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 | |
|
In service
U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) presented Fire Chief David Topping with a letter and commemorative coin to recognize his retirement and years of service to the City of Bartlesville during a stop in Bartlesville earlier today. Lankford also met with City leadership to discuss ongoing water supply issues. Topping will retire June 1 after a 35-year career with the Bartlesville Fire Department.
| |
|
Early voting for charter changes this week
Voters to decide fate of proposed changes to City Charter
| |
|
Bartlesville voters will soon have an opportunity to decide whether proposed changes to the City Charter will be implemented. Absentee in-person voting will be held this Thursday and Friday, or voters may vote at their precinct on April 2. City Manager Mike Bailey answers questions about the election in today’s edition of City Beat.
The basics
First, what is the City Charter and why should we care about it?
Our charter is essentially our constitution. It allows the citizens of Bartlesville to determine how they want to be governed. Bartlesville is one of the oldest charter cities in the State of Oklahoma, and we’ve been operating via charter since 1910. Charters are extremely important in city government as they can serve to override even state laws.
What does changing the charter entail?
Any changes that are made to the charter require approval from Bartlesville voters. This is a fairly major undertaking. It is not taken lightly or attempted often.
How is it determined what changes will be presented to voters?
Charter changes can originate from a variety of sources, including citizen requests, Council discussions, and City staff input. As City staff operate the City on a daily basis, it is often us who first become aware of the need for a change. But in this case, discussions with concerned citizens and the City Council over the last decade led to staff requesting a City Council workshop meeting to discuss possible amendments.
When did the process start for this election?
It was first formally discussed by City Councilors during a “workshop” meeting in November of last year. Workshop meetings are less formal than regular meetings and are typically held so the council can discuss items that may be lengthy or complicated. The council can but typically does not take any formal action during these meetings. (Workshop meetings, like all City Council meetings, are held at City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. and are open to the public.) The changes were also discussed during Mayor Dale Copeland's public Town Hall meeting in December 2023 and during two council meetings in January of this year. The council officially called for the April election on Jan. 22.
What will voters be asked to decide in the election?
Voters will see 10 questions on the ballot, several of which are essentially housekeeping items having to do with dates and other language that is no longer valid. But there are a few items that could have a fairly significant impact on the way we do business, including when we hold elections, as well as City Council recall procedures and how we purchase materials.
City Council elections
How would council elections change if the measure is approved by voters on April 2?
It would move council elections from November to April, extend the length of council terms from two years to three, and it would stagger council terms so that all five seats would not be subject to election at one time. We believe that holding council elections with other local elections in April would allow more focused attention on local issues for our voters and media, not to mention make campaigns less expensive for council candidates, away from the noise of state and federal elections in November.
If the proposed changes are approved by voters, how would upcoming elections be held in a way that would stagger the terms? Would we still vote in November this year?
If the changes are approved, there would not be a council election in November. Instead, all five council seats would be up for election in April 2025, but the terms would be adjusted so they can be staggered. So, the term for the Ward 1 seat would be for one year, the term for Wards 2 and 3 would be for two years, and the terms for Wards 4 and 5 would be for three years.
Council recall procedures
How would these changes affect the recall of a sitting council member?
If approved, the changes pertaining to council recall would merely give the City clerk more time (from 10 days to 30 days) to verify signatures on a recall petition, as well as reduce the period for obtaining signatures from no time limit to 180 days, and eliminate the potential for a recall in the last four months of the term.
These changes make sense to us, because as the charter is currently written, a person or group could collect signatures for the recall during a council member’s entire time on the council. We feel if a council member needs to be recalled, they need to be recalled quickly, not, potentially, years into their term. And by the time a council member reaches the last four months of their term, an election is imminent and they can simply be voted out of office.
Purchasing
Regarding the proposed changes pertaining to purchasing, someone on social media said recently that voters approving these changes would be giving the city manager “a blank check” to spend taxpayer money however he wants. Can you address this, please?
