HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981.08.18_City Council MinutesOn Tuesday, August 18, 1981, the Owasso City Council met in regular session in
the Council Chambers at City Hall, per the Notice of Public Meeting and Agenda
posted on City Hall bulletin board at 3:00 PM on August 4, 1981, and by refer-
ence is made a part hereof.
ITEM 1 - CALL TO ORDER.
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM with Mayor Spencer presiding.
Mayor Spencer announced he was requested to read a letter prior to roll call.
The letter was Dr. Steven Clark's resignation as the Councilman from Ward 5,
dated August 18, 1981, effective immediately. By reference Dr. Clark's letter
is made a part hereof.
ITEM 2 - FLAG SALUTE.
Flag salute was led by Mayor Spencer.
ITEM 3 - ROLL CALL .
Present: Boyd Spencer, Mayor
Dennis Burke, Vice Mayor
Al Lambert, Councilman
Phyllis Gross, Councilwoman
Harold Charney, City Attorney
Kenneth Thompson, City Manager
Wauhilleau Webb, City Clerk
Absent: None
ITEM 4 - APPROVE MINUTES OF AUGUST 4, 1981 REGULAR MEETING.
Motion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Phyllis Gross, to approve Minutes
of August 4, 1981 regular meeting, and by reference are made a part hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke and Mrs. Gross
Nays - None
PSotion carried.
ITEM 5 - CONESTOGA CABLEVISION REQUEST FOR RATE INCREASE.
Conestoga revised their requested rate increase as follows:
Basic Service $ 8.95 Per Month
Pay Service $ 9.95 Per Month
Installation Charge $20.00 Per Month
Mr. Thompson pointed out the following four items are not available although
covered in the contract:
1. Storm warning system.
2. Local government channel.
3. Local public school channel.
4. Capability to broadcast local religious programs.
Owasso City Council Page Two August 18, 1981
Mr. Burke commented that he knows the cost of business for everyone is going up
but a couple of things bother him. He said as he recalls the first time Cones-
toga came to the Council it was to announce they were going to buy Community
Development and one reason for doing so was to bring in a new influx of money
which in his own mind eliminated a rate increase. The other thing is the four
items outlined by the City Manager that have not been met.
Mrs. Gross said at the present time we need more time to see their performance
and see if they fulfill some of their obligations.
Motion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Phyllis Gross, to follow City Mana-
ger's recommendation that we deny the request for a rate increase by Conestoga
Cablevision until the basic contract conditions have been met; those conditions
being: 1) storm warning system, 2) local government channel, 3) local public
school channel, and 4) capability to broadcast local religious programs.
Ayes - Mr. Burke and Mrs. Gross
Nays - Messrs. Lambert and Spencer
Motion did not carry.
Mr. Thompson suggested a compromise increase and Cecil Rush. with Conestoga said
the rate increase is to be effective October 1st but suggested the increase
could be approved effective when the channels are all available. Mr. Rush com-
mented the church channel is available but they are not responsible for furnish-
ing all the equipment. He also said he expects the storm warning equipment to
be delivered in four weeks.
City Clerk was directed to place this item on the September 15, 1981 agenda.
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Motion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Al Lambert, to approve Subdivision
Regulations with the changes recommended by Planning Commission and staff, and
by reference are made a part hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke and Mrs. Gross
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 7 - REQUEST TO ADVERTISE FOR BIDS FOR USED AMBULANCE.
Mayor Spencer asked David Wilson if we would still use Life Flight if we purchased
a used ambulance for a backup unit and Mr. Wi~so~ ~ said yes, if we need speed we
would still call for Life Flight.
Motion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Boyd Spencer, granting staff per-
mission to advertise and investigate availability of used ambulance for a backup
unit.
Owasso City Council Page Three August 18, 1981
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke and Mrs. Gross
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 8 - REQUEST FOR VARIANCE IN CITY ELECTRICAL CODE FOR PROPERTY AT 120 EAST
SECOND STREET.
Mr. Thompson said he has learned a variance has to go before the City-County
Electrical Board, with which Mr. Dettherow disagreed.
