City Council - Special Meeting

Please pray with me.

Almighty God, we give you thanks for the city of Guthrie. We thank you for its citizens, its employees, all of its leaders. As you keep watch over our hearts and minds, please guide and direct the actions of each person here tonight, both here in person and who's watching online. May your grace and mercy shine throughout this meeting, into our community and beyond all summer long. In your name we pray. Amen.

Amen. You may be seated. All right, we call to order our regular Guthrie City Council meeting on June 2nd, 2026 at 6.30 p.m. here in the chambers. Item number two is public comments, community announcements, and recognitions. I don't believe we have any. We have one person wishing to speak, but that's on an agenda item, so we'll wait until then. Item number three is consent agenda items A through G, or A through I. Am I mistaken?

I think I, does I need to be pulled from the meeting you guys just had? Deanna?

What?

Do we need to discuss I, or is everybody good with that? Certainly up to the council. Because it's on the consent agenda, you've got to pull it off if you want to discuss it. I don't think we need to, do we?

Anybody want to discuss the rule? No. I don't need to discuss the rule.

I'm fine with it.

Do you?

No, you guys had the meeting. I didn't know if you wanted to bring something up in this meeting or not.

No, this was just, this is over at the architects, the G2 architects for the parliament.

Well, right. And that's on there.

Yeah. No, I don't.

Does anybody want to say? Nobody? I don't. Tracy? No.

G2 is here, correct? Correct. For questions?

Yeah. But the only way they can do that is if you pull it off the consent agenda. They have. Let's call aye off the consent agenda.

I move approval of items A through H. Yeah, items A through H, second.

Further comments or questions, please cast your votes.

All votes ran.

Unanimous approval of the consent agenda minus aye. Item number four, items removed from consent agenda. There was. Item number I, the approve amendment number one, the agreement with GH2 Architect LLC for the Highland Park Pool project contingent upon city attorney review and authorize the mayor to execute the amendment. Item number five is mayor's nomination of the Guthrie Parks and Urban First report. You got to go back to item I.

Yeah, if there's discussion, that's what I was trying to tell you. Okay, does anybody have a discussion for item number I? For GH2.

Does GH2 want to say anything?

I don't have anything. I knew you guys were meeting, and if you wanted to discuss it, it needed to come off the consent agenda. That's all.

No, this is an amendment to number one on the agreement. I don't have approval of I-5.

Second.

I didn't have a question as to the amendment.

Okay so now we are approving item number I.

DIRECTOR HERSEY- We have a motion and a second. DIRECTOR DEWOLF- Councilwoman Gibbs.

DIRECTOR RIVERA- Oh I thought I hit it.

DIRECTOR DEWOLF- All votes are in.

DIRECTOR RIVERA- I thought I pushed the button. Item number five, the mayor's nomination to the Guthrie Parks and Urban Forestry Board. Mr. Maker.

Yes, Mayor and Council, our Guthrie Parks and Urban Forestry Board currently has one appointment that expired June 1st of 26th. We received one applicant, Bo D. Sharp, who had submitted his application to serve on the board. The mayor's recommended his appointment to the Parks and Forestry Board, his term would expire June 1st of 2028.

I move approval of the mayor's nomination to vote for the County of Parks and Forestry Board for a term in June 1st of 2028.

A second.

Okay.

First and a second.

This will be his first term. First term.

Comments or questions? If there's none, please cast your votes.

All votes are in.

Unanimous approval to appoint Bo Sharpe to the Parks and Urban Forestry Board. Thank you, Tinney. Congratulations, Mr. Sharpe. On number six is BNSF Railway Foundation Drone Initiative Grant Program, or Public Safety Drone Equipment. I'm sorry, Dane Lawson. Yes.

So I helped Chief Lawson write this grant for us to be able to get a drone. We were able to work with emergency management on a few calls to get used thermal drones. There's a lot of benefits for those. I feel like there's a great need in this community. BNSF was happy to give us this $3,000 towards that program. It's a non-matching, or it is a matching, sorry.

Approval of the grant at $3,000. Second.

Go ahead, Deanna. Second.

Motion and a second for free money. Anybody else have any issues with that? Second. If there are none, please cast your votes.

Thank you for working on that. Thank you so much for your time and effort.

Vice Mayor Teo. I thought I did.

All right, Leigh Annum's approval of the BNSF Railway Foundation Drone Initiative Grant, Public Safety Drone Equipment. Item number seven.

was selected for the public safety grant through with the Walmart program for us to be able to purchase smoke detectors and batteries for the community we get these calls weekly for those needs second motion a second ask your votes

Unanimous approval for the Walmart Community Grant Public Safety Program. Item number eight is the Oklahoma Rural Health Transformation Microgrant Fire EMS Equipment. Mr. Not Lawson again.

