Welcome to CityBeat, a free weekly e-newsletter containing the latest news and information about the City of Bartlesville and related topics. Get yours delivered each week! https://bit.ly/2eaFETx | | Bartlesville Mayor Jim Curd congratulates Eva Aparicio during a Citizenship Celebration held at the Bartlesville Public Library last week. Aparicio is a graduate of BPL’s Citizenship Program and was recently granted U.S. citizenship through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Agency. Several citizens, City leadership, and local media turned out to help her celebrate her accomplishment. Photo by Andy Dossett, Examiner-Enterprise | | City Council OKs FY 2025-26 operating budget | | |
The Bartlesville City Council voted Monday to approve the 2025-26 Fiscal Year operating and capital budgets following a lengthy workshop meeting to discuss the items last week.
The budgets will go into effect on July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.
The operating budget includes a projected 1 percent overall decline in sales tax revenue from Fiscal Year 2025-25 to FY 2025-26, or a $232,000 decrease in sales tax across the organization. A 2 percent decrease is projected in use tax revenue.
"We have always budgeted very conservatively, and the FY 2025-26 operating budget is no exception to that," said City Manager Mike Bailey. "Because of this, we are in a good position today and should be able to weather temporary downturns in the economy, should they occur."
Bailey said while financial projections at any time can contain miscalculations, the current economic outlook is even less predictable than usual due to the much-talked about tariffs.
"We don't know what effect, if any, the tariffs will have on the economy and what that might mean for us," he said. "We have budgeted as conservatively as possible to help offset any negative effects, but it is impossible to predict how they, along with the potential disruption in the supply chain, might affect municipalities."
Sales tax is expected to generate approximately $23 million during the next fiscal year. The use tax is estimated to generate about $4.7 million over the next fiscal year.
Total resources and revenue in the General Fund are expected to exceed $42.1 million, with expenditures totaling $40.8 million.
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UTILITY FEES & RATES
Included in the proposed budget are utility rate increases totaling about 4.9 percent. The increases, which will start July 1, are anticipated to cost the average utility customer approximately $5.53 per month.
The increases are based on a comprehensive water and wastewater rate study conducted in 2020-21 and are required to improve the City's utility infrastructure, including an expansion of the waste water treatment system, which is expected to cost upwards of $85 million. The improvements are required the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality for the City to meet State and Federal regulations.
STAFFING LEVELS, PAY INCREASES
The proposed budget includes 11 new positions including four additional firefighter positions and seven new positions for Adams Golf Course.
"We previously contracted with then-Golf Pro Jerry Benedict for the operation of the Pro Shop at the golf course, so when Jerry retired last year we also lost his employees, the Pro Shop inventory and leases for other equipment at the golf course," said Assistant City Manager Laura Sanders. "These seven positions will fully staff the golf course now that it is directly under the operation of the City."
Adams Golf Course has been closed since November 2024 to accommodate the ongoing greens replacement project. Plans are to reopen the course in September.
All general City employees will receive a 2.5 percent Cost of Living Adjustment, and eligible employees, or those who have not reached the top of their pay scale, will receive an additional 2.5 percent merit increase.
Pay increases for police officers and firefighters will be determined as a result of ongoing negotiations with the police and fire unions.
BDA, VISIT BARTLESVILLE
The council also approved operating budgets for Bartlesville Development Authority ($690,000) and Visit Bartlesville ($445,000).
The BDA is the economic arm of the City and is funded through the Quarter-cent Economic Development sales tax. Visit Bartlesville focuses on the City's tourism efforts and is funded primarily through the hotel-motel tax. Both are governed by individual boards, though funding approval through City tax revenue is required by the City Council.
See the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operating Budget in its entirety HERE.
| | The map above indicates completed projects that have been approved by voters through General Obligation Bond and Capital Improvement Sales Tax (CIP) elections since 1999. The City holds G.O. Bond elections every few years to fund capital projects. The CIP sales tax extension election is held every five years. The upcoming fiscal year will be the fifth in the five-year cycle. | | Council approves Capital Budget for FY 2025-26 | | |
In addition to the City's operating budget, the City Council also approved capital projects for funding during the upcoming fiscal year.
