City Council - Regular Meeting

Okay. Please stand and join Councilwoman Demming on our Pledge of the Flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for our prayer.

Heavenly Father, we come to you today asking for your guidance, wisdom, and support as we begin this meeting. Help us to engage in meaningful discussion Allow us to grow closer as the people of Guthrie and to nurture bonds of community. Fill us with your grace, Lord God, as we make decisions that might affect the government leaders, city staff, businesses, and citizens of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Continue to remind us that all we do here today, all we seek to accomplish is for the pursuit of truth, doing the right things for the greater glory of you. and for the service of humanity. We ask these things in your name. Amen.

Amen. You may be seated. Thank you, Father. It's old. All right, I'll come on over to our regular Guthrie City Council meeting this Tuesday, July 21st, 2026, in the City Hall Council Chambers. Item number two is public comments, community announcements, and recognitions. There are none to my knowledge. Item number three is consent agenda items A through D. I move approval of the consent agenda. Second. We have a motion and a second. If there's no further comments or questions, please cast your votes. Unanimous approval from all those present on the consent agenda items A through D. Item number four is items removed from the consent agenda. We had none. Item number five, purchase of a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe command unit for the fire department. Chief?

Mayor and council, Guthrie Fire Department is looking to purchase a new Chevrolet Tahoe from Vance Fleet utilizing the state contract. This will allow us to push out a 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe that's currently being utilized for a first out vehicle. It's got 178,000 miles on it. This will also allow us to shift a battalion chief vehicle more to that role, and then my vehicle will go to battalion chiefs, and then I'll be driving this new talk. If there's any questions, I'll be happy to answer them at this time. Staff will be recommending approval at this time.

You think you'll get it this year, next year?

They actually have this one.

Honestly, a bunch of them sitting out driving.

They're currently working on an upfit pricing, too.

Move approval of a purchase of a 2026 Chevy Tahoe Command Unit for the Fire Department.

Second.

Motion to second. No further questions or comments for the Chief.

Cast your votes.

How about Durant?

Unanimous approval from all those present for the purchase of a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe Command Unit for the Fire Department. Thank you, Chief. Item number six, purchase of a 2023 Ford Expedition. Mr. Faulkner.

Yes, Mayor and Council, what you have before you this evening is a purchase of a used 2023 Ford Expedition for the City Hall Pool Fleet. This unit will replace a 2000 Ford Explorer that was transferred down from the fire department. So if you notice, the fire department gets the new vehicles. We're buying used vehicles. All jokes aside, this 2000 Ford Explorer, we refer to that as a red ride. Originally started out in the fire department way back when. Definitely seen as better days. We've struggled to, at this point, we're struggling to get the necessary parts and things to repair it. Air conditioning, we can't keep it running. It's time to surplus that unit and get it out of here. I did pull some pricing. New Explorers were in the $50,000 range. New Expeditions were in the $60,000 range. Vance had this used Expedition with 40, I think it's got 41,000 miles down on the lot here in Guthrie. We've asked for the purchase price for the unit itself as 43,000 and some change. Let me get here. $43,450. We asked them to put a new set of tires on it. And that brings our total to $45,640. Staff recommends approval. Be happy to answer any questions.

Move approval of the purchase of a 2023 Ford Expedition in the amount not to exceed $45,640. Second.

Motion or second? Any more questions for Mr. Faulkner on the vehicle?

Those definitely need to be purchased. I know that you're not Ford Explorer trying to haul some things around for... What color is it?

It's white. White in color. Oh, I thought you meant the old one. It's red. Oh, the red one is. Yeah, we try to stay with a consistent white color if possible. Yeah, sure.

Yeah, I saw this vehicle the other day. I asked Aaron if it was a new car.

The red ride. The red ride. Yeah. As he was leaving the airport and it was clanking. The holes in it were really good. Yeah. All right.

Yeah, when you drive down the road and see holes, that's not good. That's not good. No.

All right. Definitely necessary.

Thank you. All right. No further comments or questions. Please cast your votes. All right. Unanimous approval for the purchase of a 2023 Ford Expedition.

