Meeting held on November 28, 2022

The Ponca City Board of Commissioners met in regular session on November 28, 2022. Mayor Homer Nicholson called the meeting to order, which was followed by the pledge of allegiance. Commissioner Rob Bodick, Commissioner Lanita Chapman, Commissioner Shasta Scott, and Commissioner Paul Taylor were in attendance.

Consent Agenda Under the Consent Agenda, the City Commission approved the minutes of the Ponca City Board of Commissioners special session held November 9, 2022 and regular session held November 14, 2022; a resolution appropriating money for the payment of claims against the City of Ponca City, Oklahoma; and a resolution authorizing application for sales tax income from a sales tax resolution in Kay County, Oklahoma. On November 8, 2022, Kay County citizens voted in favor of a sales tax of 1/3 of 1% upon the gross proceeds or gross receipts derived from all sales taxable under the Oklahoma State Tax code to evenly fund Kay County fire departments (including volunteer departments) and EMS (Emergency Medical Service) departments. The Kay County Commission passed in its election language that “participating” departments would get funding from the sales tax. The resolution allows the City of Ponca City to participate in the sales tax proceeds as expressly passed by the Kay County Commissioners and is the language that the people of Kay County voted upon. Ponca City Fire/EMS shall be participating both by the passage of the resolution and by the revenue from the City of Ponca City for the majority of the sales tax proceeds collected for the tax.

Reports Under Reports, City Manager Craig Stephenson reported that the City of Ponca City placed first in “Government Programs - Municipality less than 25,000” at the Environmental Excellence Awards Banquet. With a $25,000 grant from Phillips 66, the Parks and Recreation Department and Phillips 66 volunteers planted 200 trees in grow bags to established a tree farm. Once mature, it will provide replacement trees for the City’s park system.

Stephenson reported on several events and happenings, including the annual “Autumn Leaf Collection” underway thru January 22, 2023; the “Lighted Christmas Parade” to be held Friday, December 2 at 6:00 p.m.; and the “Festival of Angels” Christmas light display thru December 30.

Stephenson announced that the City of Ponca City’s “Information Guide” is updated for 2023 and available on the City’s website at www.poncacityok.gov under the Living and Visiting section. This annually updated guide provides contact information regarding the City of Ponca City, government, business, education, arts and entertainment, communications, recycling, meeting rooms, and continuum of care. The Continuum of Care section of the guide provides contact information regarding child and youth services, clothing assistance, disability services, disaster assistance, domestic violence services, education resources, employment assistance, healthy resources, homeless assistance, volunteer income tax assistance, legal aide, mental health assistance, pharmaceutical take back, prescription assistance, senior citizen resources, shelter assistance, social security, substance abuse, support groups/help lines, transportation resources, and veterans assistance.

And, Stephenson announced that he, Mayor Nicholson, and Environmental Services Director Jesse Beck will be attending the Oklahoma Governor’s Water Conference in Midwest City.

New Business Under New Business, the City Commis- sion approved an ordinance amending Article B “Youth Access To Tobacco” provisions of City Code at Section 7-2B-1 “Definitions”, at Section 7-2B-2 “Selling or Furnishing Tobacco Products to Minors”, at Section 7-2B-3 “Purchasing, Accepting or Possessing Tobacco Products”, at Section 7-2B-4 “Furnishing or Distributing Tobacco Product Samples”, and at Section 7-2B-6 “Violation/Penalty” adopting state law, repealing ordinances in conflict, providing for severability, and declaring an emergency. This ordinance amends City Code to adopt state law, changing the age limit regarding youth access to tobacco from 18 to 21 years of age, changing the penalty to require the violator to complete an education or tobacco use cessation program approved by the State Department of Health, and changing the Notice to State for the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission to establish rules to provide for notification to a parent or guardian of any minor cited for a violation. It also changes the definition of a tobacco product to reflect the language used in City Code 6-5-1: A. Smoking Prohibited, which says “Smoking Within Any Indoor Public Places/ School Spaces Prohibited: It is unlawful to smoke tobacco, clove, herbal, alternative smoking products or vapor producing products…”.

The City Commission approved the submission of a grant application to ODOT (Oklahoma Department of Transportation) for use of Transportation Alternatives Program funds set forth by IIJA (Infrastructure Investment And Jobs Act) for the Safe Routes to School Trail Project, Hartford Avenue – Redbud Park to Mockingbird Lane Project in Ponca City, Oklahoma in the amount off $1,255,140.73. The City Commission also approved a resolution declaring the eligibility of the City of Ponca City to submit an application to ODOT for use of Transportation Alternatives Program funds set forth by IIJA for the Safe Routes to School Trail Project, Hartford Avenue – Redbud Park To Mockingbird Lane Project in Ponca City, Oklahoma and authorized the Mayor to sign the application.

