Airport Board Has Marathon Meeting

Members of the Grove Municipal Airport Trust Authority spent nearly four hours in their regular meeting Thursday afternoon, arguing over 10 cents in fuel markup, complaining about the city not paying for snow removal, E&O Insurance, or pavement repairs, disputing a fuel survey showing Grove Airport having the lowest aviation gas prices in seven states, and refusing to provide The Grove Observer with a copy of the trust budget and city budget drafts as related to the airport.

At meeting's end, there was no one left in the room except four Board members and the airport manager.

Councilman Larry Parham, in the audience, had suggested that the board approve a 10 cent increase in fuel markup for 100LL from the current 50 cents, which board member David Adzigian had built into the trust's budget as a basis for revenue, but the board voted it down 2-2 anyway. It was noted that the airport trust's attorney fee expenses will run more than $10,000 this year, against a budget of $2700. Most of this was spent on fighting the city's request for transfer of property from airport to the city. Adzigian had lobbied for the 10 cent increase to put towards pavement repairs and improvements. Another motion to keep 100LL fuel markup at 50 cents but raise the markup on jet fuel, passed 3-1.

Board member Gary Tripensee was the only member to vote against approval of the City Budget for the airport saying it "was not right that this budget was increased 31%." Adzigian pointed out that most of the increase was based on increased fuel sales due to higher fuel prices.
Final budgets must still be approved by the City Council.

The board also discussed airport improvements and indicated that a new or remodeled Terminal Building would probably be first on the list; heard a presentation from Mark Hestand on new wireless service for the airport tied into two SBC DSL lines; voted to sell fuel at cost plus 10 cents for the upcoming Young Eagles event May 6; voted to drop the posting of agendas for the Airport Support Group meetings; voted to declare as surplus property a pile of dirt on Site 6E and send a letter to the city; voted to approve the lease agreement with the city on the 20 acres of co-owned property, with a number of changes.

Board member Tripensee disputed a fuel survey of aviation gas prices taken by The Grove Observer last week which showed Grove with the lowest price, $3.15 a gallon on survey day, in seven states, against an average of $4.11. Within a few days Grove had raised its price to $3.70 which Tripensee said was the highest price in the region in his survey. Adzigian had taken a survey based on month-old prices and stated a 10 cent increase in fuel markup would not be out of line. His survey on Jet Fuel showed an average of $3.55 compared to Grove at $3.10.

Much of the meeting was spent complaining about lack of revenue but voting against taking action to increase it. Some citizens complain that fuel prices are kept low to benefit what they refer to "as the private flying club" at the airport, at the city's and taxpayer's expense.

The Airport Board does not make up a packet of agenda item information as the Council and other trust authorities do, which prohibits the Media from seeing the items under discussion. Guests don't even bother to introduce themselves so citizens can know who they are. The Airport Board meetings give all the appearances of a Private Club with little regard for those in attendance.
The Observer requested faxed copies of the budgets for this story and was told to get them from the airport manager after they had been changed.

Haynes Named Grand Jury Prosecutor

Gene Haynes, District Attorney for Rogers, Mayes and Craig counties, will be the special prosecutor in the Grand Jury hearing beginning April 24, looking into alleged violations by several Grove government officials.
Haynes has been associated with five previous grand juries and also is no stranger to the news media.
In 2004, he refused to prosecute an Oklahoma woman who shot her husband to death during a fight after the couple watched an episode of the Montel Williams show on TV. According to press reports, Teri Lynn Carver shot her husband Cecil at their home in Rose, Ok. At the time, police said the couple was in bed Feb. 24, 2004 smoking marijuana and watching the talk show on surviving a lover's attack. Teri told her husband that he resembled those of abusive husbands on the show, which in turn caused Cecil to turn violent.
Cecil then shot the headboard of the bed near Teri, she then called for help, she reached for the gun and shot her husband, killing him. Haynes did not press charges against Carver.

In 1998, Haynes filed charges against a black man from Vermont, pulled over by an Oklahoma state trooper in Craig County who was jailed on suspicion of possession of marijuana, but it turned out to be organically grown rosemary and another herb used for treatment of tuberculosis.
At the time, his attorney, Jim Hadley of Vinita, said "he's not guilty of anything but being black and having butt-long dreadlocks and driving in Oklahoma." Haynes pursued the case "because we feel he was under some type of influence that rendered him a danger on the roadway," he told the Tulsa World.

