At that time, voters will be given the chance to decide whether they want a 1/2¢ sales tax to fund a 228-bed jail facility. Passage of the issue will mean that the county’s residents are no longer under the threat of having fines levied against their property taxes for overcrowded conditions at the current jail facility.

According to municipal finance advisor Rick Smith, the impact of the 1/2¢ sales tax on an average family that spends $20,000 per year at local retailers will be approximately $8.33 per month.

Although the Jail Trust had discussed a proposal made this week in the form of a resolution adopted by the Grove City Council to build a 174-bed facility using general obligation bonds and funding the facility’s maintenance and operation with a 1/4¢ sales tax, trustees ultimately sided with the communities that had expressed their citizens’ desires for a 228-bed facility funded solely by sales tax.

“We need to go ahead and honor the desires and wishes expressed by a predominance of the people,” said Jail Trust member Duane Watt as he made the motion to approve the 228-bed facility.
While Watt said he did agree with the Grove representatives that a previous attempt at funding a jail facility with sales tax was turned down by the voters, he maintained that the Jail Trust can and will do a better job of educating the people and getting them out to vote this time around.

This Video is of discussions by City Council before OK’s $250,000 for GSI GPS for Grove from Grand Lake Media on Vimeo.
The engineer said that completion of the project will also help the city determine its future infrastructure needs. “This is an accurate tool, not just an estimate,” McCrary told city council members.
Jacque Peace, a representative from SDR, the firm Rose & McCrary will contract with to provide exact 911 coordinates for streets, residences and docks within the city’s 911 service area, told council members that the city has until December 2012 for getting its 911 system upgraded, or the city’s emergency calls will be dispatched from another area, under provisions of state law.
Funding for the project is to come from 911 fees the city has been collecting pursuant to state and federal law.
Click to see Grove Purchase Orders Approved by City Council Jan5-2110
Ward IV Councilman Gary Trippensee, who voted against the contract, said he did not disagree that improvements are needed; he just wanted more information. “I’d like to see this item tabled to get a better understanding,” Trippensee said as he explained his “no” vote.
Infrastructure mapping covered in the contract includes valves, manholes and utility lines contained in a 21-square mile area. The 911 mapping SDR is to perform covers a substantially larger area, according to McCrary.
It was estimated that both projects could be completed between six months and one year.

City Manager Bruce Johnson said the council could approve the contract without going out for bids because it “is an engineering contract.”
In other city business, council members directed city staff to solicit help from the community to aid DOCS with upgrades at the Grove Senior Citizens Center. DOCS has raised $2,000 toward the $28,000 cost of purchasing a new refrigerator for the center after its old refrigerator quit working.
Council members also heard from the city manager that sign-up information for a new emergency notification program will soon be posted on the city’s website.
In the “good news” category, the city will be receiving $180,000 more than it anticipated through an Oklahoma Water Resources Board grant. According to City Manager Johnson, not all of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding OWRB received from the federal government has been spoken for, making the city eligible to receive more than it anticipated to help pay for upgrades and expansion at its wastewater treatment plant.

This Video is of discussions by City Council before OK’s $250,000 for GSI GPS for Grove from Grand Lake Media on Vimeo.

The engineer said that completion of the project will also help the city determine its future infrastructure needs. “This is an accurate tool, not just an estimate,” McCrary told city council members.
Jacque Peace, a representative from SDR, the firm Rose & McCrary will contract with to provide exact 911 coordinates for streets, residences and docks within the city’s 911 service area, told council members that the city has until December 2012 for getting its 911 system upgraded, or the city’s emergency calls will be dispatched from another area, under provisions of state law.
Funding for the project is to come from 911 fees the city has been collecting pursuant to state and federal law.
Click to see Grove Purchase Orders Approved by City Council Jan5-2110
Ward IV Councilman Gary Trippensee, who voted against the contract, said he did not disagree that improvements are needed; he just wanted more information. “I’d like to see this item tabled to get a better understanding,” Trippensee said as he explained his “no” vote.
Infrastructure mapping covered in the contract includes valves, manholes and utility lines contained in a 21-square mile area. The 911 mapping SDR is to perform covers a substantially larger area, according to McCrary.
It was estimated that both projects could be completed between six months and one year.

