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City Beat Your City, Your News August 8, 2017
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Welcome to City Beat, a free weekly e-newsletter containing the latest news and information about the City of Bartlesville and related topics. Get yours delivered each week! http://bit.ly/2eaFETx
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City Council OKs transfer of Frank Phillips Home; Phillips Foundation to take ownership
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A long-time Bartlesville monument will be undergoing ownership changes following a decision of the Bartlesville City Council on Monday.
The council voted 5-0 to accept the transfer of ownership of the Frank Phillips Home, located at 1107 S. Cherokee Ave., from the Oklahoma Historical Society — with the understanding that the Frank Phillips Foundation will take ownership of the property as soon as possible.
The museum was once the home of Phillips Petroleum founder Frank Phillips.
City Attorney Jerry Maddux told the council that budget cuts have prohibited OHS from maintaining and operating the Home into the next fiscal year, and that wording on the property deed specifies that the site is to become property of the City of Bartlesville in the event that OHS becomes unable to maintain it.
Maddux said the City, however, lacks the funds to properly maintain the facility, nor does City staff have the expertise required to operate it.
“If the City of Bartlesville is unable to maintain the property, under the literal reading of the deed, the property is to be torn down,” Maddux said, adding that at no point were any of the interested parties in favor of this option.
In an effort to resolve the issue, City staff began working with the Frank Phillips Foundation, which owns and operates Woolaroc — another area tourist attraction and Frank Phillips-based museum — which agreed to take ownership of the Home.
“The Foundation determined there was sufficient financial support to perform the deferred maintenance on the Home and to operate it and keep it open to the public as in the past,” Maddux said.
He said OHS has agreed to transfer ownership of the property to the City with the understanding it will in turn be deeded to the Frank Phillips Foundation “with restrictions that they will continue to operate the home as an historic site.”
Maddux said the property will be leased to the Foundation until actual ownership can be transferred and approved by the court.
“The court proceedings will take approximately two months and, accordingly, no deed will be given to the Foundation until the court proceedings are completed and approved by the court,” he said.
Maddux said the lease is needed so the Foundation can operate the Home in the interim.
He said notices will be given to the heirs of the people who donated the Frank Phillips Home to the OHS.
“We do not anticipate objections,” he said.
Photos courtesy of Bartlesville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau
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City reviewing flooded residential properties
Heavy rains over the weekend resulted in localized flooding in several areas of Bartlesville, including some homes, City Manager Ed Gordon said this week.
During a City Council meeting on Monday, Gordon said the official rain reading for Bartlesville, taken at the Bartlesville Municipal Airport, was 4.77 inches. However, some areas of the city received as much as six inches, he said.
"Depending on where you live … it went as high as almost six inches of rain in various places," Gordon said.
He said some homes were flooded as a result of the storms, and that Engineering Department staff is in the process of evaluating flooded areas, in response to citizen complaints, to determine if anything can be done to alleviate the problems.
"Some of those in low lying areas, there's not much we can do about some of those," Gordon said. "But those that we can, we're taking a look at."
Director of Engineering Micah Siemers said Tuesday that evaluations will continue this week.
"We did receive quite a bit of rain in a short period of time, and that type of rain event is difficult to mitigate," he said. "But we are responding to calls from citizens who experienced problems this past weekend to determine where steps can be taken to eliminate or lessen flooding in those areas."
To report flooding/drainage issues on your property, email Siemers at
[email protected], or call 918-338-4251.
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Library to offer solar eclipse programs
In anticipation of the upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 21, the Bartlesville Public Library is offering two free educational programs next week. The programs are appropriate
for people of all ages.
At 10 a.m. on Aug. 14, Richard Kowalczyk of the Bartlesville Astronomical Society will present information on what an eclipse is, how it works and how to view it safely.
At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 15, storyteller Fran Stallings will present "The Vanishing Sun: Eclipse Tales from Around the World."
Both events will be held at the library, 600 S. Johnstone Ave.
Attendees can also get eclipse glasses — while supplies last — for safely viewing the sun when 90 percent of it vanishes at mid-day on Aug. 21.
