Chamber Hosts Council Candidates Forum

Seven candidates for three seats in the upcoming Grove City Council Election April 3 took the stage Friday at the Grove Chamber of Commerce's "Eggs N Issues" breakfast, alternately agreeing and jabbing at each other. All seemed to have been well briefed on the questions posed.

Candidates first had two minutes for Opening Remarks. Some samples:

Harry Worley--"you don't have to always win to be ahead in the race." "I want to bring a spirit of teamwork and move Grove forward.
Dustin Phillips--"I am running in order to bring new and exciting business to Grove, lower the sales tax and keep from adding a new property tax. I have no axe to grind, I just want to help the community."
Carolyn Nuckolls--"I would like to finish the projects we have going, I have lived here since 1946 and am very interested in what happens here. My door is always open."
Gary Trippensee--"We need an open and fair government, to provide services the people need at a reasonable cost. Some of our utility rates are the highest in the nation; we don't need high engineering fees."
David Adzigian--"I offer unbiased mediation, fair representation; I want to complete the Downtown project and put the city on a sound financial footing."
Larry Parham--"Selecting a new city manager will be very important; the June utility increases are not necessary, I'm against consultants, I want to use local people for road building, and get a city-owned trash service."
Mike Davenport--"Why do we live in Grove? Let's keep moving Grove forward in a positive direction."

The group then went to a period of answering specific questions directed at all of the candidates.
"What race is the most important in Grove, excluding yourself?" This question clearly made no sense and some struggled to answer it.

Worley: "The selection of a new city manager."
Phillips: "I'm standing on my own."
Nuckolls: "I have a problem endorsing other candidates and will never endorse anyone else."
Trippensee: "I support Mike Davenport."
Adzigian: "I don't endorse any but we need to elect independent candidates."
Parham: "Signs are posted at the request of the business and property owners; they want people to know who they support."
Davenport: "I support Gary and Larry but can work together with anyone."

Second question asked was "what is your opinion on council members serving on the city's trust authority boards?"

Worley: "In a lot of cities, the Council is the boards. I don't believe in Council being on these boards."
Phillips: "One council person per board."
Nuckolls: "I want to clear up misinformation. The mayor is elected by Council. I used to believe that no council people should be on the boards but they were constantly at each other's throats. But everyone should have a chance."
Trippensee: "Only one per board."
Adzigian: "A minimum of one, maximum of two. We have no active pilots on the Airport Board and we should have at least one, with three or four independent members."
Davenport: "Same as Adzigian, one per board, professional people with new ideas for the rest."

Question: "Will you support Chamber of Commerce full funding?"

Worley: "I was on the first council that gave money to our Chamber and will support it and other business organizations with funding."
Phillips: "Full funding for the Chamber, I agree."
Nuckolls: "I would like to see an audit of the Chamber once a year and have them support all business in Grove, not just members. They do a lot for the city."
Trippensee: "I fully support them, they do a great job."
Adzigian: "They are the marketing arm of the city; attract visitors and prospective businesses and people. I support funding but the Chamber should justify its requests. I fully supported them three years ago when I served on the Council."
Parham: "I have fought for the Chamber and did vote for full funding. If we can give $50,000 to a bass tournament we can fully fund our Chamber."
Davenport: "Let's keep everybody accountable, I support funding."

"How will you finance a new Civic Center or city swimming pool?"

Worley: "I don't think the citizens will pass it but maybe we should ask them, and don't build sell the old center without first building a new one."
Phillips: "We need a new civic center; I am in favor of selling the old one, with a vote of the people."
Nuckolls: "Must have a vote of the people, no way to build a new one without the sale of the old one and we will have indebtedness.
Trippensee: "We have two groups working on it and have spent $45,000, let them come up with answers. We do need a new pool."
Adzigian: "There are lots of ways to raise money, benefactors, and contributions, without taxes; we need a vote of the people and the taxpayers will have their say."
Parham: "It does not have to go to a vote of the people and it was not necessary to spend $45,000, just look at other cities and do our own studies. And $85 a year in property taxes is too much."
Davenport: "I am definitely for a new pool but let the Blue Ribbon Committee study determine how to finance it. It the people want it, we need to get it."

