The Watonga City Council met in regular session Tuesday in front of a packed house, there to witness a meeting that was anything but regular.
The first item on the action agenda was to select a mayor following the abrupt resignation of Bill Seitter after a special meeting August 15.
The remaining three council members – Vice mayor Travis Bradt also resigned August 15 – selected newcomer Kayla Ragsdale to serve as mayor. She took over running the meeting and moved on to the selection of a vice mayor. Council member Tina Willis was nominated, but the motion died for lack of a second. Ryan Bruner was then nominated and selected, with Willis casting a ‘No’ vote.
The rift continued when Wright Media finished its presentation to solicit the city as an advertiser for Eagle Radio and live stream of sports games.
Willis moved to table the item – essentially suggesting the council circle back to the idea later – but the motion died for lack of a second. Bruner moved to approve the idea, and the approval passed, again with Willis casting a ‘No’ vote. The motion was approved at a cost of $6,750 annually.
The council moved through the financial presentation from Dacia Phillips of RS Meacham with little comment, but that ceased when it moved on to granting approvals for property owners seeking to place mobile homes on their lots.
Citizens in the gallery questioned whether the homes would be actual mobile homes on permanent foundations or if travel trailers – which were referenced in the $40,000. Former council candidate Willis Bedard demanded to know how much the building had agenda item – would be allowed. They were told no, that these were mobile homes, and even if the council approved the locations on the recommendation of the planning and zoning committee, the homes would still have to comply with city building codes and ordinances.
Former city council member Gary Flynn repeatedly pointed out that there was no notation on the agenda for citizen input and it was out of order for them to speak up.
City attorney Jared Harrison waded into the fray at that point, giving his opinion that if the council chose to allow citizens to voice their ideas on the agenda item under discussion, it was free to do so.
There were plenty of opinions offered when City Manager Karrie Little presented a contract to sell the former Chamber of Commerce building for cost the city and how it came into possession of the municipality.
Harrison explained the chamber had used the building, but it was owned by the city. He had no information on how it originally came to the city and suggested Bedard consult the land records to find out. The contract was approved.
Another contract to lease the home the city constructed also garnered citizen input. The contract was presented to lease the home for 18 months for $1,200 per month but included utilities. A gallery member pointed out the lease cost was appropriate but should not include utilities.
That suggestion was accepted and the contract passed as amended, without utilities paid. The approved contract will now go to the real estate agent who will present it to her client. Little noted the home will remain for sale during the lease period. If it sells, the tenant will have 30 days to vacate. Any rent money collected will go toward the original cost of the home, effectively reducing the asking price by the amount of rent collected.