Item number seven, City Manager's Report. Yes, Mayor and Council. If you've not been out to Owen Field, the Earthworth contractor is making great progress. We had a little bit of a weather delay that first week. Had some much-needed rain, so I was thankful for the rain. I think we got over five inches that week that wasn't forecasted, but put a little damper on the progress. But the crews have been making great strides since then. Anticipate another 10 days or so, and then utilities will begin their work. We're currently waiting on the BABA certificates, which is a requirement of the federal grant to ensure that the utility contractor and the materials that they are using are Buy America, Build America compliant. So just another piece of compliance that comes along with receiving and spending those federal dollars. Tinney and JB hosted the Parks Board for a traveling tour of all the city parks last week to discuss the Parks Board master plan. future upgrades to each park as the direction of this council at our retreat in May. So we're moving forward with that and looking at what we can do in the upcoming budget proposal to try and address some of those needs. Keep in mind we're undoing decades of nothing trying to bring it up to speed. So We will present something. We're not sure what that will be just yet, but we would like to address one, maybe two parks if possible. So bring that back to you at our budget workshop in August. Fire station construction documents are currently out for bid. The bid opening will take place on July 30th at 10 o'clock here in the council chambers. Bids for the airport terminal building in the apron came in under budget. So I was super excited. happy to see that had great response airport engineer toby baker and team worked really hard to make sure that those estimates and all the design documents were in line with what our budget was and we came in under budget so you likely saw the press release that we sent out last week the state has awarded our state grant we have accepted the federal grant and so now we're we're rocking right along get all those funds received by the city we can can get that project rolling The Downtown Downbeat, if several of you were here for that event, a kickoff event with the Guthrie Chamber, several partnerships with our local businesses with the live music and the fireworks downtown. It's a great event, great turnout. Again, another unexpected weather pop-up kind of gave us a little bit of a scare, but didn't stop us from having a great evening. So, Great work. Kudos to the Chamber, all the individuals who worked together to make that happen. I think Justin, Shonda, and the team, in comparison to previous events that were similar in nature, having the Chamber alongside us with their committee was a substantial effort to have that go off without a hitch. Pelican Bay opened last Saturday, and Citi has resumed its partnership to offer this amenity again this year. Those wristbands are available in the utility office if you know anybody that is looking for them. Fiscal year 27 budget work continues, so we'll talk a little bit about that in the executive session with collective bargaining agreements and department requests. We did start a new animal control officer on July the 6th, and he's off to a great start. We've had a great time with him these first couple of weeks, getting him trained. I've got an officer out there who started with us originally out on the animal control team prior to becoming a police officer, giving him some on-the-job training, as well as have him registered for some upcoming training in the next couple of months, so ACO training. Excited to see that and fill that gap that's been existing for a while. We also have the State Highway 105 ODOT waterline project out for bid. We'll be opening those bids in August. And then a couple of other quick notes. The mowing, so the mowing contracts, we had a pre-bid meeting today. We'll have the bid opening for that on July 29th. So that'll be the day before the fire station construction documents. Several bid opportunities out there right now. If you're interested in doing some work with the city, please go visit our website. You can see all of the opportunities that are available. I will be out of the office next week, July 27th through the 31st. While I'm gone, if you need anything, please reach out to Justin. He'll be happy to take care of you. Even if you don't need anything, go ahead and give Justin a call. Let him know you're thinking of him. Just keep him on his toes while I am out. And then lastly, you'll notice Councilman Bothroyd's not here this evening. Unfortunately, his father did pass away last week, so he couldn't be here tonight. Wanted me to express that, but he will be back soon. So please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. With that, Mayor, that's all I have for you.

Excellent. Thank you, Eddie. Item number eight, request comments from members of City Council. Councilman Williams.

No, thank you.

Councilwoman Denning?

I just have a couple. Looks like a lot of trees were taken out at Highland Park. I know Teddy's not here this evening, but looks so much better. So thank you to whoever, Teddy's crew, I assume, was responsible for that. It's hot. Pets, elderly, check on everybody. Check on your neighbors. Keep hydrated. If you work outside, or in and out. Sometimes the in and out is the worst than being outside all day long. So please take care of yourselves. Next few weeks are going to be brutal. Summer is here. So that's all I have. Thank you.

Vice mayor. Thank you, staff. Now I'm going to rant. Eddie knows what I'm going to rant about. I went out to have dinner the other night at Brahms and an ambulance came down the road. So I've already told you this. It is time for the people to wake up. When you see an ambulance coming or a police car or a sheriff, pull over. It isn't that hard to, I mean, you learn that in driver's ed, I think, but pull over and get out of the way and help them out by staying out of the way. There's too many people that just want to drive down the road and don't pay any attention. Lights come up on them and they just sit there and look at you. And I've had to watch guys have to back their ambulance up, fire trucks, whatever, and You drive off on another side of the road to get around them. So please, please move over. Sorry. Rant's over. That's it.