City Manager Bruce Johnson said the council could approve the contract without going out for bids because it “is an engineering contract.”
In other city business, council members directed city staff to solicit help from the community to aid DOCS with upgrades at the Grove Senior Citizens Center. DOCS has raised $2,000 toward the $28,000 cost of purchasing a new refrigerator for the center after its old refrigerator quit working.
Council members also heard from the city manager that sign-up information for a new emergency notification program will soon be posted on the city’s website.
In the “good news” category, the city will be receiving $180,000 more than it anticipated through an Oklahoma Water Resources Board grant. According to City Manager Johnson, not all of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding OWRB received from the federal government has been spoken for, making the city eligible to receive more than it anticipated to help pay for upgrades and expansion at its wastewater treatment plant.

Honored were:
John Gibe, a GMSA employee for more than 30 years. Currently Gibe is GMSA’s superintendent for both the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant. He has worked for GMSA since 1979. During that time Gibe has served as a meter reader, service installer, water, wastewater and gas maintenance, water and wastewater plant operator. In 2008 his duties were increased when the superintendents of both the water and wastewater plants were combined.

Rod Decker, a GMSA employee for 24 years. He is currently GMSA’s meter reader foreman. Since beginning his employment on July 9, 1985, Decker has served to maintain water, sewer and gas maintenance, operated both the water and wastewater plants, and acted as gas foreman.

Grove Police Sergeant Jerry Bohannan, who has served the department for 24 years. He began working as a police officer on February 15, 1985. Shortly thereafter, Sgt. Bohannan was assigned to the department’s detective division. Currently, the sergeant leads the day shift patrol as the patrol sergeant. He has been instrumental in handling all special events for the city, including parades, bass tournaments and other large-scale events.

Lt. Detective Mark Sheridan, who has served the police department for 24 years. He first went to work for the department on May 1, 1985, as a police officer. He led the department for years in arrests of drunk drivers. When he moved from the patrol division to the detective division, Detective Sheridan served as the department’s child abuse investigator. Currently, he oversees the detective division, communication division, animal control and evidence, as he maintains his own caseload. A member of DCCSAN he still investigates child abuse and sex crimes, serving not only the City of Grove, but the entire law enforcement community in Delaware County.

Steve Brewer, a GMSA employee for 23 years. He is now the utility line locator for GMSA. Brewer began his employment on June 30, 1986 and has worked maintaining water, sewer and gas service. Like Rod Decker, he has also served as water and wastewater plant operator.
Police Chief Mark Morris. Morris began his employment as a patrolman with the police department 21 years ago, on November 1, 1988. He has worked his way up from patrolman to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, finally assuming the role as interim police chief in 2007. He was officially appointed as Chief of Police in April of 2008.

Sandi Estes, Grove Police Department dispatcher since July 19, 1989. Estes is a resident of Locust Grove and has been known to spend her own money for motel rooms to ensure she can be at work on time during periods of inclement weather.

City Clerk Bonnie Buzzard, who has served the city for 20 years. Her responsibilities include recording meeting minutes for the city council as well as GMSA GEDA, Grove Health Care Authority and the Planning & Zoning Commission. She also serves as Court Clerk, organizing and maintaining court records.

Together, these employees have dedicated nearly 200 years of service to the citizens of the Grove community.
“We are so blessed to have them,” said Mayor Bishop.

The property behind Liberty Storage in Grove has now been re-zoned to allow for construction of six townhouse units.
GROVE – Following the recommendation of the Planning & Zoning Commission, city council members Tuesday voted to approve re-zoning an area on the west side of town from R1 (single-family residential) to R-2 (multi-family dwellings).

The application for re-zoning was made by Randy Wheeler of Liberty Property Associates LLC back in August. Subsequently, two public hearings were held where citizens in the neighborhood voiced strong opposition.

Wheeler sought to re-zone the property which is situated behind his highway frontage business, Liberty Storage, to allow the construction of six townhouse units.

According to Wheeler, the units, which will each be valued at around $300,000, will provide an aesthetically compatible buffer for the neighborhood’s view of the backside of Liberty Storage.

Now that the area has been re-zoned, Wheeler is required to submit a site plan for approval before construction can begin.
Comments on another re-zoning application for a different area on the west side of town were heard but not voted on by the council during a public hearing held at Tuesday’s meeting.

Landowner Sam Robinson has made an application for re-zoning a 19 acre area, located behind the “Prop Shop” on U.S. Hwy. 59 N., from R-1 to C-3 to allow for commercial development.
Residents in that neighborhood stated their objections to the re-zoning application both at the P&Z hearing and at the council’s hearing for a variety of reasons.

According to neighborhood resident Bob Mercies, who urged the council to stick by the city’s current land use plan, re-zoning the land would diminish property values and ruin the aesthetics of the neighborhood.

“You guys have something really special here, don’t take it for granted,” Mercies told the council.