That is misinformation, to put it mildly. Currently, we have two completely different sets of rules for purchasing, and these variances represent a risk to our organization and ultimately the taxpayers. For contracts, all purchases must go the City Council for approval regardless of amount. A $10 contract gets the same level of scrutiny as a $1 million contract.
For all other types of purchases, the dollar amount determines the type of accounting controls and level of scrutiny, so that we are focusing our attention on higher dollar amounts and higher risk purchases. Passing these amendments will not only make us more efficient as an organization, but it will provide more controls to ensure that purchases are made appropriately.
Vote!
When can people vote?
Early absentee voting for the election will be available at the Washington County Election Board, located on the fourth floor of City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. Early absentee voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, and Friday, March 29. And then, of course, precinct voting is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2.
For more information or to view a sample ballot, see www.cityofbartlesville.org.
| |
Library, BAHM Director Shellie McGill to retire | |
|
Long-time City employee Shellie McGill, who currently serves as both Bartlesville Public Library and Bartlesville Area History Museum director, is set to retire from her post this summer.
McGill began her tenure with the City of Bartlesville in 1989, and has worn many hats since that time. She started in the Accounting and Finance Department as an accountant clerk and filled several roles in that department until being named Utility Billing Supervisor in 2000.
She moved to the Human Resources Department in 2003 as an assistant, before being named Human Resources generalist in 2004 and manager in 2005. She began serving as Human Resources director in 2007. She served in that capacity and assumed the top library and history museum posts in 2015. She became director of the library and history museum exclusively in 2019.
"Shellie's retirement comes after many years of great service to our community," said Assistant City Manager Tracy Roles. "She has served in many roles throughout her time with the City, and her knowledge of City operations is vast. Her leadership and dedicated service to our citizens will definitely be missed. We wish her all the best and thank her tremendously for her service."
Roles said the process to fill the roles McGill is vacating will begin soon.
"It will be a lengthy process," he said. "Anyone interested is welcome to send their resume to the Human Resources Department at hr@cityofbartlesville.org and watch for the position to be posted on the City website, www.cityofbartlesville.org."
Roles said the position will likely be posted April 1.
| |
Rocky Bevard to retire from Police Department | |
|
Deputy Police Chief Rocky Bevard has announced his retirement from the City of Bartlesville after 35 years of service. Bevard will leave his post in May.
Starting with the Bartlesville Police Department as a Community Service Officer in 1986, Bevard became a sworn police officer in 1991. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1996 and lieutenant in 2002. He was named deputy chief of the department in 2019.
"D.C. Bevard will truly be missed," said Assistant City Manager and former Police Chief Tracy Roles. "He has such a wide range of knowledge when it comes to, not just policing, but the organizational side of law enforcement. He has done an excellent job serving the citizens of Bartlesville."
Bevard is the first deputy chief to serve the department, after the position was created in 2019.
"We created the position of deputy chief in 2019 shortly following my arrival as police chief in 2018, and we were fortunate to have Rocky accept that position," Roles said. "His support and leadership were essential in building the foundation for the direction of the department over the next several years. Without Rocky, I don’t know how successful we could have been. He’s done tremendous things and I cannot say enough good things about him. I know that Chief (Kevin) Ickleberry will have big shoes to fill when he appoints the new deputy police chief."
| |
|
Construction starts on pickleball courts
Construction on the long-awaited pickleball courts got underway last week. The project, approved by voters in the 2020 General Obligation Bond Election, includes:
- 6 pickleball courts with lighting
- Perimeter fence
- Fencing to separate each court
- Fenced-off aisle running down the middle of the courts
- Covered benches
"We anticipate construction will take approximately three months to complete," said Director of Engineering Micah Siemers. "
| |
|
Operation Clean House event set for April 20 | | |
|
|
More than a hundred volunteers are needed to help with the annual Operation Clean House event, set for April 20. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in two locations: the Phillips 66 downtown parking lot and the District 2 Washington County barn in Dewey.