Turning to individual questions:

for Parham: Do you have a financial interest in the Family Dollar Store as mentioned by David Adzigian? "It's a lie. I asked for the tape of that council meeting and I said I actually leased to this company in another city. I sold a local store that I owned to avoid a conflict of interest."

response from Adzigian: "It was clearly stated at the meeting 'I have an interest in the Family Dollar store.'"

for Davenport: Now that the city manager has retired, what are your plans? "We have other issues, roads, a new hospital, and I assure you my interests are with new projects."

for Nuckolls: Why didn't you answer the Chamber's questionnaire? "I did, I mailed it on deadline day." Response from the Chamber: "We didn't get it."

For all the candidates: "What is your vision for encouraging economic development?"
Worley: "our best bet is with small businesses. I don't know we can give them a tax break, as some have gone away after getting it."
Phillips: "we can give a tax break to bring in new business; we need to lighten up on the P&Z requirements."
Nuckolls: "I agree with Worley and I do support small business coming to town."
Trippensee: " I support economic development and providing incentives, but don't penalize existing businesses."
Adzigian: "We have some outstanding companies here but there is a gap in the skill level; NEO and Votec are working to improve this. Retirees coming here are an industry to itself, which will grow the service industries."
Parham: "The new highway 59, new hospital, giving city business to local contractors are important. All State Tank was denied a bid on the new water tower because of some Kansas City engineer said that bolt-on was not acceptable. Our local businesses should be supported.
Davenport: "We are not set up for large businesses and our downtown has empty buildings. We need to bring downtown back."

Question for all: A new casino is coming to Grove, anyway to prevent it?
Worley: "Anything that brings in people is good for Grove."
Phillips: "I agree."
Nuckolls: "It is totally out of the city's hands, regardless of our personal feelings."
Trippensee: "Correct, but we will have to work on fire and police protection and make the best of it."
Adzigian: "We don't have a choice. We need to negotiate with the tribe so that the taxpayers do not have to pay one cent extra for services to the casino."
Parham: "We cannot prevent it. Control the situation. We will need more fire equipment and police personnel."
Davenport: "We will work with the tribe to help us fund costs to the city."

Each candidate then had one minute for closing remarks.
Worley: "I have said it all."
Phillips: "I will work hard, I think I can do a good job."
Nuckolls: "This is a tough job, any new members will have to learn to count to three."
Trippensee: "I would be only one of five, keep moving, get back together."
Adzigian: "Listen and communicate openly, I am an Independent person.
Parham: "This is not an easy job, I do not agree with others most of the time. I will represent your voice, listen to the people, and put aside personal agendas."

Hacker Attacks City Hall Phones

Police Chief Ivan Devitt confirmed Friday that City Hall employees earlier this week could not access their voicemail boxes and the phone lines were not rolling over, due to a hacker getting into the system.

"Someone did get into the system and entered a password that jumbled up the system. We are not sure who the target was," Devitt said.

City employees have taken security steps with the voicemail system to see that it does not happen again, he said.

GIDA Meeting Goes to the Dogs

By a vote of 5 Woofs to 0, the Grove Industrial Development Authority board voted to waive all fees for use of the Civic Center for the Northeast Oklahoma Kennel Club Dog Show April 13-15.
Travis Taylor, chairman of the show, brought his highly trained dog "Adam" along to the meeting Monday as a backup. Adam sat patiently throughout the meeting, yawning occasionally, as did the four humans in the audience.
Taylor told the Board that his organization was tax exempt and will bring some 1200 canines to the show this year, at a fee of $22 per entry, and would bring a $320,000 treat to the city in money spent.
The Board also reversed its recently approved fee structure for Civic Center rental and voted to waive rental fees for up to three days of setup and tear down, previously approved at a half-day's rental. Normal rental fees for use of the Center are $500 per day for the full building, $250 per day for half the building.
No one was at the meeting to represent the city's taxpayers, who take a licking for $200,000 a year in expenses to operate and manage the building.
A request for funding of GroveFest from the Grove Chamber of Commerce was delayed until a later date, perhaps to search for a dog to make the presentation, or as some thought, to wait for a different breed of City Councilmen to be elected.
The Board took note that a double wide home has squatted on the Civic Center lot and Lee's Home Sales owes the city $740 in rental fees; the home was put on the lot Jan. 26 and was to be herded out right after the boat show. A representative from Lee's had told city officials that the building could not be moved this week "due to the forecast of rain," which brought howls of laughter from the four person audience, and even Adam.
The Board also set April 9 as the deadline for organizations wishing to line up at the taxpayer's bowl to get grant money from the city.