Another resident, Rose Hopper, told the council that she is concerned that commercial development will interfere with the “balance and order” of the neighborhood.

Dee Lawson told the council that, after the death of her husband, she has followed her dream to build affordable single family homes in the area, and she feels the neighborhood currently is “a great place for further residential development”, and does not want to see commercial encroachment.

Attorney Jim Wallace told the council that approving the application would be equivalent to “spot zoning”, and said he was against it because re-zoning for commercial development would be against the “compatible use” provisions of the city’s existing land use plan.
There were two individuals who spoke on behalf of the re-zoning application during Tuesday’s public hearing. Real estate broker Jim

Talbert told the council that he believes there is plenty of room at the back of the property to create a buffer zone to satisfy neighborhood residents and, further, the property is “not suitable for residential development”.
Talbert also stated he believes Grove needs more commercial property to bring additional jobs to the area. He elaborated by saying that he recently attended an elementary school production where there were 240 first graders performing. “We have to support the families of this town by providing jobs.”

Lisa Coleman, a local real estate broker, agreed with Talbert and urged approval of the re-zoning application.
Notwithstanding the comments from both sides presented during Tuesday’s public hearing, council members agreed that the Planning & Zoning Commission’s previous directions to Robinson to work with residents in the neighborhood to come up with a more palatable plan for development is in order.

City Council Approves Liberty Zoning Request from Grand Lake Media on Vimeo.
In other city business, council members:
• Appointed Stan Wiese as trustee to the city’s zoning board of adjustment;
• Accepted a bid from Johnny Cox in the amount of $236,114 for a storm sewer/drainage improvement project;
• Approved bids from APAC of Fairland as primary provider of “hot mix” asphalt materials and APAC of Vinita as secondary provider for the next six months, and;
• Approved a bid from Longan Construction for asphalt “patching” materials for the next six months.

According to Wheeler, the units, which will each be valued at around $300,000, will provide an aesthetically compatible buffer for the neighborhood’s view of the backside of Liberty Storage.
Now that the area has been re-zoned, Wheeler is required to submit a site plan for approval before construction can begin.
Comments on another re-zoning application for a different area on the west side of town were heard but not voted on by the council during a public hearing held at Tuesday’s meeting.

Landowner Sam Robinson has made an application for re-zoning a 19 acre area, located behind the “Prop Shop” on U.S. Hwy. 59 N., from R-1 to C-3 to allow for commercial development.
Residents in that neighborhood stated their objections to the re-zoning application both at the P&Z hearing and at the council’s hearing for a variety of reasons.

According to neighborhood resident Bob Mercies, who urged the council to stick by the city’s current land use plan, re-zoning the land would diminish property values and ruin the aesthetics of the neighborhood.

“You guys have something really special here, don’t take it for granted,” Mercies told the council.
Another resident, Rose Hopper, told the council that she is concerned that commercial development will interfere with the “balance and order” of the neighborhood.

Dee Lawson told the council that, after the death of her husband, she has followed her dream to build affordable single family homes in the area, and she feels the neighborhood currently is “a great place for further residential development”, and does not want to see commercial encroachment.
Attorney Jim Wallace told the council that approving the application would be equivalent to “spot zoning”, and said he was against it because re-zoning for commercial development would be against the “compatible use” provisions of the city’s existing land use plan.
There were two individuals who spoke on behalf of the re-zoning application during Tuesday’s public hearing. Real estate broker Jim Talbert told the council that he believes there is plenty of room at the back of the property to create a buffer zone to satisfy neighborhood residents and, further, the property is “not suitable for residential development”.

Talbert also stated he believes Grove needs more commercial property to bring additional jobs to the area. He elaborated by saying that he recently attended an elementary school production where there were 240 first graders performing. “We have to support the families of this town by providing jobs.”

Lisa Coleman, a local real estate broker, agreed with Talbert and urged approval of the re-zoning application.
Notwithstanding the comments from both sides presented during Tuesday’s public hearing, council members agreed that the Planning & Zoning Commission’s previous directions to Robinson to work with residents in the neighborhood to come up with a more palatable plan for development is in order.

In other city business, council members:
• Appointed Stan Wiese as trustee to the city’s zoning board of adjustment;
• Accepted a bid from Johnny Cox in the amount of $236,114 for a storm sewer/drainage improvement project;
• Approved bids from APAC of Fairland as primary provider of “hot mix” asphalt materials and APAC of Vinita as secondary provider for the next six months, and;
• Approved a bid from Longan Construction for asphalt “patching” materials for the next six months.