The free, countywide event for Washington County residents to dispose of hazardous household and automotive goods without harming the environment or endangering human health is sponsored by several local companies and organizations, including the City of Bartlesville.
Each year, the event enables the safe disposal of more than 10,000 pounds of hazardous waste from the community for free. OCH is typically held on Earth Day.
To volunteer to help with the event, contact click here. Volunteers will receive breakfast, lunch and a T-shirt.
| |
|
Trash routes amended for Good Friday holiday
Friday trash collection moved to Wednesday, March 27
Most City offices will be closed Friday, March 29, and Friday residential trash routes will be amended to Wednesday, March 27, this week due to the Good Friday holiday.
During holiday weeks, trash collection for routes affected by the holiday is always on Wednesday of that week. Collection for Friday solid waste department customers will be on Wednesday, March 27, instead of Friday, March 29. Trash must be placed at its normal collection point no later than 6 a.m. on March 27 for collection.
The recycling center, public library and history museum will also be closed March 29. Police and fire services will continue uninterrupted.
| |
|
Yard debris collection set for May 6-10
The City's next free yard debris collection will take place the week of May 6-10.
Bartlesville residents can put their bagged yard debris or bundled tree limbs at their normal trash collection point on their normal trash day during the week of the event and City crews will come by and pick them up.
The collection is for the following items only:
- Leaves
- Grass
- Lawn clippings
- Limbs and branches if cut in lengths no longer than four feet and bundled (may not exceed 50 pounds)
During this event only, yard debris bags will not require yard waste stickers, and clear or colored bags are allowed.
The collection is for private residences only; no commercial collections will be made.
There is no limit on the number of bags a resident can put out for the collection. Extra bags or items of household refuse outside the cart must have the red refuse sticker attached.
For more information, contact the Solid Waste Department at 918.338.4130.
| |
|
Water supply still good; Copan Lake on the rise
Water supply for the area continues to hold steady at above-full levels, thanks to rains that started late last year, Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen said this week.
"We’ve had the benefit of some nice rains starting around last Christmas," Lauritsen said. "With the exception of Copan Lake, which is our smallest water supply source, our water supply is in really good shape."
Water sources for the City are Hulah Lake, Hudson Lake, the Caney River and Copan Lake.
Lauritsen said Copan Lake is currently 68 percent full, while the remaining sources are at or above 100 percent.
"From a water supply perspective, we’re in very good shape for this time of year, and even Copan Lake has been on the rise for the last two or three weeks," he said.
He said rain this weekend didn’t help much, "but obviously didn’t hurt at all."
"There’s more rain forecast later this week, so we’ll wait and see how that transpires," he said. "Historically, in springtime we’ll get wetter weather, so I anticipate that will be more of a normal weather pattern for us this year and that Copan will be full once again."
For more information, see www.cityofbartlesville.org.
| |
Water reuse pilot study continues through June | |
|
The pilot study currently underway at the Chickasaw Waste Water Treatment Plant for the City's water reuse system continues, though no part of the study involves reused water being distributed to Bartlesville water customers anytime soon, Water Utilities Terry Lauritsen said recently.
"This is an in-house study that is being conducted solely within the Waste Water Treatment Plant," Lauritsen said. "Reused water is not being distributed outside the plant. That is several years from occurring and would only happen in an emergency situation and with prior notice to the public."
The water reuse system is designed to be used in emergency situations, such as Stage 4 drought conditions. The system involves pumping treated waste water upstream into the Caney River, allowing it to blend with river water, and then recapturing it for additional treatment before being distributed to customers.
"Once the system has cleared regulatory hurdles and is ready to use, which will not be for several years, this treated water will be used as an emergency source to supplement the water within the river in the event of a water crisis," Lauritsen said.
Lauritsen said the study involves several facets of the process.
