City Council Candidates File for April Election

Let the games begin. Candidates who have filed for the April 7 Grove City Council election include:

Ward 3: Larry Parham (current city councilman)
David Adzigian (former councilman, current GIDA and airport trust authority member, lost to Parham two years ago by only 25 votes)
Ward 4: Gary Trippenssee (former Airport Board chairman)
Dustin Phillips (farmer, rancher, first political race ever)
Ben Hynum, (longtime Grove resident, organizer of the annual July 4 celebration)
At Large: Carolyn Nuckolls, (current Mayor)
Mike Davenport (bail bondsman, former city employee, sponsored petition drive to change form of government in Grove)
Harry W. Worley (Grove businessman)

Most observers feel that this will be the most important city election in many years and will shape the future of Grove for the next four years. City Manager Bill Galletly is set to retire this year and his employment should not be an issue in this election. The new Council will, however, be responsible for hiring a new City Manager and overseeing a large number of projects designed to move the city forward, make decisions on important matters such as the Civic Center and swim park, and oversee construction on highway 59 widening.
Future issues of The Observer will examine each candidate's views and qualifications.

Grove Committee Begins Work on Civic Center Question

Members of Grove's Blue Ribbon Committee charged with the responsibility of putting together plans for a new Aquatic Park and Multi-Purpose Events Center met in Executive Session Monday night at City Hall to hear from a developer with an offer to purchase Grove's existing Civic Center building and land.
According to sources, the offer was less than $3.5 million, a figure which had previously been discussed two years ago. Since then, Walgreen's purchased property elsewhere, reducing the value of the Civic Center land.
The unnamed developer would tear down the Civic Center and build a new grocery store, retail stores and a coffee shop at that location, according to sources. Envisioned is the purchase of another parcel of land which would contain a new multi-purpose events center, a nationally branded hotel and restaurant, and the proposed Aquatic Center. All of this is subject to Council and voter approval at a special election, probably in May or June.
After coming out of Executive Session, the Committee voted to seek proposals from additional parties of interest regarding the current Civic Center and explore the cost for a new facility built with "tip-up" concrete, and seek land acquisition costs. The Committee also set Feb. 22 as the date for its next meeting.
After the developer made his proposal, he excused himself from the meeting, sources said, in compliance with state law. The Agenda and announcement were previously cleared by City Attorney Ron Cates under Title 25-307, Sec. 10.
After the Committee finishes its work on both the Aquatic Park and Events Center, City Council will take up the issues which will hopefully go to the voters of Grove in May or June.
Voters will have an opportunity to examine both proposals in detail, and the financing, to make an informed decision, a source said.
Blue Ribbon Committee members are Bill Skea, Connie Brewer, Jeff Lundgren, Pete Churchwell, Betty Bishop, Pam Sitton, and Tim Langley. Their previous efforts have focused on a proposal for a new Aquatic Park with a study being done by Kimley-Horn and Counsilman Hunsaker of Dallas, at a cost of $45,000.
The Draft of the aquatic study contains four options: An outdoor Family Aquatic Center costing about $5 million containing an 8,325-square foot leisure pool with zero-beach entry, water channel, waterslide and a children's slide; a 700-square foot pool for small children, eight shade structures, and locker rooms, two family changing areas, first aid, and pool mechanical/storage rooms.
Option Two is a smaller outdoor-only pool of 5,467 square feet costing about $3.5 million. Option Three is an Indoor Wellness Poll at a cost of $980,000 of about 725 square feet with water between 84-88 degrees that could be used for hydro therapy. It was felt that the Grove Integris Hospital could use such a facility but the consultants were told "the hospital does not see a need for them to have a therapy pool at this time."
Option 4 is for an Outdoor Competitive Pool with "L" at a cost of $2,068,000 for a 4,000 square foot pool.
Two other options were included in the Appendix portion of the study at a cost of $13,608,000 for an outdoor-indoor facility, and $11,133,000 for an indoor leisure pool with smaller outdoor facility.
According to sources, the Committee may lean towards an outdoor-only facility at a cost of between $3 and $4 million, financed over 20 years, with an Indoor-Wellness pool possibly coming later as part of the new multi-purpose events center project. User fees should cover the daily operations and maintenance of the pool, a source said.
The current city pool at Honey Creek State Park costs the city $69,000 a year to operate plus a huge water loss due to bottom leaks. It is considered near-obsolete.
The 100-page study noted that the population base within a 25-mile radius of Grove is expected to be 116,500 by 2011.
The study evaluated target markets, specific user groups, activity programming, marketing strategy, direct funding, capital markets financing, attendance levels, special user group admissions, facility staff costs, cashflow analysis, and operations and maintenance costs.

Grove Officials to Meet With FEMA

Grove City Manager Bill Galletly and city staffers will meet with representatives of FEMA on Thursday to discuss what aid the government agency can give to Grove towards a massive cleanup effort as a result of January's ice storm.
"We are talking months, not days, to get this city cleaned of thousands of tons of tree debris," Galletly told the Council at its regular meeting Tuesday night. The city has been divided into 12 zones for pickup of debris from resident's yards, which must be cut and carried to the street side. One zone has already been completed with zones 2 and 3 to be finished in a few weeks.
FEMA will pay 75% of the city's cost to hire outside crews to come in and clean out the debris but the city wants to make sure what monies it will receive and what the rules are. The city would have to pay 25% of the cost and determine if that is more expensive than using its own employees.
Grove currently has two chipper crews and one loading crew working nearly full time on the project. Several residents expressed displeasure at the waiting time and one even wanted to know if FEMA would come on his property and remove the debris.
The matter was tabled by Council until Thursday's meeting with FEMA.

