Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the January 19th Print Edition of the Sapulpa Times.
The Town Trustees of Kellyville met in session at the Town Hall on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at 7 p.m. New town attorney Clay Fees conducted the meeting, smoothly and quietly, even though the meeting was booted to the kitchen by the Water Department meeting in the main room. In attendance were trustees Terry Voss (mayor), Bobby McGarrah, Ed Pruitt, Russ Howard, and Cliff Barnes, and City Administrator Beverly Lucas, Town Clerk Michele Covington, and Town Attorney, Clay Fees.
The most important move made by the town fathers was discussed and then tabled until a written contract could be signed between Kellyville and Carole Lawrence, owner of “Top of the Hill Kennel.”
This discussion included how long a stray dog could be held in custody before being adopted out (3 days), how much it might cost a dog owner to retrieve his or her dog from being loose and impounded ($100) and any other requirements, like a dog having to be spayed or neutered prior to being returned to the owner (perhaps), a license (yes), who might pick up the dogs and where they might be held prior to going to the kennel. (The police will pick the dog up, and it will stay in the maintenance garage overnight until it can be transferred to Lawrence’s kennel.
Trustee Ed Pruitt acknowledged that this may be “a long-term solution to our problem,” but that Ms. Lawrence wants to have a contract in writing. She was quoted as saying that she had been “burned” for “thousands of dollars in boarding fees” by a previous group of town leaders. The agenda item was tabled until a contract could be drafted and signed, which attorney Fees said may take place in a “special meeting” sometime before the next scheduled regular meeting on February 11th.
A staff report was delivered by Fire Chief Matt Staiger, who recounted 236 fire calls in 2019. He discussed a blown gasket on a hydraulic ram used to extricate victims from disabled vehicles, that the DOD-provided vehicle is “coming along.” A $40,000 INCOG grant was denied, but the town had been given “4 in a row in 5 years,” and points are bestowed for denied projects, so the situation was not too alarming. “Money-wise we’re looking good,” he said, smiling.
Chief Shelly Garrett spoke of 83 police calls in the month, including 13 traffic stops, 7 arrests, 3 controlled dangerous substances charges, and 1 sexual assault involving a juvenile. She said the police inventory was completed, and the changes/review of the Policy & Procedure Manual and ordinances brought them “into the 21st century.” She said the manual was 214 pages.
The Public Works and Library reports were not read.
The trustees voted to table the approval of the manual until they have an opportunity to finish reading all of it.
Two other agenda items were tabled until the town lawyer can create the ordinances for charging a fee of $25 for serving warrants and that the use of controlled dangerous drugs (CDS) is illegal in Kellyville.
More agenda items were tabled concerning the specifics of letting for bid work on the city clerk’s office’s HVAC units.
An executive session was held for about 20 minutes, and when the meeting reconvened Colton Brownfield was hired as a police officer at $15.50 an hour.
In the Public Works meeting which followed, the consent items were passed and also 2 more signatories (city clerk Michele Covington and trustee Cliff Barnes) were approved for all town bank transactions, as they were in the Regular Meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m. Next month, February 11th, 2020, at 7 p.m., the next meeting will convene. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