Haynes has served 16 years as District Attorney for the three counties. A jury pool will be drawn from Delaware County residents, as usual in any trial, but the proceedings will be secret. with only attorneys, witnesses, and the jury in the courtroom. The jury will consider the Grand Jury petition from Earl Barnes, Grove resident, on violations of the open meetings act, violation of the state's competitive bidding act, violation of city bidding ordinances and violation of constitutional rights of several county residents.
The last Grand Jury in Delaware County was 10 years ago, involving the Grove School Board.

County Health Inspector Has Gourmet Job

When Roy O'Dell and his wife go out for dinner at one of the county's restaurants, he is not allowed to sit facing the kitchen. That's because he starts thinking about what kind of inspection score might be generated. His wife says he is "mixing business with pleasure."

O'Dell is the county's Public Health Specialist and performs dozens of routine inspections a month on area restaurants, using a Food Inspection Report form with a hundred items to check.
He checks for food temperatures, personnel and their handling of food, facility and equipment requirements, cleanliness, hand washing, dishwashing facilities, food storage and thawing, hair restraints, jewelry, laundered items, and dozens of other things.

The worst case of food poisoning he has encountered in Delaware County came several years ago in a Grove restaurant, with raw oysters. The oysters had been harvested from Galveston Bay and had algae infestation which sent several people to the hospital.

His motto is "If in Doubt, Throw it Out." He inspects some restaurants four times a year, others two times, and still others once a year, based on the type of food (cafeteria) use of leftovers, and size. "We have violations that can result in immediate suspension of service and we close down the restaurant," he said, "such as sewage on the floor."
"We try to educate first, and use enforcement as a backup, and encourage the idea that we are here to help you," O'Dell said.

People get sick from food or drink when the body thinks it is getting poisoned, so it rejects the material and throws it out. Bad food or too much to drink can bring the same result, he says. In the old days, people could even be poisoned by heavy metals such as copper in the metal piping for carbonated drinks, he adds.

Cold food must be kept at 41 degrees or less and hot food at 140 degrees or higher. If it spoils it can result in immediate rejection by the body, or depending on the immune system, several hours could pass.

He encourages new restaurants or owners thinking about purchasing a restaurant to call him first. "We will come out an assist in the selection of equipment and other matters," he said. "Never open a restaurant without the Permit," he says.

O'Dell has been inspecting in Delaware County for more than 15 years; prior to that he worked in Phoenix for 11 years. He has a BS degree in Environmental Sciences from East Central State in Ada.

County Commissioners Continue Jail Issue

Delaware County Commissioners continued their discussion of the county jail issue at this week's regular meeting, but came to no conclusions.
Bruce Poindexter, District #1 Commissioner, said he had attended a meeting of the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City last week and said "more than half of the state's 77 counties have a jail capacity problem."
He said the rule of thumb is three beds per 1,000 population, and assuming the county has 40,000 people, would mean a jail with 120 beds or twice the current capacity in Jay.
Discussion centered around a new jail building separate and apart from the current courthouse jail, with up to 200 beds for future growth. A bond issue may be the way to pay for it, commissioners said. Other alternatives would be a sales tax increase or property tax increase.
In other action, commissioners approved a bid for tires for the Sheriff's office from Auto Lube Express and noted the donation of $10,000 from the Cherokee Nation to Emergency Management to purchase a quick response vehicle.

An Editorial...Posting Meeting Notices

The regular monthly meeting of the Grove Planning & Zoning Board was cancelled this week when it became obvious that no one posted the meeting notice as per the law. This is the kind of small town America thing that ends up on the Jay Leno Show.
All that is required to post the notice is a photocopy of the Agenda and two pieces of Scotch Tape. And someone has to put the notice on the South Door of the Community Center building.
With the City Clerk taking some well earned vacation, the responsibility falls to someone else in her absence. The buck stops with the City Manager, of course, but the P&Z Board itself has a Chairman and four other members who could have made sure the notice was posted. And do we really need a full time, salaried P&Z Director? Probably, unless you want to put the burden on the Chairman.
The previous Chairman, Jim Weeks, who served many years on the board, never went to a meeting unless he had personally checked out the zoning change or request to be considered at the meeting. One cannot just look at a packet of materials and make decisions which affect business people and the rest of the citizens. One needs to go to the site and view the items to be considered.
But in the meantime, won't someone step up and show some responsibility to make sure the meeting notices get properly posted?

