Meeker’s Town Board of Trustees this week tabled any action on reviving a bike and horse trail at Meeker Lake after listening to a local citizen and discussing the idea.
Brandon Lowe, who said he was raised and grew up in Meeker, told the board, “We had it (the bike trail) in 2017 but it got taken away by the horses. Now there are no horses, either. It would be nice to have that, do a community agreement.
“We could alternate between bikes and horses,” he suggested to the board, and he let the Trustees know he and a group he was representing were willing to clean it up and groom it.
“Several people are interested in it. We’re not trying to take it away from the horses,” he assured Trustees.
“There are several clubs interested. We’d go in and fix up the area. There are some areas horses can’t negotiate right now,” he indicated.
Trustees’ Vice Chairman Aaron Head, who was receptive to the idea along with others on the board, brought up the Quapaw dam project.
“I think you have a great idea,” Head said, as he pointed to the long-awaited lake project.
Town Administrator Jeff Wilbourn mentioned, “We could have different trails, one for bikes, another for horses.”
“We’re willing to compromise in any way. I’m open to anything,” Lowe said.
It was suggested there could be one on the south side of the lake and a different one on the north side.
Following a little more discussion, Head suggested to Lowe he come up with a proposal and “bring it back to us.”
Lowe was agreeable to that and told the Trustees if needed he was willing to reach out and visit with those interested in horses as well.
At that point, the Trustees voted to table action until next month.
The board also, without going into executive session, accepted Greg Sebastian’s retirement as a volunteer firefighter after 20 years of service and drawing his pension from the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension Fund.
Trustees approved a demolition permit for Julie Frey at 122 N. Culver in Meeker.
They also approved a building permit for Jared Tipton to build a 40X60 shop building at 939 S. Dawson in Meeker.
Trustees approved applying for the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) for $10,000 to purchase soft body armor for the Meeker Police Department.
They approved an interlocal cooperative agreement for Circuit Engineering District 4.
They agreed to hire Russell and Williams CPA’s to perform the annual town audit for the Town of Meeker with a fee of $4,300 which is half of $8,600 to be split between the General Fund and the Meeker PWA.
They heard from citizen and former Trustee Jeff Eulberg discuss concerns on dilapidated houses.
Meeting as the Public Works Authority, and following a four-minute executive session, Trustees approved hiring Rick Wright as full time PWA employee.
They tabled until their October meeting any increase to the water tap fee ordinance.
They voted to allow Nicki Stansell to install a septic system at 825 W. Carl Hubbell.
Trustees, in addition to hiring Russell and Williams CPA’s to perform the audit at a cost of $4,300, also voted to hire the firm to perform an audit for the sanitary sewer system loan for an additional $3,000 should it be required.