The McLoud City Council in its last meeting voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations from the city’s Strategic Planning Task Force.
During the August Council meeting, Councilman Daniel McClure, Jr., presented the list of recommendations and suggested members review it and discuss it during their September meeting.
The Council agreed and briefly discussed the recommendations last week.
McClure, who originated the idea for a Task Force, explained the group looked at three, major broad areas during their meetings. Those were Community Pride, Government and Economic Development and Community Development.
The members met three times, he said, and also distributed a community survey. He emphasized, “We have to find things for young people in this community to do.”
He said last month, “Youth activities were the largest interests in the community survey. The Task Force recommends efforts to create youth activity opportunities.”
McClure reiterated that statement again last week.
Among those were volleyball, baseball and basketball locations; youth leagues; expand outdoor activities at the lake.
McLoud Chamber of Commerce Manager Melanie Krause echoed McClure’s comments, saying, “Our kids need more things to do when they have nothing to do.”
Among the suggestions made last week were expanding McLoud’s Splash Pad and basketball goals.
Kause commented, “So our kids won’t have to go to another town to do them.”
The Council’s attorney Mike Warwick, who is a member of the Avedis Foundation Board, suggested the city apply for grants from that organization for some of the projects.
“I couldn’t vote on them because that would be a conflict of interest for me,” he said.
Members serving on the Task Force in addition to McClure include Citizen Potawatomi Chairman Rocky Barrett, Dean Hill, McLoud Planning Commission, Melody Martin, Kickapoo Tribal Health Center, Rhett Banks, Chamber of Commerce, Melanie Krause, Chamber of Commerce manager, McLoud School Supt. Steve Stanley, High School Principal Rhonda Hockenbury, Pastor Randy Reasoner, Ministerial Alliance, Wanda Haynes, Public Library.
On another issue, and following the advice of Warwick, the Council approved a resolution pursuant to negotiations between City Manager Buck Day and the owner of property at 505 Sue Lane in McLoud to help settle a public nuisance.
Warwick explained the city will pay the property owner $4,000 for materials he has purchased for an unfinished garage after the city had approved a building permit for him to build it.
The Council also adopted a resolution declaring the property a public nuisance with the agreement the property owner will completely remove the structure by Nov. 15, 2020.
The Council decided holding a public hearing was not necessary and skipped that agenda item.
The Council in its August meeting tabled a public hearing on whether the unfinished garage constituted a public nuisance as defined by the codes of the city and should be abated.
Day, council members and Warwick along with the property owner discussed the issue at length at that meeting. Finally, the Council agreed to table it and take the issue up again in September.
One of the issues was if the unfinished garage had to be torn down how much the property owner might be paid for the materials he put in it. The code enforcement officer at the time apparently told the man he could go ahead with it and the man was issued a building permit.
However, Warwick pointed out there were codes violated by the property owner related to easements for the water lines, nearness to the road and over the property line.
In another agenda item, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the city to seek a REAP grant through the Central Oklahoma Economic Development District (COEDD) for $50,000 to extend Kickapoo to Fish Market Road.
In other business:
The Council adopted an ordinance regarding the Defined Benefit for the city and also approved the emergency clause.
Council members approved an agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for the installation of Advance School Warning Signs with Flashing Beacons.
And they set Halloween Trick or Treating for Saturday, Oct. 31, with parents using their own judgment for the time.