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Water restrictions lifted

Heavy rains in Kansas watershed area fill Hulah Lake

Water restrictions implemented this spring due to an ongoing water shortage have been lifted, City Manager Mike Bailey said this morning.

"As a result of weekend rains that have filled Hulah Lake, the City's primary water supply source, we have moved to Stage 1 of the Water Shortage Ordinance," he said. "This means we will continue our public awareness campaign for water conservation, as called for in Stage 1 of the ordinance.

"All Stage 3 restrictions, the stage we were in prior to these significant rain events, are lifted effective today."

The following actions will be taken, in accordance with Stage 1:

• Splash pads will be opened as soon as possible, likely today and/or tomorrow. (Updates will be posted on the City's Facebook page, City of Bartlesville GOV.)

• Staff will recommend the City Council approve a resolution rescinding emergency water rates effective today. (The resolution requires City Council approval.)

• There are no restrictions on outdoor water use at this time. However, conservation is strongly encouraged.

• A free shuttle service will be provided to Bartlesville residents to the Osage Hills State Park Swimming Pool, using the CityRide vehicles. See details in this edition of City Beat.

Pools

The City-owned Frontier and Sooner swimming pools will not open this summer due to the inability to staff them this late in the season, Bailey said.

"We were hoping to open the pools, even if we could only keep them open for a couple of weeks. But unfortunately, the Richard Kane YMCA, which manages our pools, has advised they simply cannot staff them — or even one of them — this late in the season," Bailey said.

"As an alternative, we have made arrangements with United Community Action Program, the non-profit organization that operates our public transit system CityRide, to provide free rides to Osage Hills Park Swimming Pool for Bartlesville residents.

"While we understand it would be preferable to have our local pools open, we are extremely grateful to UCAP Transit Director Laura Corff and her organization for generously offering to provide this service — at no charge to riders or Bartlesville taxpayers — for our residents. Laura and UCAP have always been exceptional to work with, and this is further proof of their commitment to our citizens and the Bartlesville community."

Bailey thanked Bartlesville citizens who helped conserve water during the monthslong drought, and said plans will proceed to find additional sources of potable water in the future.

"This has been a challenging time for our community, but as always, Bartlesville has risen to the occasion," he said. "I am grateful to all the citizens who pitched in to conserve and help wherever they could. I am also grateful to the City Council, which exercised wisdom and even-handedness in applying our Water Shortage Ordinance to ensure that we were prepared even under the worst conditions, and I'm thankful to City staff for their hard work and due diligence throughout this ordeal.

"The Water Shortage Ordinance did what it was intended to do, and that is to help preserve our remaining water supply until a significant rain event or the addition of a potable water source. We will continue to seek additional resources for water so that we can be even better prepared should this situation arise again the future."

Bailey said the City Council is expected to consider appointments to the Water Resources Committee during an upcoming meeting.

Stay tuned to City Beat for updates on this issue.

Free rides available to Osage Hills Pool

Beginning this week, free rides will be available through the City of Bartlesville's CityRide program to the Osage Hills State Park Swimming Pool, located about 15 miles west of Bartlesville.

United Community Action Program, the umbrella organization that operates the City of Bartlesville’s public transportation program CityRide, will begin providing the shuttle service on Tuesday of this week. The service will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays until Aug. 3.

The CityRide bus will pick up riders at two locations, Robinwood Park and Frontier Pool, at the following times:

Pick up:

Robinwood Park, 2200 S.E. Frank Phillips Blvd.

11:45 a.m.

Frontier Pool, 312 S.W. Virginia Ave.

Noon

(Return from pool at 5:30 p.m.)

Drop off:

Frontier Pool

Approximately 6 p.m.

Robinwood Park

Approximately 6:15 p.m.

Youth under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a guardian to ride.

Osage Hills State Park Swimming Pool rates are the same as City of Bartlesville-owned pools, $2 for ages 6 and under and $4 for ages 7 and older.

Photo courtesy Osage Hills State Park Facebook page.

Ceremony held for Chief Kevin Ickleberry

A pinning ceremony was held last week for newly appointed Police Chief Kevin Ickleberry.

The ceremony was held at Tri County Tech, where the Bartlesville Police Department substation is located. Upwards of a hundred people, which included the public and numerous members of law enforcement, past and present, turned out to recognize Ickleberry in his new role.