Council OK's ESPN Bassmasters Funding

Citing less than expected increases in sales tax revenues, Councilman Larry Parham led an effort to kill funding to the Grand Lake Association in connection with this year's ESPN Bassmasters Tournament June 21. He and Councilman Gary Bishop voted against a $50,000 appropriation, despite the fact that the event last year drew an estimated 17,000 people over three days and worldwide publicity for the city of Grove.

The measure passed 3-2 at Tuesday night's regular meeting, with councilors Nuckolls, Ryan and Helms voting for it. Last year's appropriation was $75,000 but the association returned $27,000 of it to the city. "There is no doubt that it benefited Grove," Parham said, before voting against the motion to appropriate $50,000.

In other action:

--Council voted 5-0 to amend two city ordinances to provide for "Grove Second Saturdays" that will allow merchants, musicians or vendors the opportunity for a sidewalk sales downtown from April to October.
--Voted 5-0 to amend the city's rules on parking spaces and off-street parking requirements for commercial only; the changes relax previous rules regarding the number of spaces required for businesses and enlarge individual spaces from 9x18 to 10x20 feet, commercial only.

--Voted 5-0 to delay action on a contract to Garver Engineers for engineering services for the Grove Municipal Airport for $48,800, at the request of the engineer.

--Voted 5-0 on a policy regulating placing items on the Council Agenda by the council members themselves. Regular agenda items may be placed on the agenda by the City Manager or any one council member, directing the city manager to do so; Executive Session agenda items may be placed on the agenda by the City Manager or any two council members, directing the City Manager to do so. Council members may not instruct the City Clerk, as she reports to the City Manager.

--Voted 5-0 on an employment agreement between the city and Interim City Manager Debbie Mavity regarding salary and policies.

--Voted 5-0 on a new City Accounting Policy.

--Voted 5-0 to advertise for filling the position of City Manager due to the retirement of Bill Galletly two weeks ago, and notify those who responded to a previous ad last August to see if they were still interested. A Masters Degree is preferred, but not required. Galletly had a Masters Degree in public administration and spent 30 years as a city manager.

Mavity told the Council that construction on the new Verizon Cell Tower had begun and is to be completed within 20-35 days and that debris removal from January's ice storm is in its final stages. To date the city owes $69,523 to a private contractor, reimbursable at 87.5% from FEMA and the State of Oklahoma. "The going rate is $7 per cubic yard and we are paying about $2," Mavity said. Grove's contract calls for payment by the ton, not cubic yards. The city wide cleanup is about 70% done, she reported.

Councilman Gary Bishop will be in charge of this year's Trash Off Day April 21, where volunteers cleanup roadways and parks of litter. Councilman Dave Helms, who had been in charge of the event, elected not to run for re-election this year.

GMSA Wants Amnesty Program for Water Abusers

The Grove Municipal Services Authority has voted to instruct Staff to come up with an amnesty/reward program for utility customers who discover illegal water taps on the system. The Board took the action at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday at City Hall.

The Board rejected a bid on a new Stand Pipe and High Service Pump Station, as it was 27% over engineer estimates, and voted to re-advertise based on bolt-up construction.
The Board also approved spending $68,705 for utility supplies for the Leisure Lane/Har-Ber Road water and gas project, and tabled bids for actual construction of the project due to right of way issues. Three change orders for the Downtown Phase I Water & Storm Drainage Project were also approved totaling $77,907.

Ralph Handkin, engineer with Archer Engineering, updated the Board on the progress on utility construction work on Highway 59 to Sailboat Bridge, noting the project is 56% complete on the right side of the roadway and 48% complete on the left side, with 138 work days completed. Workers have 307 total days to complete the project which will then be turned over to ODOT for road construction, a five-lane highway including a center turn lane. The utlility project totals $2,358,148.

Letters to the Editor...

To the citizens and voters in Grove:

Recently published “letters to the editor” submitted by Bill Miller reveal one more example of what is wrong in Grove politics present day. Bill Miller, a Planning and Zoning Board Member appointed by Carolyn Nuckolls, is part of the group representing control in the city of Grove today. As a member of the planning and zoning board, Miller’s editorials are ethically and morally questionable. His letters to the editor, in both the Observer and the American, show no respect towards business leaders, retired persons who fly, community leaders in Grove, Grove voters and the candidates GrovePAC supports.

The inaccuracies and arrogance of his editorials reflect desperation and show how far the current and controlling power in city hall will go to retain this control! To correct Miller with the facts, GrovePAC is formed by business leaders and concerned Grove voters. Some of these individuals have had businesses and/or lived in Grove longer then one of the candidates for council has been alive. GrovePAC is a tool to keep voters informed of the issues; past, present and future. This tool allows supporters to participate free from persecution, discrimination and threats, which have taken place in past elections and over the last couple of years.