Readers Say NO to Property Tax for New Jail

In last week's Observer our Opinion Poll asked which way to finance a new county jail, sales tax increase or property tax?
The answer: 100% voted for Sales Tax Increase. Apparently residents of Delaware County are strongly opposed to a hike in their property taxes.

The Canine Corner...by Missy MacTavish

I thought Monday night's lineup on ABC-TV was interesting:
At 7 p.m., "Wife Swap."
At 8 p.m., "The Ten Commandments." What can you say about TV executives.
So it has turned hot and my warm coat that I use in winter is bothersome. I would like to get rid of it, if anyone cares.
This week I thought I would run a photo of my two horse friends, Buck & Shasta. Shasta is 20 years old and is the Mom to Buck, who is 13. They stay together nearly all of the time in the pasture on the way to town. My Mom feeds them apples and carrots and they like that lots. They run up to the fence when they see my red truck.
Until next time…Bark On. Miss Missy.

U.S. Air Force Band Visits Grove

The U.S. Air Force Band provided a great evening of concert music last Friday at the Grove Civic Center, despite a wheezing air conditioning unit above the stage's ceiling. The band is out of Scott Air Force Base, Il. and is conducted by Captain Donald Schofield.

Genealogical Society to Hear Author

Timothy D. Wantland of Claremore will talk to the Delaware County Genealogical Society at its meeting Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. at the Grove Public Library. Timothy D. Wantland of Wantland and Wantland has been practicing law in Claremore and the surrounding areas for the past fifteen years. He has written a book called Big War Little War: The American Civil War in Oklahoma. He also is the author of several papers concerning Oklahoma history and the Cherokee flag, The fifteenth flag over Oklahoma.
Timothy is a member of the Scottish Club of Tulsa, the Irish Club of Tulsa, The Lindsay Clan of Tulsa, Camp Quantrill, Sons of the Confederate Veterans, as well as past member of the Oolagah and Claremore Historical Society. He also is a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Timothy graduated from Oklahoma City University law school and has a masters degree in political science from Central State University now the University of Central Oklahoma.
The public is welcome to attend all meetings of the Genealogical Society. The society is hosting the Grand Lake Ancestor Fair on Saturday, April 22, and invites everyone to visit the fair.

Library Hosts Claremore Author

Third Thursday, the Grove Public Library program about books, will have Mark Ogle of Claremore talking about “One Writer’s Story” at 12 noon on April 22. The program is open to everyone.
Ogle has written four children’s stories and twelve murder mystery plays. None of the works have been published. Ogle says he has preferred to sit back and just enjoy telling a good story. “After all, the critics I care about are the people who come to watch the plays. If they enjoy them and much needed funds are raised for worthwhile causes, who could ask for anything more than that?”
His next production, “I Know My Spouse -- Take 2”, will be performed at the Claremore Community Center April 28 and 29. All the proceeds will benefit foster children of Rogers County. Ogle hasn’t ruled out trying to get something published. “In fact, I think my latest work, “Things Best Forgotten”, would make a great novel.” Ogle has more than 24 years of experience in marketing, public relations, and fundraising, most of that at the senior level in the health care industry. “For seven years prior to joining the American Red Cross, I had the opportunity of running a consulting business from home while juggling duties of a stay at home parent. He is now manager of the Rogers/Mayes County American Red Cross Service Center. Being a parent hasn't been quite the normal job for Mark and wife Karen. They have three children, Jacob, 8; MacKenzie, 5, and Parker, 4. In addition, they have served over the past nine years as foster parents to 55 children.
Third Thursday is a brown bag lunch affair. Drink and dessert are provided. The program is co-sponsored by the Grove Public Library and Friends of the Grove Public Library. Everyone is welcome to join Friends. Ask about joining at the library.

Officials, Citizens Help Clean Up Grove

Participating in the Clean Up Grove campaign last weekend were, left to right, Bill Galletly, Troy Helms, Dave Helms, John Young, Andy Helms, Gary Bishop, Jim Reynolds and Tom Riggs.