Grove Council OK's Trust Appointments
New appointees to several of the public trusts highlighted the Grove City Council meeting this week, with controversy over the sale of the Grove Civic Center and location for a new one entering into the voting.
Bob Henkle, member of the Grove Industrial Development Authority trust since 1982, failed to get reappointed to his seat, by a 3-2 vote, even though there were three openings and only three applicants to fill the seats.
Council members Carolyn Nuckolls, Dave Helms, and Terry Ryan voted against Henkle while Larry Parham and Terry Bishop voted to seat him on the board for another term.
"I am disappointed at the unusual manner in which I was removed. I have been supportive of a modern, up to date civic center of which the people of Grove can be proud, and it appears that the small group of people on the council that don't support these plans have won the day," Henkle said Wednesday.
Henkle said he was involved many years ago in helping establish the Grove Industrial Park, when the city did not have the money to purchase the land. "Several of us went together and got a loan to purchase the land ourselves, and later the city paid off the loan and took over the property," he said.
Henkle said he remains available to assist the city in any way he can.
Other observers point out that Henkle was quick to adjourn an executive session meeting in July of the GIDA when a real estate person was in the room, a violation of the Open Meetings Act, and that he has always said the location and type of new civic center should be up to a vote of the people.
It is widely known that a small faction of people think the new civic center should be located east of town on property owned by the Seigfreid family, while others think the center should be located on the future Wolf Creek Development at the entrance to Grove, or in that general vicinity.
Appointed to the GIDA board at Tuesday's meeting were Terry Ryan and David Adzigian, with the third vacancy still unfilled. The vote for Ryan was 3-2, and 4-1 for Adzigian, with Dave Helms voting no. Adzigian also serves on the airport trust authority.
Adzigian's appointment fills the seat created by the term expiration of Doyle Seawright. Ryan's appointment fills the seat created by the term expiration of Bob Henkle.
A third seat created by the resignation of board member Larry Loch, remains unfilled, even though Henkle could have been appointed to it.
Terry Ryan was also appointed to a vacant seat on the Grove Municipal Services Authority trust, by a 3-2 vote.
Dale Dawson was appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. It was pointed out that Bill Miller does not have to resign his seat on the Adjustments Board due to be his appointment to the Planning & Zoning Board.
Councilman Larry Parham said the intent of the trusts was to be separate from city, free from direction by the city, and that the city has no legal authority to control actions of trustees, and he felt that other non-council people should be appointed to the trusts.
Councilman Terry Bishop said he was opposed to any board with a majority who are on the city council.
City Manager Bill Galletly pointed out that the Oklahoma State Supreme Court has ruled on at least three occasions that this is not a conflict of interest. "If you lose your council seat, you are automatically off the trust board," he said. "This is the voter's way of controlling who serves on the trust, rather than have lifetime appointments of people not accountable to the voters."
In other action, Galletly said he could "feel the August 2006 date slipping away" for completion of utility relocations along Highway 59 from Leisure Lane to Sailboat Bridge.
"The city has done its work and we are waiting on approval of plans from DEQ and ODOT," he said. "We cannot go to bid until the plans come back approved," he said.
Construction was to start this month on the utility relocation phase and be completed by August 2006. Then, actual work on the five lane project was to begin with completion in the spring of 2008.
Under public comments, it was pointed out that Charter Cable has never sold to Allegiance Cable of Tyler, Tx, after having received Council approval last January, and has never completed service to portions of Grove without Cable. The sale was to have occurred last May. And, after stating that Grove was too small a city to serve, Charter then applied for a franchise to serve Bernice.
Councilman Larry Parham brought up a possible error in the minutes of the previous council meeting which stated that "Ryan made the motion that in the case any 'Adverse Ruling' that the Council authorizes the City Attorney to appeal to any such adverse ruling."
He questioned the validity of such a motion which would automatically trigger an appeal in any legal action adverse to the city and specifically objected to the word "any."