Mr. Detherow said in June he obtained a building permit from the City of Owasso
for 120 East Second Street for a residential type construction to be used as com-
mercial office. He said all inspections were made but on August 7 while awaiting
utility service it was found there was a problem regarding a business license not
being obtained by a specific contractor. He said Mr. May obtained an electrical
permit for residence rather than commercial. Ken Wyzard, the electrician, said
he thought it was a house and wired it as a house. Mr. Detherow and Mr. Wyzard
disagreed on how the misunderstanding came about.
Mr. Thompson commented it is not a major difference and steps have been taken to
prevent the situation from happening again as the Electrical Inspector will be
given a copy of the building permit.
Mayor Spencer said he was advised by Public Service that the wiring was okay but
they thought no more additional heavy energy use-could be allowed and if the build-
ing should ever be vacated it should revert back to a residence. r4r. Charney said
the City must consider their liability and if we grant a variance we must make a
record it was wired as a residence.
r2otion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Al Lambert, to approve an exception
on the electrical code on the property at 120 East Second Street wit'n the condi-
tions that Mr. Detherow will meet the commercial building fire requirements and,
based on recommendations by Public Service Company and City Manager, restrict to
no heavier use than the Office Light zoning would permit, with City Attorney
filing of record this decision.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke and Mrs. Gross
Nays - None
Motion carried.
ITEM 9 - DISCUSSION OF CITY CLERK'S LETTER OF JULY 25, 1981 TO CITY COUNCIL.
After discussion of items outlined in ~Zrs. Webb's letter, which by reference is
made a part hereof, Mrs. Gross commented she did not plan to spend a lot of time
defending herself and Mr. Lambert asked Mrs. Gross to please not imply that she
has to defend herself as no one has accused her.
Owasso City Council Page Four August 18, 1981
Mr. Burke said he would like to make two recommendations to the City Manager:
1. Establish a policy and inform all City employees of the policy that no
files are to leave the respective office where they are normally
stored, without being signed for, and then only to City employees. If
the public wishes to see the files they must be reviewed only in .the
office where the files are normally stored.
2. Locks should be changed again in Mrs. Webb's office and only she or a
person designated by her should have the keys to that office, not even
the cleaning crew and the cleaning contract should be changed in what-
ever manner is necessary to clean her office during daytime hours when
Mrs. Webb is present.
ITEM 10 - APPROVE WARRANTS FOR PAYMENT.
Bob Randolph said he objected to payment of Warrant 308 to Robert Durbin for
$1,502.62 and he will file a lawsuit if that warrant is awarded to Mr. Durbin.
Mr. Burke said he also objected to seeing it on the warrant list as he had no
idea that Mr. Durbin expected to be paid for his services on the Personnel
Board.
P4otion was made by Dennis Burke, seconded by Al Lambert, to approve for payment
Warrants 291 through 320 EXCEPT warrant 308 to Robert Durbin as it was under-
stood his services were voluntary, for a total of $17,773.64, authorize Mayor
to sign same, and by reference are made a part hereof.
Ayes - Messrs. Spencer, Lambert, Burke and Mrs. Gross
Nays - None
Motion carried
ITEM 11 - NEW BUSINESS.
Item
Mr. Thompson gave Council a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
thanking us for our assistance.
Item
Mr. Charney said whether we pay Mr. Durbin or not is the Councils business, but
the reason why we don't pay him, if it's read into the minutes, could be City
business. The objection of the payment was Mr. Durbin not being properly sworn
in and the City could be admitting same to some degree by striking that warrant.
Mr. Burke said his desire to strike it from the warrant list was simply that he
thought Mr. Durbin was doing it as a service to the City and did not understand
that he expected to be paid for it.
Mayor Spencer said he had made the statement to Messrs. Pritchard, O'Kelley and
Durbin that if they thought they were due compensation for serving on the Per-
sonnel Board they should turn it in, and Mr. Durbin is the only one that did so.
Owasso City Council Page Five August 18, 1981
Item
Robert Shouse asked if David Wilson is the Fire Chief or the Acting Fire Commander
and Mr. Thompson said he is "Acting".
Being no further business before the Owasso City Council, Chair adjourned at
9:01 PM.
Boy ~M. Spe cer, Mayor
C, ~. o ~ vim,. ~~ >>~'~
Wauhilleau Webb, City Clerk