News from Enid, Oklahoma

Greetings!

Picture your favorite Christmas movie scene. The Hallmark movie downtown decked out with lights, holiday decorations, trees, music, and all the Christmas feels. That was the scene in Enid, Oklahoma last Friday night. If you missed it, there is still time to visit Enid to see the WORLD'S TALLEST CHRISTMAS TREE and Holidays on Ice located in our historic downtown. These attractions along with concerts, choirs, lights, and other performances will continue every evening through the first weekend in January. Sometimes economic development looks like bringing thousands of people to town to experience the true meaning of Christmas. While they are here, we will share with them how they too can live, work, and play in our growing community. 
 
To help our visitors learn more about what it’s like to live in such an active, vibrant community, we have launched www.LiveInEnid.com. This new website provides visitors with all they need to know about finding a job, a home, and learning more about our quality of life.
 
I hope that you have an enjoyable holiday season spent with loved ones. If you visit Enid this month to experience Christmas, please give me a call - I would love to show you around!


Sincerely,

ERDA Board of Directors

Sandra Robinett
Matt Parrish
Scott Athey
Dwight Hughes
Martie Oyler
Don Roberts
Brian Henson
Scott Northcutt
Kyle Williams
Dave Lamerton
George Pankonin
Rob Stallings
Jerry Allen
Jason Turnbow

Non Voting:
Jerald Gilbert
Jon Blankenship
Holiday Season Underway in Enid, Oklahoma

The holiday season started off in a magical way on November 26th during the 28th Annual Enid Lights Up the Plains and Lighting of The World's Tallest Christmas Tree, The One. Over 20,000 flocked to Enid to experience all Enid had to offer on opening night to see the Christmas lights parade, ice skate, and attend the tree lighting ceremony.

We hope you will make plans to visit Enid this holiday season and experience the magic for yourself.

LiveinEnid.com
Work.Play.Stay
You can have it all in Enid, Oklahoma!

As the 9th largest city in Oklahoma, Enid’s population of over 51,000 and trade area of over 150,000 makes it a major center of commerce and life. Enid boasts short commute times, a low crime rate, state-of the-art school facilities, two regional medical centers, new athletic facilities and a thriving public art and music scene. These are qualities that our friends in urban areas can only dream of, and as people are reprioritizing their life post-pandemic, Enid is reaping the rewards.

LiveinEnid.com provides the resources that someone needs to make the decision to move to Enid in one location. Our hope is that the new site will be beneficial as we attract individuals and their families looking for a place to belong and call home.

New mill provides flour from all-local grain
A new “farm-to-table” business is rising in Enid.
Brady Sidwell and Graison Gill partnered up to open Chisholm Trail Milling, which produces stone-milled flour from 100% local grain.

Gill, owner of Bellegarde Bakery in New Orleans, had been buying wheat from Oklahoma for several years when he and Sidwell met through Oklahoma Wheat Commission.

The two discussed opening a flour mill closer to where the ingredients originate.

“In a nutshell that’s what we did,” said Sidwell, who also co-owns Enid Brewing Co. and Eatery. “We think there’s a lot of opportunity to sell flour in Oklahoma. We’re near the grain source, so we have less transportation. I have Enterprise Grain Company that has all the supply chains set up with farmers and grain storage, so we thought it would be a good partnership. He’s the artisan baker and the craft side … and I’m the grain side.”

2nd Stonebridge neighborhood subdivision nearing start of building
A planned back half of the Stonebridge Addition’s residential neighborhood would triple the number of homes in the recently developed area.
Forty-five more lots intended for single-family homes are located in the second subdivision of the Stonebridge Additions, northwest of the Cleveland and Chestnut intersection, with 24 already in the first.
Final site plans for the subdivision in the 32-acre addition will go to Enid city commissioners for approval next month before construction can begin.
Members of Enid Metropolitan Area Planning Commission voted unanimously Monday to recommend the final plat of the second addition of tract 1 in the Stonebridge Planned Unit Development (PUD).
Enid City Commission members will vote to approve the final plat next month at their Dec. 7 regular meeting. The developer, Waukomis-based AC Development LLC, will then be responsible for building road, water and sewer access.

ERDA Equipment Purchase Program
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Considering buying new equipment to increase efficiency or add a new product line and need assistance? ERDA offers an equipment purchase program for Enid companies.

Qualification: Company must employ more than 7 FTE whose average pay is equal to or greater than $30,000 and the company must offer medical benefits where the employee pays no more than 50% of premium costs. The company must have annual revenues in excess of $1 million.

The Equipment Purchase Program will pay 50% of equipment purchase cost, up to $20,000. One award per business per year. Equipment should either increase efficiency for the company by increasing sales with less expense or add a new product line to the company.         
                                                  
This is a reimbursement grant and payment will be made upon arrival and installation of the new equipment.

For more information contact
580-233-4232
Men’s consignment store opens downtown
 A men’s clothing and accessories store opened Nov. 1, becoming the only retail store catering solely to men in Enid.

Wilson’s Haberdashery, located at 121 E. Broadway, is a consignment shop that sells suits, sports coats, polos, button downs, slacks, outerwear and accessories.

All items are lightly used and in great condition, and with many name brands and vintage items, its owner said the haberdashery is more than just an apparel recycling spot.

Tammy Wilson, owner of Wilson’s as well as Enid Event Company, said she always wanted to own a store like this, especially in downtown Enid.

“I think it is fun and nostalgic,” the former city commissioner said. “I think we have a neat downtown square and I like the vibe of it, so I wanted to be down here.”
Wilson thought a town the size of Enid should have a store like hers, especially considering the dozens of shops with only women’s clothing in the area.

Key piece of Kaw Lake water project ushering in wave of construction plans
With ceremonial shovels in hand, city officials and project engineers struck gold on November 9 as they broke ground on the site of Enid’s future wastewater treatment plant.

Construction on the treatment plant buildings, to be located on 40 acres on West Chestnut near Enid city limits, will continue for the next two years, project engineers said following a groundbreaking ceremony on the mostly empty site Tuesday morning.

The treatment plant is intended as a final component of the major Kaw Lake water pipeline project, which is elsewhere beginning construction after years of planning and roadblocks.

Garney Construction, the engineering company managing the project build, is pushing for substantial completion date of the entire Kaw Lake Water Supply project by the back half of 2023.

Luckinbill honored as an outstanding business leader in Oklahoma
Outstanding leadership and dedication to Oklahoma’s workforce system are among some of the qualities describing Dennis Luckinbill, of Luckinbill Inc., recipient of the 2021 Oklahoma Workforce Development Business Champion Award.

The Enid native was honored last week by Gov. Kevin Stitt, the Oklahoma Association of Workforce Development Boards and the Oklahoma Workforce Association.

Luckinbill has been involved in developing Oklahoma’s workforce for around 20 years. Currently, he is chairman of the Western Oklahoma Workforce Development Board.

Live Here, Work Here, Grow Here