various streets in Newkirk and the Main Street in Blackwell.

Other projects include asphalt on I-35 between Blackwell and Braman; work on Kelly Ave. by Osage Casion; paving the parking lot at Frazier’s Restaurant; and performing various driveway repairs around town and for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe.

Finally, Chamber President Rich Cantillon provided his Chamber update.

Cantillon expressed excitement about he school bond issue as from a recruitment standpoint, anyone moving to Ponca City will want to see the improved school facilities. Cantillon also thanked the Chamber’s PIE (Partners in Education) partners for supporting the schools, the plan was to have three businesses per school to provide support.

Several ribbon cuttings were held in the old RCB Bank Building at 122 E. Grand Ave., and the location has turned into a mall of sorts with seven businesses currently inside.

The Chamber held a lunch and learn on Friday, Oct. 22 with Oklahoma State Treasurer Randy McDaniel at Pioneer Technology Center.

At the next Chamber Board meeting, Oklahoma Executive Director of Commerce Brent Kisling is going to present Oklahoma State Senator Bill Coleman in appreciation for the work he does in economic development in the state of Oklahoma.

Community National Bank will be hosting Business After Hours on Tuesday, Oct. 26 from 5 to 7 at the Ponca City Country Club.

The Chamber Staff will be going to the State Chamber Conference in Bartlesville from Oct. 27 to 29

Monday, Nov. 1 will be the Cash Mob at Staples at 11:25 am, as a part of Shop Ponca First initiative.

Wednesday, Nov. 3 customer service training in the Chamber Office.

Thursday, Nov. 4, the South Oklahoma City Chamber will have their Board Retreat in Ponca City, including about 40 people.

The next Leadership Class will be Nov. 10 and the Ponca Politics meeting will be Nov. 19 with Mayor Homer Nicholson as the speaker and Mayor Nicholson will give a State of the City report.

The meeting was then adjourned.