Observer Columnist Releases First Book

Carol Round, a retired Jay High School teacher and weekly columnist for The Grove Observer, will be signing copies of her book titled, A Matter of Faith, at Sissy’s Place in both Jay and Grove on Wednesday, February 21.

The book is a collection of her weekly faith-based column, by the same name, that appears in ten Oklahoma newspapers and Capper’s, a regional publication in Topeka, Kansas with a circulation of over 200,000.

Ms. Round began writing a faith-based column after a Missouri newspaper editor suggested a need for one. Her weekly inspirational column has garnered emails from readers with comments like “Read your Matter of Faith. WOW! What a great truth and well written,” and “Carol…such a powerful message in a very confused hurting world. God bless you!”

Since her first column was released a year ago in the “Claremore Progress,” Ms. Round has written more than 52 columns, inspiring her readers to deepen their relationship with the Lord.

“When I receive an e-mail from a reader, commenting on one of my columns,” she says, “it reminds me how good God is to use my writing to help others. I am truly blessed by Him; in turn, I want to bless others.”

Her messages always take an honest, and sometimes humorous, look at the struggles all humans have with fears, uncertainty, self-esteem and relationships, as well as life’s joys and surprises.

Her first book signing in Claremore, where Ms. Round now resides, was held in December. The book is now in its second printing.

Ms. Round will be signing copies of her book at the bookstores from 10 a.m. until noon at Jay and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Grove. Her books are available for $10.

For more information, contact Sissy’s Place in Jay at 253-8797 or in Grove at 787-5700 or e-mail Ms. Round at carolaround@yahoo.com.

Grove Rotary Students of the Month

Grove Rotary Students of the Month, both seniors from Grove High School, are Krista Hokit and Daniel Long. Krista has played in the Band for four years, is a member of Charactor Counts and Key Club, and plans to attend OSU next year.
Daniel has played in the band for more than six years and plans to attend OU next year.

A Matter of Faith...

By Carol Round

Love Without Limits

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 (NIV)

Wouldn’t it be nice if love were like a cafeteria line? When I read this opening question in one of Max Lucado’s daily devotionals, I thought, “Wow, wouldn’t that be nice.”

Picture yourself going through a cafeteria line, selecting those qualities that appeal to you. Just like we select the food that appeals to our palate, we could select those
characteristics in a person that we most appreciate and pass over those aspects that we don’t especially like. For me, it would be like avoiding the brussel sprouts and tofu. Give me that apple pie with vanilla ice cream instead.

Let’s see, if I were searching for traits in a potential mate, I’d take a large bowl of humor. Oh, and I must have a huge platter of handy man. I can’t miss the side plate of humble pie but I’ll skip the helping of moodiness.

Think of the choices we could make if we could go through the cafeteria line of love. What if we could do this with our children? We could select those qualities that we consider important, like good grades and no temper tantrums. We could avoid the tumultuous teen years and the messy bedrooms.

However, what if our children could go through that same smorgasbord line and pick out the parental qualities they considered loving? I’m sure we wouldn’t be surprised at their choices. Let’s see: “Give me a heaping plateful of allowances, a nice car and a cell phone, but forget the rules and losing my driving privileges when I miss my curfew.”

If love were like going through a cafeteria line, it would be great. But what if someone were going through that line looking at your qualities. I know that some of my less lovely attributes would not be something you would want to savor. I’ll pass on Carol’s tendency to chatter too much and skip the nagging when people don’t pick up after themselves.

If we could select those qualities that most appeal to us and ignore the rest, would it be love? What if God chose to not overlook our less lovely qualities? We’d all be in trouble. But God loves us unconditionally.

I recently came across the Serenity Prayer but with a new twist:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change; The courage to change the one I can; And the wisdom to know that person is me."

When “love without limits” is our choice, we are emulating the master of loving. When He is our guide, we don’t have to worry about the choices we make. He has already made them for us.

A collection of Carol Round’s most popular faith-based columns is now available in book form. For more information, readers can reach her at carolaround@yahoo.com.

Genealogical Society Announces Program

The Delaware County Genealogical Society has announced a program for this centennial year to recognize descendants of those who lived in Grove during the statehood period. Persons or families had to have lived in Grove between the 1900 and the 1910 census.
Persons wishing to apply for recognition as descended from a Grove Centennial Family, should contact the society for the simple, one-page application form. Copies of proofs that the family was here are attached to the completed form and turned in to the society.
Proofs can found in a variety of sources. The 1900 U.S. census records the persons living in the Incorporated Town of Grove. The same can be said for the 1910 census.
In between those two events, the plat for the Town of Grove was approved by the Interior Department. Appraisers then recorded what was on each lot, who owned it, and what the value was.
The Grove Sun was being published which makes another record although the preserved issues don't start until late 1904 and there are other gaps in the remaining years. The paper carried all the usual kinds of things found in newspapers of that time. Included are marriages, deaths, births, lodge meetings, city council meetings, and all such. The ads are another item of great interest.
Families, we hope, have their own story preserved. It is these stories we hope to read and enjoy in this centennial year. Also we are hoping that families have saved photographs.
The Genealogical Society will be sharing the stories and photos as we go through the year. For more information, contact the society at dcgsinc@hotmail.com, or by mail to DCGS,1140 NEO Loop, Grove, Oklahoma 74344.