In early April’s election, residents of the Town of Kellyville voted to keep or replace two Town Trustees and to introduce a new one to replace Ed Pruitt’s seat, who left after his move from the district.
Trustee Clifford Barnes kept his seat with 90 of the 234 total votes, former Kellyville Mayor Jim Vogt took Pruitt’s seat with 89 votes, and Trustee Bobby McGarrah lost his seat to newcomer Scott Lynn in a 41 to 102 vote.
At the end of Tuesday, April 13th’s Town of Kellyville Board meeting, Trustees Russ Howard, Cliffy Barnes, and Mayor Terry Voss made their public goodbyes to McGarrah. Barnes said, “I want to thank Bobby for his service to this town.” Mayor Voss said, “We’re going to miss you.” Howard remarked, “I appreciate your service too,” and “I’ve been on this Board for two years, and it’s been one heck of a learning experience.”
Howard went on to say that he decided to jot down some positive things that have happened in the Town in the last two years, and that he filled two pages in doing so.
This is the list of the Town’s recent accomplishments in its entirety: reconciled all financial books, set and maintained a balanced budget for all departments, increased overall financial holdings by 65%, applied for and received a $40K grant to remodel the existing City Hall/Police Department building, applied for and received $80K dollars in COVID-19 relief funding, applied for and received a $5K grant for body cams for the Police Department, the Fire Department worked in conjunction with the Water Office and the State of Oklahoma to meet the requirements to lower ISO ratings which saved homeowners money on their insurance premiums, the Fire Department incorporated an online emergency management system, the Fire Department upgraded storm sirens to wireless communications, the Town digitally mapped 40% of its sewer mains and manholes so far, they are currently working with the DEQ and private contractors to establish needed repairs to the sewer mains, they are establishing a maintenance schedule for the sewer lagoon, paid off the lease balance on the Public Works backhoe, purchased a dump truck for the Public Works department, replaced existing HVAC equipment with high efficiency equipment for the library which reduced annual operating costs, annexed multiple properties into the city limits, negotiated lower health insurance premiums without sacrificing coverage for city employees, provided optional insurance plans for additional coverage at a reduced rate, negotiated lower rates for general liability insurance on City buildings and equipment, and incorporated an online payment center to pay trash and sewer bills.
He concluded his remarks by saying, “My hat’s off to [Bobby]; we wouldn’t be here without him. I hope we can keep this momentum going with the [two new Trustees].”
More positive news for the Town came when Town Administrator and Police Chief Shelly Garrett asked the Trustees to approve a fireworks show on Saturday, June 26, 2021, “not to exceed $5.5K,” to celebrate the Fourth of July. “This is the fun part,” she enthused. “I like events.”
Garrett said she reached out to local developer Greg Hurst for help with a location and that he is allowing the Town to use his vacant property across from the High School to shoot fireworks from. A professional fireworks company will be hired to execute the show. She further said she is meeting with the school this week to see if they will allow the Town to use the building for family-friendly activities such as games and face-painting.
This was unanimously approved by the Board.
The Board also unanimously approved declaring one of the Police Department’s K9 dogs, Jasta, as surplus, and donating her to the Sapulpa Police Department.
Garrett explained that Jasta has been switched from handler to handler, is currently without one, and is spending most of her spare time in a kennel. Garrett said that, fortuitously, at a recent training class she was approached by Sapulpa’s Police Chief Mike Reed, who is trying to expand his K9 Unit, to see if Kellyville had any dogs they couldn’t use.
The dog’s SPD handler will consistently train and handle her on a day-to-day basis, will retire her at home with her children, and Jasta’s story now looks like it will have a happy ending.
