Council Tables Bow Hunting Issue

Bow hunting of deer within Grove city limits will have to wait a while longer, according to action taken this week by the Grove City Council, which tabled the issue until a plan can be worked out. Several bow hunters, led by Dustin Fields, appeared at Tuesday's meeting requesting permission to bow hunt during the deer season, inside the city limits.
Game Warden Jim Littlefield told the council that overpopulation of deer in this area is becoming a real problem. "We need to sit down and work out a solution," he said. Overpopulation in small areas causes over breeding, disease, raises the possibility of automobile accidents and encourages rifle hunters to come into the city because "there is money in harvesting."

In other action, the Council approved a one year contract with Allied Waste Services of Galena, KS for solid waste pickup, on a once per week basis, at $9.49 per household per week including city billing, and $15.00 including commercial pickup. The company is to mail each household a notification as to which day of the week trash will be picked up.
Allied was the only bidder, with Bernice Sanitation having withdrawn its bid over the "exclusivity" clause. Wayne Crouse, owner, said the issue is a "no win" situation since the city is not going to enforce it even though it is in the bid specs. City Attorney Ron Cates said "if it is challenged you are on your own."

Council also approved an engineering contract amendment with Garver Engineers for the Shundi Road improvements in the amount of $72,000. Council had already approved a contract for $75,000 but $5,000 was included in another project, with $2,000 added for an ancillary biped module. (bike path).

Council also agreed to install three new flagpoles in front of City Hall, and added $500 to a consulting fee for installation of a water line 48 inches deep instead of 36 inches deep, as part of the downtown Revitalization Project.
An Executive Session regarding the City Manager resulted in no action being taken.

Editorial...The Blue Ribbon Committee

At this week's City Council meeting the council appointed seven local citizens to a Blue Ribbon Committee to to work on plans for a new community center and Aquatic Center, to be presented to the voters on the April 2007 ballot.

First, we don't know why they would want to call this a Blue Ribbon Committee since a Blue Ribbon is usually placed on livestock at the State Fair.

Second, many of the people on this committee also served on a similar committee several years ago. Named to the new committee were Connie Brewer, Jeff Lundgren, Pete Churchwell, Bill Skea, Betty Bishop, Pam Sitton and Tim Langley. They have a formidable task ahead. We hope they don't solicit studies from outside, but do the work themselves.

The new proposals for a Community Center and Aquatic Center demand new, bold ideas, which can be sold to the voters. Both facilities would be a great asset to Grove and the sale of the current civic center building would jump start the construction funding.

Grove does not need another Big Box. What it does need is a flexible building capable of handling multiple events including small corporate meetings, city meetings, banquets from 50-500, and an auditorium for school, concerts, and town hall meetings holding up to 900 people. The latest in audio/visual equipment should be included as well as a state of the art commercial kitchen. Flexible, soundproof walls to vary the size of the rooms are necessary.

The Aquatic Center should most importantly include an indoor pool and hydrospas for use by hospital patients, school swim meets, and local citizens who like to swim year-round. An outdoor pool for use in the summer should also be included, or use of a retractable roof could be applied.


Already, the myopic boo birds can be heard rattling in the rear of council meetings, people against any sort of progress or newness in Grove, regardless of their ignorance of the details. The April Council elections for three seats will also dictate whether or not Grove continues to go forward, or slip backward into nothingness.

This Committee needs to think outside the box and come up with really good ideas. It needs to do its homework...go to other locations and see their facilities. We wish them well.

GIDA Hears Wi-Fi Presentations

Two presentations on installation of a citywide wi-fi system occupied most of the Grove Industrial Development Authority's monthly meeting this week. Trust authority members heard presentations from Cherokee Connex and Tulsa MetroNet on the subject.

Danny George, a former City Manager and currently Executive Director of Oklahoma Municipal Services Corp., updated members on installations currently on going in Vinita, Pawnee and Miami, while Ron Gates, Darrell Lewis and Andy Weil spoke on Cherokee Connex services. The company is 50% owned by the Cherokee Nation.

An important part of their program is installation of new water and gas meters which can be read via the wi-fi system. Cost savings can pay for much of a new system, George said, and everyone in Grove will have access to high speed broadband services. There are nearly 9,000 gas and water meters in the Grove service area.