"This room is full of dedicated officers, (City) employees, and citizens who would do anything for this community," Ickleberry told the crowd. "It is my honor to serve as your police chief. I won't let you down."

Ickleberry began his career with Bartlesville Police Department in 1989 and has served in several positions with the department since, including as investigator and deputy police chief. He has also served as a Washington County Sheriff's Office deputy.

Right: Assistant City Manager Tracy Roles administers the Oath of Office.

Photo courtesy of Bartlesville Police Department

Community Fentanyl Forum set for August 25

Amber Sanders, the mother of a Bartlesville man who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2021, is using her grief to help others in the community learn about the dangers of the drug.

Sanders teamed up with the Bartlesville Police Department last year to present the department’s inaugural Community Fentanyl Forum and will join the department again for this year’s forum, set for Aug. 25 at the Bartlesville Community Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd.

She is one of several panelists who will talk about fentanyl, from the first responders who see the havoc it wreaks in the immediate aftermath to the family members and loved ones who must deal with longer-lasting effects of the drug.

“Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous drug that is, unfortunately, far too easy to acquire in most communities in America,” said Capt. Daniel Elkins. “It is imperative that we do everything we can to educate people about it, and that’s what this forum is intended to do.

“The Community Fentanyl Forum will consist of a multidisciplinary panel of all aspects of first responders that work daily to combat fentanyl and the effects it has on the community. The panel will give a beginning-to-end perspective on first responders, the criminal justice system, medical and mental health professionals, and the families of people who have died from fentanyl overdose.”

Elkins said the panelists will be ready to answer questions from the public as well as share what they are currently doing to help combat fentanyl use in the community.

“All of the contributors to the forum have been invaluable in sharing their stories and knowledge with the public about this issue, and we look forward to an informative event again this year,” he said.

Everyone is encouraged to attend. Please email questions to the Bartlesville Police Department at bpdq&a@cityofbartlesville.org so coordinators can better prepare and delegate the question to the appropriate panel members.

“We will also have local resources to help anyone who needs services in dealing with fentanyl issues,” Elkins said. “We are still in the planning process, so if there are any other programs that would like to partner with us on this event, we encourage them to reach out.”

The time of the event and more details about the forum will be announced at a later date. To contribute or for more information, contact Elkins at dbelkins@cithofbartlesville.org or 918.338.4020.

Online sidewalk survey live now through August 18

The City of Bartlesville Community Development Department launched its online sidewalk survey this week.

The survey is aimed at gathering input from residents regarding the current state of sidewalks in the Bartlesville community, and will be available through Aug. 18.

To take the survey, visit https://www.cityofbartlesville.org/community-development/citysidewalksurvey/

"The feedback gathered will enable the City to prioritize maintenance efforts, plan for future sidewalk expansion and allocate resources more effectively," said Community Development Director Larry Curtis.

Jobs/open positions

Are you looking for a career that offers competitive pay, excellent benefits and an opportunity to serve your community? Look no further! The City of Bartlesville is currently accepting applications for the following positions:



• Maintenance Worker Water Distribution
• Maintenance Worker Wastewater
• Sanitation Collector II
• Maintenance Worker-Street Dept
• Police Dispatcher
• Parks Summer Positions

Applications for firefighter and police officer positions are accepted on a continual basis. To apply for these or any other open position, or for more information visit the City's website, www.cityofbartlesville.org.

Board, Committee & Commission Openings

The City of Bartlesville has numerous boards, committees and commissions that are driven by citizen volunteers. All citizens are encouraged and welcome to apply. Board applications are available online and in the City Manager’s Office, located on the second floor of City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. Applications are kept on file for two years. To view a complete list, see Boards, Committees & Commissions.

The City currently has openings on the following committees/boards:

• One opening on the Ambulance Commission
• Two openings on the Bartlesville Library Trust Authority
• Two upcoming openings on the Park Board
• Two upcoming opening on the Board of Adjustment
• One opening on the Street and Traffic Committee

For more information, visit the City's website, www.cityofbartlesville.org.

Kelli Williams, Editor

401 S. Johnstone Ave.

Bartlesville, OK 74003

918.338.4132