Deputy Chief Frayden.

So this was a competitive grant come out of the... Big, beautiful bill for us in rural Oklahoma to be able to purchase equipment. We have these new ambulances and for us to be able to get some of these big ticket capital items. I want to make sure that we were able to get those. We were gracious enough by the state to be granted this grant for forty six thousand six hundred for this equipment and it is a non match grant.

with approval of the Oval and Rural Health Grants Formation Microgram Fire EMS for the amount of $46,600 to purchase two refurbished slide packs, 15 cardiac, one person, two new ventilators for the Guthrie Firehouse.

Can you read that again? Yeah.

I like how it's called a microgram, despite the fact that the other two were kind of micro.

Second, by the way. Motion and a second. Any further discussions on the micro-grant? If there are none, please cast your votes. Unanimous approval for the Oklahoma Rural Health Transformation micro-grant for the fire EMS equipment for $46,600. Thank you. Item number nine, ordinance number 3433, rezoning request for 8.26 acres at West Oklahoma Avenue and South Academy Road. Mr. Kaysinger.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, City Council. As indicated, this is a rezone from A2 to R3. It's located on South Academy. We've had some recent activity over there in terms of rezone. This is right at the southeast corner of West Oklahoma and South Academy. The item went to the Planning Commission. At the Planning Commission, there was one person who spoke who had concern about drainage that they also submitted a letter. At the meeting, as well as after the meeting, I had talked to them and explained the development process and that we have ordinances and such in place to Make sure that the drainage issues will be taken care of. And so with that, they were happy with that information and were, again, not necessarily opposed to it. But the Planning Commission did recommend approval for O of the rezone.

Is that across the street from the hospital? Yes, it is. How many times have they brought that up? A bunch of times. I hope this bunch will do something with it.

Yeah, I was going to say, there's been talk for a while, but yeah, it looks like something will finally move forward on this one.

So moved. Second. So can I say that? Yes. So in watching the planning meeting, and Ms. Davis's concerns are genuine. Yes, absolutely. You look at the ditch in front of the hospital, it's eroded terribly bad. But I was glad to hear you say that civil engineering has to first, by the developer, has to determine the water flow, the amount, and I guess... retention pond if necessary. And so I was glad to hear that.

Yeah, because that was all with the drainage ordinance that we've had for probably 10 years now. We haven't always had it. And obviously that has been maybe some of the concerns in the older developments. But that's the nice thing now is we have that in place. So we have that review on both ends. We have obviously the preparation, but even on our end, we have the review in that to make sure it isn't going to impact adjacent properties. Yeah.

And then we hold them accountable.

Absolutely. Yep.

Okay.

Thank you. We have a motion for approval and a second. If there's no further comments or questions, pass your votes.

My vote's run.

Unanimous approval for ordinance number 3433, rezoning requests for 8.26 acres at West Oklahoma Avenue and South Academy Road. Item number 10, ordinance number 3434, amendment to zoning code regarding floodplain development provisions. Mr. Kasich. Thank you, Mayor.

Excuse me. Mayor and City Council. We made it a little past one year before we had our first amendment to the new zoning code. This one is, as indicated, one of the things that's come up is we have a small portion of our Guthrie proper overlay district into the flood zone on the west side, near the flats, and then also on the south side here, like off of First, Second Street in town. A couple of the provisions could be very difficult for somebody to meet, one of them being a garage requirement, where if you have an attached garage, it has to be set back at least 10 feet. The typical development, and I have a couple developers that are looking at doing the floodplain is they're going to have a garage on the bottom and basically the residents on top. So the bottom will function as a garage storage and obviously it'll be high enough to meet the floodplain requirements. But obviously with the requirements of having it set back 10 feet and those type of things, it's going to make it nearly impossible or very expensive to do. So this amendment would basically say in the floodplain, the porch requirement as well as the garage requirement would not need to be adhered to. It can if they wanted, but it won't be a standard requirement. And again, that'll take care of that kind of development difficulty in that. But that's the only thing that it would affect. The general design and that would still have to have compatibility. And the Planning Commission did recommend a 4-0 of the amendment.

Approval of Ordinance 3434, Amendment to Zoning Code regarding floodplain development provisions.

Second. Question and a second. Please cast your votes if there's no further comments or questions.

All votes are in.

