Meeker’s Town Board this week spent nearly an hour in executive session discussing the Town Administrator’s position before entering back into open meeting and voting to take it up again in a special meeting at 7 p.m. this evening.
The Trustees earlier in the meeting had already decided to call for a special meeting on Thursday evening so they can possibly act on purchasing a couple of police cars. They added to it the Town Administrator’s position and could take action on it tonight.
The Trustees went into executive session about 7:25 p.m. About five minutes later, Mayor Jeff Wilbourn came out of the closed door session and returned to his seat. The other four apparently kept discussing the issue.
Around 7:55, Wilbourn was summoned to go back in with the other four. Fifteen minutes later he returned again, alone, and sat back at his seat.
At 8:20 p.m., the other four and the Town’s attorney returned to open meeting. At that point, Trustee Aaron Head made the motion to table the agenda item on the administrator’s position and place it on tonight’s special meeting agenda. Trustees voted 5-0 in favor.
On the police car issue, the item was listed for discussion only. After hearing from Police Chief Trent Norton about the urgency for the need of newer police units, the Trustees decided on the special meeting so they can take action on it.
It appears they are set to purchase two police units during tonight’s meeting.
In other action, the Trustees voted to purchase a 3 feet by 4 feet LED sign for the Police Department using the Gilcrease donation to fund half of the total dollar amount and the remaining cost to be split between General Government and the Public Works Authority.
On another item, they approved paying the liability protection plan premium of $7,395 to the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group insurance program for fire, police and general liability insurance.
Later in the PWA meeting, they approved a payment of $2,418 for the same coverage.
In other business, following a lengthy discussion between Trustees and some business owners concerned about dilapidated structures at 617 and 621 Carl Hubbell Street, they took no action.
James Hodgens, the Town’s attorney, pointed to the various options the Town could take and also explained to the business owners what they could do as well.
Meeting as the PWA, the Trustees voted approval of three items regarding the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants Program.
They are seeking the assistance as the result of last winter’s severe freezing conditions.
They approved the letter of conditions for the ECWAG water application for a $54,000 grant; approved the EJCDC with Infrastructure Solutions Group, LLC; and approved a work order with that engineering group.
The town already has incurred a cost of $12,000 from Linn’s Plumbing, but the grant will reimburse that cost to the town.
The grant will not pay for the $7,000 the engineering firm is charging for its work, it was explained.
The Authority also adopted a resolution authorizing Wilbourn to sign an application for a grant from the Central Oklahoma Economic Development District (COEDD) for street work.
They adopted another resolution authorizing the acceptance of funds concerning Coronavirus local fiscal recovery for non-entitlement units of government ARPA funds.
In other action, Trustees approved a quote from Utility Technology Services for $4,500 to repair the meter at Meeker Nursing Home and purchase the supplies for the repairs.