Funding for the projects has been identified through the 2020 Half-cent Sales Tax Extension and the Enterprise Fund 5-Year Capital plans.
Capital projects slated for funding in FY 2025-26 include:
- Street repairs
- Fire engine vehicle
- City Hall security carpet replacement
- Drainage improvements
- Replacement vehicles
- Mowers and other park maintenance equipment
- Computers and servers
- City facility improvements
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Project to affect several highly-traveled streets
Motorists should expect some level of disruption through July
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The City of Bartlesville is one step closer to launching its preventive maintenance street project thanks to a vote of the City Council on Monday.
The $3.7 million project will see some of the city's most heavily-traveled roadways in some state of disruption through early summer.
"This will be a first for us," said Director of Engineering Micah Siemers. "It's a large-scale project that involves crack sealing the streets and then applying a Bonded Matrix Overlay."
BMO is similar to microsurfacing but is a more robust option capable of holding up to higher traffic volumes and speeds. It consists of an aggregate chip seal topped with a High Density Mineral Bond (HA5) to seal the pavement, Siemers said. "Essentially, contract crews will be filling cracks in the asphalt with a rubberized sealant, which will help prevent water and debris from penetrating the pavement. Then the BMO will be added for further protection and extend the life of these roads."
The council approved a contract with Holbrook Asphalt to do the work, which Siemers said should have a very quick start later this week. Assuming all contracts and bonds are ready in time, the contractor plans to start on the crack sealing on May 8.
"The contractor will do the streets in phases," Siemers said. "They will have a subcontractor begin crack sealing. Once they get far enough ahead with that task, they will begin applying the aggregate chip seal according to a schedule that will be posted on a website that will be updated regularly as needed.
Siemers said the contractor will provide information to business owners and residents on the sections of roadway they will be working on with the process information along with a QR code to access a website launched about the project, which can be viewed HERE.
Siemers said that once the aggregate chip seal is applied, it needs to sit for at least two weeks before they apply HA5 over the top of the chip seal.
"This is the final layer of protection for the roadway and creates a nice driving surface," he said. "This will be the most disruptive part of the project because they can’t put traffic back on this product for at least 12 hours. This is the phase of the project that will see the longest road closures.
"The intent is to keep traffic open on half of the roadway while they work on the other half. They will break the work up to different parts of town so they can keep making progress without closing too much of one area at a time. The final step, once all of the BMO has been applied, will be the striping.
"Motorists should expect some level of disruption until the project is completed, which we're hoping will be around the middle of July. We'll have more details after we meet with the contractor later this week."
The streets on the approved list are primarily higher traffic volume streets with speed limits in the 40-45 mph range.
Streets included in the project are:
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Bison Road — Tuxedo Boulevard to Nowata Road
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Tuxedo Boulevard — Madison Boulevard to Bison Road
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Madison Boulevard — Tuxedo Boulevard to Price Road
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Price Road — Washington Boulevard to Madison Boulevard
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Frank Phillips Boulevard — Sunset Boulevard to Keeler, Delaware to Hillside Drive and Avondale Street to Madison Boulevard
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Johnstone Avenue — Adams Boulevard to 14th Street and Fourth Street to Fifth Street
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Nowata Road — Silver Lake Road to Washington Boulevard
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Jefferson Place — Lincoln Road to Boardwalk Court
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Virginia Avenue — Hensley Boulevard to Butler Creek
More information about this project is available at https://ha5roads.com/city-of-bartlesville-pavement-preservation/, a website produced and hosted by Holbrook Asphalt.
| | Leaf, grass, yard debris collection is this week | | |
The City’s next free yard debris collection will take place the week of May 5-9.
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.
| | Officer Memorial Day ceremony set for May 14 | | |
The Bartlesville Police Department will honor fallen officers during its annual Officer Memorial Day Ceremony on May 14.
The event will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at the Bartlesville Police Department, located at 615 S. Johnstone Ave.
The ceremony is dedicated to remembering and honoring the brave men and women of law enforcement who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. The ceremony will include a moment of silence, remarks from department officials and community leaders, and the ceremonial laying of a wreath.
“We are proud to host this important event as a tribute to those who gave their lives protecting our community,” said Police Chief Kevin Ickleberry. “Their courage and commitment to public safety will never be forgotten.”