Unanimous approval for Ordinance number 3434, Amendment to Zoning Code regarding floodplain development provisions. Item number 11 is ordinance number 3435, closure of portions of the alley right of way in Capitol Hill subdivision. Mr. Kasich.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, City Council. The applicant has a property over off of East Warner. It's near Poplar Street where the church is. It's just kind of west of there. There was an easement or an old alley right away in there that appeared to have been vacated. But when a title work and everything and survey was done, it was not. So given that there was also one going the north and south, as you saw on your map, The applicant is looking to close both of those rights of way so then he can move to the next step to vacate that right away. That would allow him not only to build a home on that property but also combine the properties into one large development. The utilities, there were no issues because the city does not have any existing utilities there. Most of the utilities are, I think, in the other portions. Even if the one needed to be there, the north-south one, it isn't going to preclude or it isn't going to affect the property owner because he mainly needs the right of way to go away to combine the lots. So there was no...

issue from the utilities uh planning commission had recommended uh 4-0 approval public closure so moved motion a second any questions for dan on this one this particular portion there are none please cast your votes unanimous approval for ordinance number 3435 closure of portions of the alley right-of-way and capitol hill subdivisions Item number 12 is a special use permit request, accessory building size limitation exemption. Mr. Kasich.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, City Council. This is another provision that was new in our updated zoning code. One of the things that I saw a lot with the previous accessory structure was there was in the area certain development, but because of some restrictions that one or two people couldn't take advantage of it. In this case, one of the provisions says that if you're on one and a half acres or more, you don't... Sorry, back up. It has to do with the size of the accessory structure. Again, I'm sorry. One and a half acres, you have no limitations. Generally, we've seen that to be 18 to 2200 square feet in that. In this case, there's a bunch of properties around there that are allowed that by right because they're an acre and a half or more. The subject property is 1.1 acre and the property is 1.1 acre old. And so, and so by and in there, they're able to go to through the special use permit to get one holding that could be 1500 versus putting things, things that it's only going to be 1500 or 1600. So it obviously saves the, uh, property owner some, uh, cost in that. But again, the impact to the area is eligible because there's other properties that would be able to bill eligible because there's other properties that would be going into the. Yeah. Yeah. That's why we had the provision. Yep. So moved.

Second. Motion to second. Further comments. So moved. Second. Motion to second. Further comments or questions for Mr. Kasich, please cast your votes.

All those for aye.

Okay. And that was approval for the special use permit request. Accessory building size limitation exemption. Item number 13 is ordinance number 3436, temporary amendment to ordinance number 3311, June 15th, 2026, fireworks display. Tourism director and citizen of the year, Justin Fortney.

Thank you, Mayor. The typical window of opportunity for folks to enjoy fireworks in the city limits is June 30th through July 5th. This event at the 250th Birthday Party for America would like to enjoy fireworks on the evening of June 15th. If approved, this would only allow for that fireworks at that event. It wouldn't allow for fireworks throughout the entire community on that specific evening. So that would be the only change to the regular fireworks ordinance would be allowing it for that event on that evening. And the coordinator for the event is here if you have any questions.

I also have someone who wishes to speak on the item. Let's hear from both of them. Want to hear from Aya? Do you want to come up, please? So if there's anybody, this is the applicant for the 250th birthday party for America event on June 15th. There's any questions?

Yeah. Do you have any big name musicians drop out suddenly on you?

We've invited a lot of candidates to come to this, but Being that Logan County was our first capital, we think a 250th birthday party for America is very appropriate for Guthrie.

When I first read this, I thought it was saying for Aya Kelly's 250th birthday. You look great for 250.

You can bring me presents if you want to. I'll take them.

So can you explain what time it starts, ending time, what this is going to look like?

Do you want to see my banner?

She brought the banner.

So we're going to have line dancing, a live band, face painting, a bounce house, just bringing in the community.

Where's it going to be at?

At Cottonwood Flats. A food truck, and it's all sponsored, so it's free for the community.

And then the fireworks part.

I plan to do that when it gets dark, so line dancing, I'm thinking 7.30 to 8.30, and then after that.

Is there an end point?

It's a 10-minute display.

This is a watermelon eating contest?

Yes. Do you want to come compete? You might win something.

Oh, really? Any questions for... Madam Kelly.

Last question. I see Mr. I can't think of your last name. The fireworks man is here. I assume you guys are doing the fireworks for this?

They opened that night, so we were talking before this.

We need to have a licensed person. That's what I was going to ask. So, yeah.

And then we also, I have to get insurance for that night, but I wanted to not pay for it before I got approved. Sure.