Service would cost $29.95 a month for one mb up, 5 mg down, Gates said, with $84.95 including telephone, television and internet service. Installation costs were not mentioned at the meeting abut will be made available to trust members in detail.

Trevor Langham and Jeff Jones appeared for Tulsa MetroNet, suggesting a 50/50 revenue and investment share for Grove, with Phase One of the project costing $215,000 for 36 nodes and $500,000 for the entire city with 100-120 nodes. Service would sell for $29.95 per household and would be available 30-45 days after authorization, in Phase One.

New policies for the Grove Civic Center were also adopted with the main change being that the days previously used for set-up and tear down, given free, will now be charged at one-half the normal daily rate of $500 per day for the full center and $250 per day for half of the center, for one day prior and one day after the event. Full rentals will apply for more than one day prior to or after the event. Mayor Carolyn Nuckolls abstained with all other members voting yes.
In general, fee waivers will only be granted for funerals or school functions.

The Canine Corner

This was the week that the Human population in the U.S. increased to 300 million people.

Something tells me the spay and neuter program isn't working.

Changing subjects, this week Dad went in search of a new doctor. He stopped in at an office down the hall and left them an information sheet on current medications and requested an appointment. Nothing happened for a week, so he went back to the office where the young lady wearing pajama tops was atop a ladder decorating for Christmas, obviously engrossed in the one patient waiting.
No appointment had been made and she referred Dad to a person behind the glass window. They don't have glass windows at the Vet's so I wonder why they need them for humans. Anyway, the little round person behind the glass window said that the next appointment for new patients was January 15…January 16…January 18, and counting, as she was taking appointments all the while, by phone. Since this was more than 90 days away, Dad said that wouldn't work and continued his search down the hall.
They should put a sign in this doctor's office that says:
"WE DON’T WANT NEW PATIENTS!!!."
Anyway, Dad went further down the hall and found a physician who really practices medicine and got an appointment for the next day.

And so we have one physician leaving his patients, another not taking new patients, and another going off into other things like hair removals. What's up with Grove doctors?
Until next time, Bark On! Miss Missy

Both Drivers Charged in Boating Accident

How is it that the driver of a boat which is run over by another boat gets charged with Negligent Homicide? According to the Delaware County District Attorney's office, there were several factors involved.

The passenger in the boat who was killed in the accident, Murray McGarvey, 35, of Brunswick, Ga., was not properly seated in the boat, which is the responsibility of the boat driver. Alcohol also played a part, as the driver, Jason Bandy of Tulsa, was said to have been drinking, according to the accident report of the GRDA Lake Patrol. And, according to the inland laws of navigation, Bandy's boat may have been the "give way" boat even though Bandy never saw the other boat.

Charges of Negligent Homicide were filed Tuesday against Bandy, and John Special, 52, Stillwater by the Delaware County District Attorney's office. Special was also charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

Bryce Lair, assistant district attorney, said the D.A.'s office had conducted "an exhaustive investigation" of the event. He said there were "several factors involved" in the charge against Bandy.

Lair said Grand Lake is a dangerous place at night and had either driver been paying attention the accident would likely never happened. The accident occurred about 2 a.m. July 30 between Drowning Creek and Duck Creek in the main lake.

Punishment for Negligent Homicide is a fine of $100 to $1,000 and up to a year in jail, or both. Leaving the scene of an accident is punishable by a fine of up to $50. These low fines are due to the fact that the incident occurred on an Oklahoma lake rather than on a highway.

McGarvey had come to Oklahoma for the weekend to celebrate the birthday of his godson, Justin Bandy, 7, whose father was the driver of the boat in which he was riding. The elder Bandy was severely injured in the accident and was taken by helicopter to a Tulsa hospital. Other passengers in his Formula boat were Justin Doolin, 34 of Mannford, and Tracie A. LaGere, 35, of Oklahoma City, who were not injured.

Special was the driver of a 280 Searay, which left the scene of the accident, according to GRDA Lake Patrol accident reports, and did not report the accident until late Sunday afternoon, July 30. Witnesses said his boat was traveling between 35 and 50 miles an hour when it hit the Bandy boat. The only passenger in Special's boat, Dee Ann O'Neal of Edmond, was not injured.

