EMILY KALKA Staff writer The Chandler City Council voted at their monthly meeting on May 14 to revamp weed and trash abatement, removing public hearings on these issues from council meetings and making them an administrative process.
The council discussed the change in April’s meeting. At that time, Code Enforcement Officer Scott Wintz said it would cut down the entire process from six weeks to about 21 days.
“There’s no need for all of these to be on the council agenda. There is a process for them to appeal, but they would just appeal to the city manager, and that’s just standard process,” City Manager Jason Orr said. “There’s just no need for you guys to hear all of these.”
Public hearings for dilapidated buildings and other code enforcement issues will still be brought before the City Council, according to state statutes.
The council also voted to adopt a new neon sign grant program proposed by City Hall intern Natalie Nell. The program is based on a similar grant in Tulsa and is open to businesses located on Route 66 within city limits, Nell said.
The program provides partial reimbursement for the purchase of a custom neon or LED neon sign. There will be a cap on the reimbursement and possibly a limit on how many signs are awarded per year. The lodging tax will fund the program. Currently, there is $30,000 in the account, but that is expected to increase by about $150,000 a year once the hotel is built.
“We tend to associate neon signs with the history of this road (Route 66), and it could also highlight the property itself,” Nell said. “It would also increase city pride and tourism. It gives businesses an opportunity to be creative.”
The council voted to purchase a new 2023 Ford F450 ambulance from Emergency Vehicle Sales and Service of Oklahoma for $278,140. According to Fire Chief Bobby Buchanan, the ambulance is currently being outfitted and customized. This includes adding more vents and dual A/C compressors to increase patient comfort.
“We’re in dire need of an ambulance. I have two 2017s right now. One of them has 230,000 miles, and one of them has 150,000 miles. And these are Lincoln County road miles. This isn’t running up and down the highway every day,” Buchanan said. “So this will truly help us for the future of our ambulance service here in Chandler.”
The Chandler City Council had two public hearings on unkempt property. The first set a grass and trash abatement for 1809 E. 1st St., giving the owners 10 days to cut down the grass, clear out the trash and inoperable vehicles, and secure an abandoned house on the property. They declared buildings at 612 E 1st St. dilapidated and gave the owners 30 business days to tear them down.
Other items that were passed include approving the Dispatch Agreement with the Lincoln County E-911 Trust Authority, the Recodification Agreement with American Legal Publishing, Resolution 2024-02 Notification of the 2024 Biennial Supplement to Chandler City Code, and the final plat of Chandler TRS, a commercial area located across from Walmart. They also approved a contract for City Manager Jason Orr.