Their infatuation with the airport has deterred their thought process from the real issues facing Grove and/or is a poor attempt to corrupt the voters into believing that those who use the airport are trying to take over the city. This has been a trick they used in the last election sponsored by David Helms and is now being followed up by David Adzigian and his supporters, which includes Bill Miller. The group, as of March 19th, has even posted a sign near LOWE’S that reads, “GROVEPAC AIRPORTS 3 STOOGES”. It reflects on the kind of childish behavior that wants to retain control of Grove! To borrow a phrase from Jim Mills, it’s time for a “fact check”. Those who lease hanger land and are fortunate enough to have running water, sewer and gas pay the same amount for utilities as all other GMSA users in Grove. The price we all pay, however, is 30% higher city wide than almost every city in the state of Oklahoma! This is an issue David Adzigian says cannot be changed and that rates are scheduled to increase again in June of 07. We disagree and know that with proper management, proper billing and the purchasing of fuel at lower non-peak demand rates, rather then during peak demand periods, there are many possibilities. The group in control is hiding the truth from the voters because they have mismanaged billing and failed to charge Simmons (Fairland) for nearly $900,000.00 dollars in natural gas over the last 3 years. Meanwhile GMSA user rates were raised and the mismanagement practices of GMSA have been subsidized by Grove area consumers.

The issue has not been limited to Bill Galletly. The real issue is the current council, GMSA and GIDA controlled by Helms, Nuckolls and Ryan. Their lack of backbone to do the right thing for all of the Grove residents has compromised the spirit of this community!


Troy Kyman
Chairman GrovePAC
506 Industrial Rd
Grove, OK


To the Editor:
Thank you for publishing the answers to the Chamber’s questions for the candidates for the Grove City Council.

In regards to the downtown, I did want to clarify for the public the question of possibly using tax increment financing (TIF).This would NOT be a new or additional tax for the community. This financial tool is used by many communities across the country including in Oklahoma. A TIF district is used to provide financing for an area in need of improvement. The monies are derived from the increase in value of the real estate in the district. For example, each of our local downtown buildings has an appraised value for property taxes. As the downtown improves and becomes a desirable area for business, new or rehabilitated buildings will over time increase the property values of this area. The increased tax revenues over the base, is the tax increment. It is NOT an additional tax. The TIF money could be used to pay for improvements or maintenance of the public areas such as for more parking, maintaining sidewalks, a park or landscaping within the district.

TIF creates funding for public projects that may otherwise be unaffordable to communities. Shawnee and Tecumseh, Oklahoma use a TIF for their downtowns. Durant used it to finance infrastructure improvements for a large manufacturing plant to locate in their community. Norman has also used this method of financing as has many other Oklahoma communities.

As Grove moves ahead in the future, it is important to find ways to finance improvements without adding new municipal taxes to the general public. Tax increment financing may be helpful for our community. Our city council should make that decision after further study.

Sincerely,


Larry E. Stout, D.C. Chairman,
Downtown Revitalization Committee

Observations...

Overheard in Gentry, AR: "Taking pictures with a digital camera is harder than milking cows."... The folks over at B&M Fiberglass came out to fix a small dock rash in our boat and fixed it so good we couldn't tell if it had been fixed or not. We allowed as to not pay the bill since we could find no evidence of work done...We bought those little deer horns for the front of the pickup, you know they make noises that scare the deer away from the highway. We had to take them back as we couldn't hear them and assumed they were not working...Will they really have Eggs at the Chamber's Egg's and Issues Breakfast Friday morning? Somehow buffet eggs just don't keep well. The hot air from all the council candidates might keep them warmer than usual though.
Our question to the candidates will be "Are you Nuts?" Why would anybody want to sit through those marathon meetings twice a month for $50...Acting City Manager Debbie Mavity says she is already over the 70 hours per week figure...With the price of oil below $56 a barrel, why is gasoline in Grove selling for $2.50? It was $1.99 last time oil was this price. Someone please report these guys to the Corporation Commissioner or somebody...

A Matter of Faith...