The District Attorney's office hired ATA Associates of Houston to create a computer-generated simulation of the accident at a cost of $8000-$12,000 which will be paid for by the District Attorney's Council in Oklahoma City.

Absentee Ballot Applications Due Nov. 1

Voters in Delaware County who want to have absentee ballots mailed to them for the November 7, 2006 General Election and the Town of Kansas Special Election should apply now, County Election Board Secretary Earlene Bradford said today. Although the County Election Board can accept applications for absentee ballots until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, 2006, Bradford urged voters who want to vote by absentee ballot to apply early. Absentee ballot application forms are available at the County Election Board office located at 225 South 5th Street in Jay.

“At least two mail transactions must be made,” Bradford said. “The County Election Board must mail the ballots to the voter and the voter must return the voted ballots by mail.” Ballots must be in the hands of the County Election Board by 7 p.m. on election day in order to be counted.

Bradford said that any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he or she is eligible to vote. It is not necessary to give a reason ---or excuse---for voting absentee. “While anyone can vote absentee without giving a reason, the law still provides several excuses and it is to the advantage of some voters to use one of them,” Bradford said. By stating one of the following reasons on their applications, these voters can activate some special conditions that make it easier for them to use absentee ballots.

The reasons are:
--Voters who are physically incapacitated and voters who care for physically incapacitated persons who cannot be left unattended may vote absentee. They may apply only by mail or by fax.

--Voters who are confined to nursing homes in the county may vote absentee. An Absentee Voting board actually goes to the nursing home a few days before the election, sets up a small polling place and allows these persons to vote under circumstances similar to those at a regular precinct polling place. They may apply only by mail or by fax.

--Military personnel and residents of the county living overseas and the spouses and dependents of each group are eligible to vote absentee without being registered. These voters may apply only by mail or by fax. Military personnel should contact the Voting Service Officers in their units for application forms and additional information. Residents of Oklahoma living overseas can obtain the same materials from any United States military installation and from United States Embassies and Consulates.

A Matter of Faith...

By Carol Round

EACH SEASON HAS A PURPOSE

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

Summer has given up its hold. The early days of autumn with a crispness in the air appeal to the five senses more than any other season.
I remember how blessed I am when I see the trees as they begin their annual dance. The burnished gold, dusty red, muted orange and bright yellow leaves float gracefully through the air and cover the earth. While it means more yard work, I welcome it.
What child hasn’t hidden in a pile of raked leaves and then tossed them in the air just to watch them drift softly to the ground again. Yes, even yard work can be fun.
I savor the sights, the sounds, the smells and tastes associated with this season: the crackling of dry leaves underfoot; the rustling of deer, rabbits, squirrels and raccoons in the dry foliage; leaves burning when there’s no fire ban; chainsaws growling as they prepare wood for winter’s warmth.
When I think of this season, my taste buds recall early fall evenings when we roasted hot dogs and toasted marshmallows to make s’mores. The thought of a square of chocolate sandwiched between graham crackers and a gooey marshmallow increases the anticipation of my favorite part of the year.
Hiking in the woods when the leaves have left the trees bare, I find time for reflection. Quiet beckons. I re-evaluate. I put one step in front of the other and try not to look back at the past when I thought things were greener.
As I watch the scenery change from blues and greens to reds and golds, from browns and grays and back again, I am reminded of the cycles we experience in our own seasons of life. We watch a loved one die. We welcome the birth of a child or grandchild. We see our dreams shattered when someone disappoints us.
When the landscape changes colors, it is a reminder that nothing stays the same. As the seasons change, so must we. If we are to be a God-centered person, we must find the purpose in each season of our life.
To ignore the changes means we are unable to move forward to what God has planned for us. Like the leaves that drift to the ground, we are asked by our creator to let go and trust Him as He prepares us for each season.
Associated with the transition from warm to cold weather, autumn is the season of primary harvest. Just as mature crops yield their bounty, God wants us to continue growing through a relationship with Him and mature into the person whom He created us to be.
Regardless of the season we are in, we should see each change as an opportunity to celebrate the good and have hope that we might encounter the fullness of God.
Twilight comes early these days. It is a peaceful time. It serves a purpose.
What purpose do you seek in this season of your life? Let it glorify God.

Carol Round, a former Jay High School journalism teacher, now resides in Claremore, Oklahoma. Readers can reach her at carolaround@yahoo.com.