It was agreed that this wording would be reviewed by listening to the meeting tape and considered at the next meeting.
Bob Henkle, member of the Grove Industrial Development Authority trust since 1982, failed to get reappointed to his seat, by a 3-2 vote, even though there were three openings and only three applicants to fill the seats.
Council members Carolyn Nuckolls, Dave Helms, and Terry Ryan voted against Henkle while Larry Parham and Terry Bishop voted to seat him on the board for another term.
"I am disappointed at the unusual manner in which I was removed. I have been supportive of a modern, up to date civic center of which the people of Grove can be proud, and it appears that the small group of people on the council that don't support these plans have won the day," Henkle said Wednesday.
Henkle said he was involved many years ago in helping establish the Grove Industrial Park, when the city did not have the money to purchase the land. "Several of us went together and got a loan to purchase the land ourselves, and later the city paid off the loan and took over the property," he said.
Henkle said he remains available to assist the city in any way he can.
Other observers point out that Henkle was quick to adjourn an executive session meeting in July of the GIDA when a real estate person was in the room, a violation of the Open Meetings Act, and that he has always said the location and type of new civic center should be up to a vote of the people.
It is widely known that a small faction of people think the new civic center should be located east of town on property owned by the Seigfreid family, while others think the center should be located on the future Wolf Creek Development at the entrance to Grove, or in that general vicinity.
Appointed to the GIDA board at Tuesday's meeting were Terry Ryan and David Adzigian, with the third vacancy still unfilled. The vote for Ryan was 3-2, and 4-1 for Adzigian, with Dave Helms voting no. Adzigian also serves on the airport trust authority.
Adzigian's appointment fills the seat created by the term expiration of Doyle Seawright. Ryan's appointment fills the seat created by the term expiration of Bob Henkle.
A third seat created by the resignation of board member Larry Loch, remains unfilled, even though Henkle could have been appointed to it.
Terry Ryan was also appointed to a vacant seat on the Grove Municipal Services Authority trust, by a 3-2 vote.
Dale Dawson was appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. It was pointed out that Bill Miller does not have to resign his seat on the Adjustments Board due to be his appointment to the Planning & Zoning Board.
Councilman Larry Parham said the intent of the trusts was to be separate from city, free from direction by the city, and that the city has no legal authority to control actions of trustees, and he felt that other non-council people should be appointed to the trusts.
Councilman Terry Bishop said he was opposed to any board with a majority who are on the city council.
City Manager Bill Galletly pointed out that the Oklahoma State Supreme Court has ruled on at least three occasions that this is not a conflict of interest. "If you lose your council seat, you are automatically off the trust board," he said. "This is the voter's way of controlling who serves on the trust, rather than have lifetime appointments of people not accountable to the voters."
In other action, Galletly said he could "feel the August 2006 date slipping away" for completion of utility relocations along Highway 59 from Leisure Lane to Sailboat Bridge.
"The city has done its work and we are waiting on approval of plans from DEQ and ODOT," he said. "We cannot go to bid until the plans come back approved," he said.
Construction was to start this month on the utility relocation phase and be completed by August 2006. Then, actual work on the five lane project was to begin with completion in the spring of 2008.
Under public comments, it was pointed out that Charter Cable has never sold to Allegiance Cable of Tyler, Tx, after having received Council approval last January, and has never completed service to portions of Grove without Cable. The sale was to have occurred last May. And, after stating that Grove was too small a city to serve, Charter then applied for a franchise to serve Bernice.
Councilman Larry Parham brought up a possible error in the minutes of the previous council meeting which stated that "Ryan made the motion that in the case any 'Adverse Ruling' that the Council authorizes the City Attorney to appeal to any such adverse ruling."
He questioned the validity of such a motion which would automatically trigger an appeal in any legal action adverse to the city and specifically objected to the word "any."
It was agreed that this wording would be reviewed by listening to the meeting tape and considered at the next meeting.
posted by Editor | 2:01 AM
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