For more information, see http://www.bartlesville.lib.ok.us/
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The Bottom Line
Locke Supply, Braums, Panda Express, Dominos & Taco Village
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I was curious about the dirt work being done on North Highway 75 between Aaron's rental and the Phillips 66 station. What is going to be built there?
According to Community Development Director Lisa Beeman, the dirt work underway on north U.S. Highway 75 between Aaron’s rental and the Phillips 66 station is for a new Locke Supply store. The existing store, located further south on U.S. 75, is relocating to the north U.S. 75 site.
What ever happened with the plans to demolish and rebuild the Braums that were submitted about the same time as Chick-Fil-A?
Well, it's a good thing you asked, as plans have apparently changed. According to plans submitted to the City's Community Development Department, Braums now plans to remodel the existing store at 3820 SE Adams Road and construct a new facility on south Washington Boulevard, across the street from its existing store at 2539 SE Washington Boulevard. Construction is expected to start this fall.
Is it true we're getting a Panda Express?
Plans for a Panda Express restaurant at Silver Lake Village, a new shopping center located on Adams Boulevard east of Silver Lake Road, are currently under review by the City of Bartlesville.
What's going on at the corner of Tuxedo and Washington?
Dominos Pizza is opening a new "theater design" restaurant with a dine-in option at an existing building on the northeast corner of Tuxedo and Washington. According to a spokesperson for the company, the restaurant will open sometime this year.
Are they getting ready to open something where Taco Village was?
The Building & Permit office confirmed that the building which formerly housed Taco Village, at 609 SW Frank Phillips Blvd., is expected to open soon under another name. Chief Building Official Robert McGuire said the business is currently replacing some equipment and undergoing required inspections.
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Canoe Class
Boy Scout Troop 6, American Legion 105, worked on their canoeing skills during a trip to Lee Lake on July 31. Troop 6 is led by Scout Master Charlie Lewis. Lee Lake is a City of Bartlesville-owned lake located on Adams Boulevard east of Silver Lake Road. Fishing, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding are allowed at the lake. Swimming is prohibited. The lake is surrounded by a .07 mile running/walking/biking trail and is near Cooper Dog Park.
Photos courtesy of Bill Buckles, City Park Board Chairman
Do you have a photo of yourself or someone else at a City-owned park that you'd like to see in City Beat? Email it to [email protected]. Please include location, date photo was taken and names of persons (if fewer than three) in the photo.
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AEP Foundation awards $75,000 to C.J. 'Pete' Silas Boys & Girls Club project Public Service Company of Oklahoma’s parent company foundation, the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation, is pleased to announce the awarding of a $75,000 contribution to provide cutting edge resources for science and art programming labs in the new C.J. “Pete” Silas Boys & Girls Club.
For more than 100 years, AEP has invested in the communities served through a variety of corporate philanthropic endeavors. Since 2005, the AEP Foundation has played an active, positive role in the communities where the employees live and work. “I am thrilled to see the AEP Foundation contribution being offered to the Pete Silas Boys & Girls Club of Bartlesville. The Boys & Girls Club has been such a vital partner to parents and guardians to reinforce academic success, community involvement and strong character, and making healthy choices,” said Michael Gordon, External Affairs manager for Public Service Company of Oklahoma, an AEP company. “The STEAM labs will be another resource to help individuals explore interests in Science Technology Engineering Math, and even Art, and tap into their potential.” The investment from AEP Foundation will ensure to proper and effective space for enhanced science, technology, engineering, math, and art programming for youth at the Boys & Girls Club. The space will allow for hands on experiments, academic research on lab computers, robotic coursework, and more, with the ultimate goal of Club members’ increased love of learning. In addition to gaining knowledge, members will also expand their critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and team building capabilities. Read full story
Photo and story courtesy of Annah Fischer.
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Human Resources Department
The City of Bartlesville is currently accepting applications for the following positions:
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Do you have questions you would like to see answered or addressed in City Beat? Let us know! Email [email protected], attn. City Beat.
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Kelli Williams, Editor
401 S. Johnstone Ave.
Bartlesville, OK 74003
918-338-4132
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