When a shopper arrives at the grocery store with a list, studies have shown, they spend less time and money and find the experience less stressful.
The same could be said about Tuesday’s Watonga City Council meeting.
The council worked quickly and efficiently through the agenda. It agreed to use Jana Walker for the annual audit, not to be confused with the recently requested forensic audit from the state. The cost of this audit is generally about $15,000 but is anticipated to run some $5,000 more this year because the Watonga airport is in line for more than $750,000 in grants.
The council also set a spending limit on what its city manager can spend without first obtaining council approval. The newly minted manager, Leroy Alsup, suggested a cap of $25,000 and brought in an example of the resolution from his old stomping grounds, Guthrie.
Previously the cap was $15,000 but as Mayor Ryan Bruner pointed out, things aren’t getting any cheaper. The spending limit without approval is needed in some instances so that the city can pay its reoccurring bills like telephone service without having to wait for a city council meeting and approval, possibly causing the bill to fall into arrears.
The higher limit also allows the city administrators to move on anticipated purchases, such as used vehicles, when they come available. As Alsup said, the dealers are not able to hold a smoking deal until the council can approve the purchase.
Council also approved the payment of the city’s insurance premiums for the remainder of the fiscal year. The $84,000 will cover the cost of property insurance, workers’ compensation and municipal liability. The property insurance is the outlier, renewing annually in November, but Alsup said he is working to have next year’s policy written so as to coincide with the city’s fiscal year, July 1- June 30.
Alsup was also directed by council to investigate using the Oklahoma Municipal Management Services to provide fire marshal services to the city. Those services were formerly provided by the office of the state fire marshal, but the wait for inspections can be months, causing delays in business openings and certificates of occupancy. However, OMMS can provide those services in days instead, at little or no cost to the city. Alsup was familiar with the system, having used it previously in other towns.
The move to rewrite the codes and ordinances for the city was tabled to allow more time to research the companies that offer the service. The city will give preference to the company that has more experience and expertise in rewriting codes for municipalities that have changed form of government.
The council agreed to pay the 17th payment on the water treatment project, but Justin Woldridge, who had been serving as the interim city manager, said that the project contingency fund might have to be beefed up.
The $15 million project had close to half a million earmarked as contingency, but it has been tapped by change orders enough that there is less than $10,000 left in the kitty. The issue, Woldridge said, is that there was unforeseen underground demolition and removal required, which added to the cost of the contract.
The addition to the contingency budget is so that the additional cost for the OWRB supervisor and the inspector for the engineering firm to remain onsite will be covered. The additional time is a domino effect of the underground demo and removal.
Council also moved to compensate Woldridge for his work as interim. After a surprisingly brief executive session – 12 minutes – the members returned to open session and vote to add $11,126.40 to his regular salary. That amount was derived by dividing the difference between Woldridge’s regular pay and that of the former city manager by the number of days he served, in effect paying him at the former city manager’s pay scale for the days he was in the hot seat.
Alsup also noted he has scheduled a community event for 9 a.m. Jan. 29 at city hall for a meet and greet with the town’s residents. He did say there will be a special agenda issued for the event, because it is possible there will be a quorum of council members present. No business will be conducted, he said, but the agenda will ensure the city is in full compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
Later, Alsup said he is looking forward to being a community minded team player. He recognized it might be difficult to maintain a stable city work force because higher wages are a big draw, but he is working toward building the financial stability of the town, seeking grant opportunities and enhancing partnerships or building partnerships where none existed.
“Because we are all better off working together,” he said.
A five year plan for the community is also in the works. Alsup had been on the job all of 11 days as of the meeting.