Watonga City Council faced a full agenda when it met in regular session Tuesday evening.
Following a financial report from RS Meacham, the city’s accounting firm, the council entered executive session with its attorneys to discuss a lawsuit filed against the city.
The suit was filed by Julia Cosby, who had previously filed a suit which was later vacated. This is a separate action.
Cosby, in the initial suit, claimed that then chief of police Shawn Kays and other members of the police force conspired to deprive her of her civil liberties during a dispute with her landlord. The contents of the new suit are undisclosed at this time, but it is likely the allegations are similar.
On exit from executive session, council made a motion and voted to have its Oklahoma Municipal Insurance Group – OMAG – attorney proceed with the case. As the situation unfolds, it will be followed by this newspaper.
The city council then turned to the issue of a vacancy in Ward 2. The seat was filled in the most recent election by Adam Tock, who has been unable to fulfill his duties and has not attended a meeting in four months. The state statute concerning the matter reads if in any four month period a council member misses more than half the meetings, the seat is considered vacant. The city then has two options, either appoint someone within 60 days or wait out the 60 days and file for a special election. The second choice can be costly, up to $3,000 for the election. Council determined it would be best to advertise the vacancy and ask residents of the ward who are interested in the seat to send a letter of interest to them and then appear at the next city council meeting to be interviewed in open session.
“This works well,” said city attorney Jared Harrison. “It has worked well here before and in a laundry list of other places.” Mayor Bill Seitter asked Harrison if it made sense to redistrict the town since it had been habitually difficult to obtain representation for Ward 2.
“That is a good idea, and it is probably past due,” Harrison said. “It is an involved process but at the same time, I think it’s the right time. The census results from 2020 are readily available and we could have it done by the next election.”
In other business, the city gratefully accepted Mercy Clinic’s offer to make repairs to that building, which is owned by the city and leased to the medical providers. Those repairs include new ceiling tiles, replacement of some ceiling lights, sinks and exterior doors. The tiles and lights were damaged by an old roof leak which has since been repaired and the other items were simply worn out.
In explaining why Mercy would undertake the repairs rather than ask the city to do so, representative Kristi Houk said “Mercy is in a better position financially than the city to address this.”
Seitter thanked her and Mercy for their attention to the upkeep of the building and accepted the offer on behalf of the city.
Jon Bunch, on behalf of Zona Verde then addressed city council. His is the company building the model home on Weigle Avenue near the Watonga Christian Church.
He explained the remainder of the materials for the building exterior was due to be delivered Friday, August 18 and the work should be completed by the end of August. The ribbon cutting will be scheduled for mid-September and the home will be offered for sale in October.
Since the work began on the construction, the city purchased an abandoned home on the west side of the lot and demolition is ongoing.
Zona Verde asked for and received a contract to construct a one bedroom, one bath home on that lot. Bunch said it will be 775 square feet with a large front porch.
Randy Edgerton, CEO of Zona Verde, chimed in that the home is ADA compliant to the 2017 standards, which are higher than those currently in place. In spite of the small size, Edgerton said, it will have a full heating and cooling system, rather than room units.
“It is our policy to build above the code requirements,” Edgerton said. He and Bunch also praised the relationship being built with Watonga and in their meetings with Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell to address the problem of rural housing shortages, Watonga was the standard bearer.
“Everything we’re doing with the state is starting at Watonga,” Edgerton said.
The council approved the second contract with the company. The second home is expected to cost about $105, 975 with appliances and flooring in place. There was no timeline given as to construction and completion of the project.