This trail project will encompass the design and construction of an 8’ wide, lighted and stripped concrete trail on the north side of Hartford Avenue to Pecan Road, then across the crosswalk and north to Mockingbird Drive. This trail project will serve the neighborhoods surrounding Woodlands Elementary School, as well as the community at large. Additionally, there are several churches along this trail segment which have after school programs for students. This connection will enable all students to pass safely from their school to their programs, as well as their neighboring homes. Additionally, this trail segment will tie into the existing trail project at Redbud Park, which connects the Marland Mansion and other trail extensions that serve the City of Ponca City. This grant program will require a 20% cash match from the City of Ponca City in the amount of $251,028.15. ODOT will fund $1,004,112.58 of the project.

On July 23, 2018, the City Commission approved Resolution No. 6379, which adopted a Safe Routes to School policy. This policy was implemented to directly relate to the City’s goals and objectives for Safe Routes to School with the National Safe Routes to Schools program. These goals include enabling and encouraging children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school; making bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age; and facilitating the planning, development and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, air pollution in the vicinity of schools. The City of Ponca City has been actively planning for and pursuing funding for transportation alternatives for many years. As set forth in the City of Ponca City’s Comprehensive Plan adopted June 22, 2009, enhancing safety in school vicinities is a priority. The plan specifically addresses the need to promote alternative transportation modes, specifically accommodating for walking and biking opportunities. Additionally, the City of Ponca City’s Master Plan partially funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration grant sets forth this trail project as a priority. Also, the Kay County Oklahoma 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration grant, sets forth that bicycle and pedestrian trails are recommended improvements needed in our community. The City of Ponca City has had public input on these projects over the course of 20-plus years through planning and strategy meetings, comprehensive plan sessions and media coverage. Many of our local agencies have submitted letters of support for this project. Additionally, a walkability and bikeability survey was completed in this area in cooperation with the Ponca City Public Schools and the Kay County Healthy Living Coalition in 2018. The overall consensus on these surveys is that this corridor needs addressed to ensure the safety of children and to improve general traffic flow, while simultaneously advancing physical health benefits for children and the general public.

The City Commission also approved the purchase of a Type I ambulance vehicle from Emergency Vehicles Sales and Service of Oklahoma in the amount of $244,844.00. The Fiscal Year 202223 capital budget includes an allocation in the amount of $275,000.00 for the purchase of a new ambulance vehicle. Bid packets were provided to four perspective vendors. Three bids were received and opened October 27, 2022. The lowest most responsible bid was from Emergency Vehicles Sales & Service of Oklahoma in the amount of $244,844.00. The ambulance will be constructed by Custom Truck & Body Works, Inc. at their facility in Woodbury, Georgia. Anticipated delivery of the vehicle is January 31, 2024.

PCUA (PONCA CITY UTILITY AUTHORITY)

PCUA Consent Agenda Under the PCUA Consent Agenda, the PCUA Trustees approved the minutes of the PCUA regular session held November 14, 2022; a resolution appropriating money for the payment of claims against the PCUA of Ponca City, Oklahoma; an acknowledgement receipt of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Construction Permit WL000036220642 for the construction of 312 linear feet of 8-Inch PVC potable water line, and all appurtenances to serve Didlake Heights, Kay County, Oklahoma; and an acknowledgement receipt of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Construction Permit SL000036220641 for the construction of 646 linear feet of 8-Inch PVC sanitary sewer line, and all appurtenances to serve Didlake Heights, Kay County, Oklahoma.

PCUA New Business Under PCUA New Business, the PCUA Trustees approved a construction contract with Horseshoe Construction, Inc. for the West Grand Phase I Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project in the amount of $678,633.00. This project will perform trenchless rehabilitation of 4,917 linear feet of 8” sanitary sewer. This basin was studied in detail, as part of a 2020 Inflow and Infiltration study, and these lines and associated manholes were identified as being major contributors to the area’s problems. The City opened five bids on November 10, 2022. The lowest most responsible bid was from Horseshoe Construction, Inc., of La Porte Texas, for $678,633.00. City staff and the engineer, Joseph Haydock with Garver, recommended that construction contract be awarded to Horseshoe Construction.