The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Community members, families of fallen officers and representatives from neighboring agencies are all welcome to join in paying respects.
- Officer Memorial Day Ceremony
- May 14, noon to 1 p.m.
- Bartlesville Police Department, 615 S. Johnstone Ave., Bartlesville, Okla.
For more information, please contact the Bartlesville Police Department at 918.338.4050.
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Pools open May 24
The City-owned Sooner and Frontier swimming pools are set to open for the season on May 24. City-owned splash pads could open sooner, weather permitting. The City of Bartlesville owns and maintains the pools, but they are operated and managed by the Richard Kane YMCA. To inquire about programs or lifeguard positions, visit https://rkymca.org/ or contact the YMCA at 918.336.0713.
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Road closure
Fairview Road between Highway 75 and Marling Street was closed recently after a portion of the roadway collapsed due to erosion. A leaking culvert under the road has eroded the roadway and caused it to collapse, according to Public Works Director Keith Henry. Henry said the road will remain closed until the culvert can be repaired or replaced, which is expected to take at least a week or longer.
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Annual fire hydrant flushing starts May 4
The City of Bartlesville Water Utilities Department will begin testing and flushing fire hydrants at approximately 8:30 p.m. on May 4. The flushing is done on an annual basis to help ensure the city's fire hydrants are in proper working order.
The process will be completed in sections. In some areas, work will be conducted at night to avoid disturbing businesses during hours of operation. Night flushing will be conducted between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. Daytime testing will be from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
During the flushing process, some discoloration of water may occur. Please use caution when laundering clothes.
The first areas to be flushed include:
Zone 5 (Partial) — NIGHT FLUSHING
May 4-5
8:30 p.m.– 6 a.m.
Northern city limits south to 11th Street, from the railroad tracks east to Cherokee Avenue
Zone 5 (Partial) — DAY FLUSHING
May 7 until complete (Monday through Friday)
6:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Northern city limits south to 11th Street, from Cherokee Avenue east to the Caney River
Zone 3
May 8 until complete (Monday through Friday)
6:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Frank Phillips Boulevard south to Sand Creek, from railroad tracks west to city limit
Zone 7
May 12 until complete (Monday through Friday)
6:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The northern city limits south to Frank Phillips, from Washington Boulevard west to the Caney River
Crews will continue to move through the city until all fire hydrants have been tested and flushed. Updates will be posted as needed.
| | Amaro named April EAC Employee of the Month | | |
Assistant City Manager Laura Sanders, right, congratulates Neighborhood Services Officer Ike Amaro, left, after he was named the April Employees of the Month by the City's Employee Advisory Committee.
Amaro was selected for the honor after being nominated by fellow employee and Neighborhood Services Officer Billy Hawe.
"For years, Ike Amaro has been using his translation services to help the city and the public," Hawe wrote in his nomination letter. "He helps to translate for permits and other code enforcement issues at the front desk. He has translated and helped with grant programs and other responsibilities within the city outside of the scope of his normal job. He has offered his translation services to the Fire and Police Department as well. He has been called out to translate by the Police Department on multiple occasions after work and even in the middle of the night. He selflessly uses his time in this way to go above and beyond in not only the city but also the community as a whole."
Amaro received eight hours of special vacation, $25 in Chamber Bucks, and a restaurant gift card.
To nominate a City of Bartlesville employee for Employee of the Month, email information to EAC@cityofbartlesville.org.
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Help wanted
Are you looking for a career that offers competitive pay, excellent benefits and an opportunity to serve your community? We've got you covered! Click here to view open positions and submit an application. For questions or more information, contact the Human Resources Department at 918.338.4221.
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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 open committees/board positions, for more information or to apply, see www.cityofbartlesville.org.
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Check this out
Did you check out our annual report? The City of Bartlesville has released its first annual report, offering an in-depth view of the City’s performance for Fiscal Year 2023-24. The report’s goal is to showcase City operations, as well as offer a financial overview, updates on capital projects, public safety statistics, details of community development initiatives and spotlights on each department. The full report can be found here or by clicking on the photo above. Printed copies are available at City Hall, the Bartlesville Public Library and the Bartlesville Area History Museum.
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