WATONGA – Watonga city leaders agreed last week to work on revitalizing three committees that focus on growth and development in the town.
The Watonga Planning and Zoning Committee and the Board of Adjustments have both been inactive for some time, City Manager Karrie Beth Little explained, but could prove necessary as Watonga seeks to attract new businesses and development.
Zoning Committee and Board of Adjustments members are appointed by the city council, she explained, and in many towns the same members comprise both groups.
City Attorney Jared Harrison said the boards can be a “good stepping stone to get good people involved in city government.”
“Having a good, functioning Planning and Zoning commission would be a smart thing,” he said, “because they’re the body that would generally be appointed to start to come up with the overall plan of, how do we want the city to be laid out? Where do we want residential areas to be, versus commercial, versus industrial?”
The Planning and Zoning Committee would make recommendations to the board, Harrison said, whereas the Board of Adjustments would have power to actually grant conditional use permits and variances, which are exceptions to normal rules in a given zone.
An example of a variance would be for a business that wants to operate inside an area designated for residential use.
Little asked the city councilmembers to help find residents who might be interested in serving on the Planning and Zoning Committee or the Board of Adjustments.
Later, Harrison suggested the city also bring back the Watonga Economic Development Association, or WEDA, which hadn’t met since 2013. Harrison said WEDA could be comprised of the city councilmembers and simply convene after regularly scheduled council meetings.
Reviving WEDA could provide the city more control and flexibility in its development decisions, he said.
Ward 2 still vacant
The discussion about reviving the committees came during the city council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, March 15. Councilmembers Ladina Willis, Travis Bradt and Allen Cowan were present along with Mayor Bill Seitter, City Clerk Verlen Bills, Little and Harrison.
The meeting started with an agenda item to swear in a new councilmember to fill Lindsey Doyel’s vacant Ward Two seat – however, no one applied for the position. Harrison said the city might have to call a special election to fill the seat unless someone applies very soon.
The bulk of the council’s agenda was spent changing the authorized signatories on various city accounts. Former Mayor Gary Olsen’s name was removed from the accounts and Seitter’s name was added. The changed accounts included: the City Clerk Petty Cash Account, the Watonga Public Library Operations Account, the Watonga Public Library State Aid Account, the Watonga Public Library Grant Account, the City of Watonga Ambulance Saving Account, the City of Watonga General Fund Account, the City of Watonga Street and Alley Account, the City of Watonga Sales Tax Park Account, the City of Watonga CDBG Grant Fund Account, the City of Watonga General Obligation Hospital Account, the City of Watonga General Saving Account, the City of Watonga Municipal Court Fund Account, the City of Watonga Light and Water Operating Account, the City of Watonga Light and Water Meter Deposit Account, the Watonga Public Works Authority Account, and the City of Watonga Special Saving Account.
In addition to the discussion about reforming various town committees, the council also discussed the city’s five-year plan and how to integrate the council’s vision into the day-to-day operations of city employees.
Dacia Phillips, who was on hand to deliver the city’s monthly financial report for RS Meacham, said the city council and city department heads should meet up to discuss each other’s priorities before the budget is finalized for the next fiscal year. The council scheduled a budget workshop for March 29.
In his comments, Seitter asked for clarification about the situation at the Watonga Regional Airport, which is supposed to be closed for runway reconstruction. Little said the airport remains open for the time being while the city negotiates with the project contractor, which she said asked for more money to compensate for high fuel prices.
Harrison said the city is exploring its options to resolve the dispute.
Finally, at the end of the Public Works Authority agenda the council discussed possibly calling a vote to formalize a new contract between the city and Summit Utilities to provide natural gas service to the city. Summit has been doing so for decades – formerly as CenterPoint Energy until CenterPoint’s Oklahoma operations were acquired by Summit last year – but agrees that its contract needs to be updated.
Harrison said calling a vote of the people to approve the contract will provide more stability for the city. A vote could possibly be on the ballot as early as June.