By Carol Round

Take Me as I Am
”Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14 (NIV)

“LOOKING FOR ANGEL IN DISGUISE”

Although it has been more than two months since this headline on a display ad caught my eye in a major metropolitan newspaper, I still remember the exact words. Elona Harris had placed the 3 x 4 inch ad to locate a young child whom she had encountered at a cosmetics store on Christmas Eve in Tulsa. The girl, with her long blonde hair, captured Harris’ attention for two reasons: her beautiful smile and her disfigured face.

Harris, along with her daughter, was captivated by the youngster’s lopsided smile and her inner radiance. As the days passed, Harris could not forget the little girl. She wanted to help. Her desire to find a medical treatment option for the child led Harris to seek her identity through the newspaper. The ad worked.

After meeting with the family of the 3-year-old, Harris set up a fund in Carleigh Yarrington’s name to assist with medical expenses. Since the follow-up story ran in the newspaper in early January, $54,000 has been raised toward the treatment options that may change the child’s life.

Born with a severe benign tumor that contorts the right side of her face, Carleigh is too young to be aware of how some in our society will react to her facial deformity as she grows up. Harris knows, however, because she has had first-hand experience with a granddaughter who was born with a cleft palate.

Carleigh’s parents don’t want her to have to deal with the facial abnormality for the rest of her life. Strangers have already begun to make comments or ask questions when they see her in public. Because people stare, Carleigh’s mother, Miranda, now hands out information about her daughter’s condition, known as hemangioma.

For Harris, it wasn’t curiosity that attracted her to young Carleigh. It was a desire to help that made her reach out to a young girl whom God had placed in her path.

God places people in our path each day. Although He asks us to accept others as He accepts us, we sometimes have a hard time with this. I know I have.

How can we approach God and ask Him to “take me as I am,” when we cannot do the same for others? When I accepted Christ as my Savior, all things became brand new. I began not only to accept my own faults and weaknesses—my disfigurements—but I was better able to accept the same in others. However, I have to ask Him daily to let me see others through His eyes.

As children of God, we should ask to be made perfect through Him. Young children really have no problem with that. They are born in innocence but corrupted by society’s standards of perfection.

When we realize that perfection exists only in the eyes of our Beholder, we can begin to serve Him by helping those whom He places in our path.

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.

Police Chief Outlines Plans for Department

Future plans for the Grove Police Department include the addition of four new officers to keep up with increased calls for service, now up 10-15% a year, a new physical fitness incentive program for officers, increased traffic and handicap parking enforcement, and purchase of Taser equipment.

Chief Ivan Devitt III spoke to members of the Grove Rotary Club Wednesday about his future requests to City Council and said calls for service averaged 1290 per month in 2004 and have increased to 1895 a month in 2007.

Devitt served 16 years on the Houston police force; his last assignment was on the Mounted Patrol, where he worked the 2004 Super Bowl and the Enron collapse. He moved to Grove to be near relatives in 2005 and was named Acting Police Chief in May 2006.

"We have a very professional, hard working group of officers in Grove," he said. Recent changes include a new training facility at the pistol range, increasing the DARE program activity using a canine officer for drug searches in the schools, moving the courtroom to City Hall, renovating space in the years-old police department building, installing new carpet, lighting and soon to come, new floor tile. "The jail cells remain as before," he added. The facilities had gone basically untouched for 20 years, he told the group. The department recently purchased a radar trailer that is in heavy use around the city.

Devitt is most proud of the new animal control section's "Pet of the Day" program, where animals are featured in the Grove Sun Daily and on KGVE to be adopted out, rather than euthanized.
"We get three to four animals adopted a week now, going to nice homes."

The department currently has 19 full time officers, eight dispatchers, and two animal control officers. Officers work four 10-hour shifts a week to cover the department 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Passport Office Backlogged

The U.S. State Department's Passport Services unit is bogged down. It now takes 10 weeks to get a new or renewal passport instead of the usual four to six weeks; expensive, expedited service now takes three to four weeks instead of a couple of days.

Some of the major branded cruise lines that sail from the U.S. on shorter cruises are not insisting on passports at this time, but each traveler should check with the cruise line or travel agent to re-confirm that no passport is required.

Every U.S. citizen is now required to have a valid passport to fly between the U.S. Mexico, Canada and Western Hemisphere countries.

Absentee Ballots Available Until March 28

Voters in Delaware County who want to vote absentee in the April 3 elections, including the Grove City Council, have until 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, to apply for ballots.
Forms are available at the County Election Board office in Jay. Ballots must be in the hands of the Board by 7 p.m. on election day in order to be counted, said Dixie Smith, County Election Board Secretary.