So I make a motion to approve. Second. Before we do that, though, we do have one person like to speak on this item number, if I have it correctly. Is it Senator Hayden?

Thank you, Your Honor. I'm just testing out my civic exercise. No comments or discussion.

Okay. All right.

Thank you.

Okay, we have a motion and a second.

I appreciate you going through the effort to do this. This is a very significant day in our nation, and I'm glad for people in this city to recognize it.

Agreed. I think it'll be a great event. Looking forward to it. Thank you.

Yeah, I'll be going. I think we have a motion and a second.

There was, yes.

All right, motion and a second. Any further comments or questions? No. If there are none, please cast your votes.

All votes are in.

Okay, unanimous approval. for the Ordinance Number 3436, Temporary Amendment to Ordinance Number 3311 for June 15, 2026 fireworks display, which is the 250th birthday party for America.

Second. Motion to second for the Declaring Emergency Ordinance Number 3436. Questions, comments on that? Okay. Votes? Votes are in.

unanimous approval for the declaration of emergency ordinance number 34 36 thank you for coming though I everybody thank you for bringing the banner to appreciate it hey I don't number 15 ordinance number 34 37 temporary amendment to the ordinance number 33 11 for July 11th 2026 fireworks display mr. Fortney

This would be an identical effect to the previous item, but replacing that date with July 11th for the annual Independence Day fireworks display downtown produced by Fireworks of Poppin. Similar to the last item, this would allow for this display only and not other community-wide displays. But yes, just amending that ordinance for this display on the 11th.

So moved.

for the downtown downbeat.

Yes. Yes. The block party part of it is separate from the firework show, but the block party and then the firework show to finish off the evening. Perfect. Thank you.

All right. We have a motion and a second. Did we have that? Yeah, did we get a motion and a second? Okay. No further comments, questions, please cast your votes.

That's right. Okay.

Unanimous approval for ordinance number 3437, temporary amendment to ordinance number 3311 for the July 11th, 2026 fireworks display. Fireworks of Poppin. Probably the best in the state, to be honest with you.

Most definitely. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. Item number 16, city manager's report.

Yes, mayor and council. Thank you. I hope that you're all enjoying the cool off we had this morning. Yesterday was much warmer than it is today. So I'll take the cool weather and I'll take the rain. Budget season is kicking off as we shared at the retreat. We had our first presentation and gearing up for that. Kim and I will be kicking off with revenue estimating and projections next week. Department heads have been given their instructions and asked to get their proposals to us by the end of June, and we'll start with our special workshops in July and August. Firework festivities, as we just discussed, we've got the options for the 250th birthday down in the flats on June 15th. Thank you, the Kellys, for organizing that and coordinating that. We've also got fireworks up hopping on July the 11th with the rebranded Red Break Nights, the downtown downbeat. So look forward to that event every year. In fact, excuse me. And conversations in preparation for next year, we may look to push that to the Saturday prior to the 4th of July. And we've had proactive conversations with it. And we've had proactive conversations for next year. We do have a kickoff meeting scheduled for Owen Field next week. Looking forward to that project. Lots of good progress on all of our projects. And keeping with our projects. And keeping with that theme, the taxiway project. excuse me, the taxiway out of the airport will be complete in approximately two weeks if the rain holds off. If not, you might add an extra week to that. That project is ahead of schedule and under budget. So I appreciate Contech for all of their work out there. It's a big $5.6 million taxiway realignment project, 95% funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. So appreciate our team working through that. Got some good news this afternoon. Received a phone call from Senate Appropriations Chair and our Senator, Chuck Hall, letting us know that between the collaborative efforts with the Senate and the House, Representative Duell, the two have collaborated to secure approximately $1.4 million for water and sewer projects that we had submitted a grant application for. So, Senator Hall and Representative Duhl will be here on Monday in the council chambers at 9 a.m. to present that check to us. That's going to be huge for the Public Works Department and our team helping us get our 2026 year budgeted items. That's going to go a long way for that project list. So, you will receive an invite from me on that. We have a notice of quorum posted. So, All council members are welcome to attend and I hope that you can. Last thing I'll share with you, thank you to everybody who had a hand in the post office dedication in honor of Oscar J. Upham. As well attended, it was a lot of support, Councilwoman Gibbs, Mayor Roth, federal delegation, local delegation, truly everybody came together to make that event go off without a hitch. Thank you for that. With that, Mayor, I'd be happy to answer any questions. That's all I've got for you.