"We are running through various scenarios, looking at different chemicals and filter configurations," he said. "We’re taking a lot of tests to validate or to see how those perform, not only with the standard treatment parameters or chemical constituents that you monitor, but we’re also testing for the trace elements that are not regulated, or the so-called 'contaminants of emerging concern.'
Lauritsen said consultants are about a month into the pilot study and will continue into May or early June with the process.
"We’ve gotten a lot of good data so far," he said. "We’ve been able to narrow down some of the treatment chemicals based on the performance to date. We will continue to refine that, and then we will publicize all of that information in June or July."
Lauritsen said results of the study will be remitted to State regulatory bodies as part of the permitting process.
"We have an abundance of data, and so far it’s been performing as we have anticipated," he said.
Lauritsen said anyone interested in taking a tour of the Waste Water Treatment Plant is welcome.
"This is your facility," he said. "Please feel free to call ahead and we will coordinate tours through my office."
For more information or to schedule a tour, call 918.338.4116.
| |
Public hearing set for WWTP expansion project | |
|
Citizens will have an opportunity to weigh in on the ongoing Chickasaw Waste Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project during a public hearing set for April 15.
The hearing will be held at noon on April 15 in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. The Council Chambers are located on the first floor.
The hearing is to discuss proposed improvements to the City's waste water treatment facility, as well as alternatives to the proposed improvements and their associated costs. Another purpose of the hearing is to discuss the potential environmental impacts of the project and the alternatives to it.
The proposed project is identified in the Planning and Environmental Information Document and consists of the following major elements:
- New administration building, headworks structure, aeration system blowers, circular final clarifiers, return activated sludge pumping, effluent filtration and back wash systems, WAS thickening building, anaerobic digester, backup generator and indirect potable reuse side-stream incorporation.
- Improvements to the primary clarifiers, aeration basins, disinfection system, sludge storage basins, existing anaerobic digesters, gravity belt thickener building, and plant-wide electrical and SCADA upgrades.
The expansion is expected to cost between $60 million and $80 million. Funding will not be accessed until 2026.
Anyone who would like to attend the April 15 meeting is welcome.
For more information about the project, see Waste water plant expansion moves forward and Application locks in rates for WWTP financing.
| |
|
Comp Plan: Interactive map online for public input
We want your input! Take our survey or visit our interactive online map to provide site-specific comments and input on the city's strengths and areas for improvement as we work to update our comprehensive plan, Endeavor 2045.
Identified as an initiative in the Bartlesville NEXT Strategic Plan, Endeavor 2045 is an organizational blueprint that outlines the City's priorities, goals and action steps into the foreseeable future. The plan will address topics such as land use, transportation, housing, economic development, infrastructure, parks and recreation, natural resources, environmental sustainability and more, with a focus on managing growth and enhancing quality of life.
For more information, see the Endeavor 2045 Bartlesville Endeavor 2045, or the City's website, www.cityofbartlesville.org.
| |
| |
|
|
Soccer management RFQs accepted through March 29
The City of Bartlesville has issued a Request for Proposals for the management of its soccer fields, which include facilities at Robinwood Park, 2200 S.E. Frank Phillips Blvd., and Daniels Fields, located within the Lee Lake Complex at 2200 S.E. Adams Blvd. This will include fiscal responsibility and administration of local soccer leagues and activities at the fields as well as maintenance of the facilities.
Respondents should have experience in organizing leagues and tournaments and be capable of providing for the upkeep of the fields and facilities. The successful candidate will be governed by a volunteer board of directors focused on oversight of the association. Responses will be accepted through 11:20 a.m. on March 29.
To view the RFQ in its entirety, including directions on how to submit a response of interest, see Soccer Facilities Management RFQ. For more information, contact Community Development Director Larry Curtis at lrcurtis@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 Bartlesville Area History Museum Trust Authority
- One opening on the Sewer System Improvements Oversight Committee
- One opening on Visit Bartlesville (Bartlesville Convention & Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors)
For more information, visit the City's website, www.cityofbartlesville.org.
| | | | |