Hear, hear. Hey, Chief. No, that's good. Thank you.

Councilman Aguirre. My condolences to Councilman Bothroyd. Having lost a parent, that's not easy. I have nothing else. Thank you.

And Councilwoman I was going to say it, but I'm not. Gibbs.

I also attended the Downtown Downbeat, and it was a great evening. We had so much fun. I know there were kids everywhere. It seemed like the entire community was out there, so the council did a fantastic job. Chris looks great in pink, and I feel like... You know, it really went off really well. That is the best fireworks show in the state. Fireworks at Poppin' really, I mean, I went to four, and that was the best one by far. The Hoovers really know what they're doing when it comes to blowing things up, if you will, putting on a great show. I really did enjoy it very much, so I also did get to meet the new, well, my dogs got out. And one of them, she's very old. And so we couldn't find her for a while. And they were really responsive in getting her back to me. So I really appreciate it. He tried very hard. So it was really great to meet an employee out there. He was very nice and very courteous. And he did a great job when he didn't know answers to my questions. He said, let me call my supervisor and I will call you right back. And he did twice. So he was very tentative and he did a great job. So I really do appreciate it. We did get Maggie home and she got her pain meds. She's 15. So if she gets out, she won't hurt anybody, but she also can't hear anything either. So anyways, I really appreciate everybody and everything they've done out there. It is hot. It's hard to work out there. I know I'm out there doing things in my yard, just like a lot of people are. It is incredibly hot, so I would like for everybody to stay safe. I know for my husband, who coaches Little League football, he did cancel practice tonight. He doesn't cancel practice for anything, really. But it was a full pad day, so please, everyone, stay safe. That's all I've got.

Thank you. I agree that Chris does look good in pink. Likely. We need to get more. So everybody give Chris pink shirts for gifts. Now, I want to thank the Parks Board as well as Public Works and everyone who went on the parks tour, I guess we're calling it. I appreciate you taking the time out to do that, to evaluate our parks. Some of them kind of are and some disprepared. Like we said, though, they've they've been that way for long before many of us have even been on this council. But I want to thank you for taking the time and putting your attention to that. A couple weeks ago, I had the honor and the privilege to walk out with Guthrie's own Alfred Ratcliffe, a.k.a. Zeus, during his final career boxing match. I had no idea what I was doing when they asked me to do that, but it was fun nonetheless. I got to do it with the mayor of Clinton. They wanted us to fight, but we said no. Call it the municipal belt or something, I don't know. I thought that was kind of funny, but they did ask more than once. I think they would have done it if we said yes, but it was a great time. Congratulations to Alfred. He's not only a good boxer, but he's a very wonderful man and a great citizen in Guthrie. So that was a high honor for me. And with that, that is all that I have. And we will. Yeah, I'm looking at it. I need somebody to make a motion. I just go ahead.

We go into the same session. Persona 2, Title 25 of the Oklahoma Statute, Section 307B2, the purpose of discussion, non-burdening employee play plan, fraternal of order, police lodge number 105, negotiations with the city, as well as the International Association of Firefighters, local number 2145.

Second.

Okay. Motion or second? No further questions, concerns? Please cast your votes.

Okay.

Okay, unanimous approval from all those present for the proposed executive session.

Don't go anywhere.

We're all in agreement.

Chris has to wear a pink shirt every week. Actually, I have two of them. I move that we...

reconvene out of executive session, noting that no action was taken. Second. Motion to second. No further.

Both had a shirt that had a pink.

I missed the pink shirt.

No further comments or questions. Please cast your votes to come out of executive session. Yes.

Hello.

Yes. Yes. I'm still here.

I'm here. Almost ready.

Okay. Anonymous approval to come out of executive session.

You're pretty famous right now.

Okay. And I believe that's it for that. If there's no action to be taken, return to council chambers so we will adjourn we will call to order our guthrie public works regular authority meeting again tuesday july 21st if anybody forgot item number two it's the consent agendas items a through b mr chairman i have an approval look in such a second okay my motion is second no further comments or questions please cast your votes

Thank you.

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