Okay. Thank you, Eddie. Item number 17 is request comments from members of City Council. Councilman Williams.

Again, thank you to Aya Kelly's group for that celebration. It's going to be a big day. Also, the rods and bikes. Is that on the 12th, isn't it?

This Friday.

Looking for Justin. At the Rock. The 12th. Friday the 12th. So next Friday, I'm sorry. Just wanted to mention that. Thank you.

Councilwoman Denning?

I don't think I have anything to say.

Vice Mayor Taylor? Stan, thank you, guys. Appreciate all y'all's hard work. And I think it's going to be great for the 4th of July with the fireworks before and the fireworks after. We'll keep it kind of going all like a month. That's all year long. I don't mind all year. That's fine, too.

It is all year now.

Yeah, it is. You're right.

I'm sure the chief is glad to hear that.

Dan, is it Cooksey Road, the county line? Is that where we go? Fireworks on the other side?

And pop bottle rockets are back. Well, you have pop bottle rockets. I missed that.

Dan, you're going to be a lot, you and you guys are going to be a lot more busy.

Should we talk about the rush comfort now?

Yeah, we're going to be increasing the fire department. Other than that, that's it. Okay. All right. Councilman McGee? Nothing. Thank you. Okay. Councilman Buffer?

Thanks to the Kellys for their effort in the celebration and fire department for all the grants. It's a big deal for us in our community. That's it.

Okay.

Councilwoman Gibbs?

Ditto. I'm excited. I think, you know, Fourth of July is fantastic time of year. It's hot. But I think the fireworks distract us all whenever that starts to come down. So I'm looking forward to all the festivities.

All right. And as for myself, again, ditto with everybody else. Super excited about the 250th birthday celebration for America. I will definitely be in attendance. Thank you guys for putting that on. Coming up with the idea. Yeah. Oh, yeah, absolutely. So we definitely appreciate that. I want to thank GH2 for coming today and meeting with us earlier and talking about the pool. I want to point out, Eddie, I really like your jacket-shirt combo today. It's really good.

I think you guys must have had coordination.

I was wondering why he was – Oh, so was Jeff and Chris. He called and asked what I was wearing and hung up, and now he looks like that. So it looks great. Yeah, that's right. The clowns are out. June 17th to the 19th, I'll be attending the Oklahoma Mayor's Conference in Miami or Miami, whichever you prefer. Is it in Oklahoma or Florida? Oh, yeah. No, I wish it was in Miami. You need to clarify that. Definitely Oklahoma for the Oklahoma Mayor's Conference. But I'll be attending that. That'll be my first one to attend, so I'm excited to do that. Let's see. June 6th, that is the anniversary of D-Day. Of course, in 1944, when troops stormed the beaches over in Europe, we will have a D-Day celebration at the Territorial Museum at 11 o'clock on the actual day. So on June 6th, on Saturday, come out. There's going to be a lot of speakers, a lot of interesting things. So that will be at the Territorial Museum, 11 o'clock, June 6th, D-Day celebration. With that, that is all that I have. I will now do item number 18, which is the proposed executive session. Go ahead.

Second. Okay.

Question or second? Pass the votes, please.

The votes are in.

Okay. Unanimous approval to go into executive session. Stay tuned, folks. We'll be back.

I didn't touch it.

Jeff? Oh, I'm slow. Oh, . OK.

Anyone would like to make a motion? I move that we come out of executive session.

Second. Motion to second. To come out of executive session, please cast your votes.

All votes are in.

Unanimous approval to return to the council chambers out of executive session. Item number 20 is the Memory Gardens Memorial Park.

Mr. Faulkner.

Yes, Mayor.

I would ask for a motion to, based on the conversation in executive session, to proceed as the council sees fit.

I make a motion.

to deny authorizing the mayor and city staff to accept the donation of certain real property of memory gardens memorial park second motion a second to deny memorial gardens memory gardens memorial park donation comments questions okay test your votes please unanimous approval to deny memory garden memorial park Timmy, we're sorry.

Look at him.

He looks happy now.

That was the biggest sigh of relief, I think, of that item in a long time out of Timmy Maker.

Okay. All right. Item number 21, we are adjourned. And then we will call to order our regular Guthrie Public Works Authority meeting. Again, June 2nd, 2026. Item number two is the consent agendas. Item A.

Move approval of the consent agenda.

Second. Motion to second for the approval of the consent agenda. If there's no further comments or questions, please cast your votes.

All votes are in.

Unanimous approval for consent agenda. Item A. Item number three were items from the consent agenda that were removed. There were none. Item number four is we are adjourned.