The Poteau City Council addressed several property issues during its December meeting Monday night at Poteau City Hall.
Two pieces of property, one at 601 South Harper Avenue having a trailer filled with trash on it and the other an abandoned house at 503 South Walters Avenue, had the same representative, Nan Lea Dickerson who was representing her mom and the properties' owner Nan Dickerson, talk about each.
"We're working on it … there's more to be done," Dickerson said about the South Harper Avenue property.
"I just want someone to look at at," she said regarding the South Walters Avenue property.
Councilman Tommy Robertson made the motion, seconded by Councilman Monte Shockley II, to have the City Council take a look at things on the South Harper property at the January meeting, while Councilman Clay Bennett made the same motion, with Robertson seconding it, regarding the South Walters property.
The third piece of property discussed dealt with the former McCroskey Law Building, which currently is under the ownership of Bridgman's Furniture owner Randy Bridgman.
Bridgman said that work is being done to windows and flooring, and that windows have been ordered through Ollie Lumber Company and should arrive within 90 days. He also said that he's hoping the painters come by then as well.
"It will really be nice once we're through with it," Bridgman told the City Council.
Bennett asked Bridgman if he would check to see if any of the outdoor stucco is just chipped or if it's peeling and falling to the ground, which would make things potentially hazardous for pedestrians walking near it. The City Council approved to check on how things are coming during the January meeting.
There were four issues dealing with approving specific use permits.
The first one was for Old School Bakery to use the facilities at 903 South Broadway Avenue in the Frisco Plaza to process cannabis, which could not be sold within the building nor was the property going to be open to the public. While Bennett and Shockley both approved Bennett's motion to approve the permit, all other City Council members voted against the measure.
The second specific use permit discussion was for Tyler Atkinson to open a nano brewery in the old Sidewinders store at 108 South Witte Avenue. The City Council approved the motion to award the permit to Atkinson, but the motion wasn't unanimously approved as Councilman Jim Holstead voted against the measure.
The third permit discussed was for Brian Foos, who was wanting to set up a type of RV park at 1100 Franzini Street, where people could stay for up to 30 days before having to vacate. However, since City of Poteau Planning Commission Chairman Bill Hoffman said his board approved the measure to be brought before the City Council, Hoffman told the Council that the approval wasn't a unanimous one.
That, in turn, made Shockley to make a motion to table the matter until further investigation can be done into the matter. Councilman Wimp Webb said that none of the constituents he talked to was in favor of the RV park.
The final permit discussed dealt with what would have been Kush Gardens medical marijuana dispensary, which was going to go into the old Blockbuster Video store. Shockley made a motion to approve the measure, but no other council member made a second. Thus, the measure "died" without any action taken.
In other action, the City Council approved a confirmation/ratification of a remove conditions agreement with Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center, in which the city of Poteau will pay $10,525 of the total amount the project was to have the former Bob Thompson property near EOMC cleared. That property was purchased by EOMC, and the LeFlore County Hospital Authority approved to have the property condemned — which took place Oct. 10. The remove conditions agreement was drawn up by City of Poteau attorney/legal counsel Marc Bovos.
While only under discussion, Bennett made a recommendation that the January meeting have on its agenda that the City Council discuss about leasing some land east of the LeFlore County Youth Services building that is owned by Darrel Humphreys. LCYS Executive Director Terri Krebs told the City Council that the current facility near the intersection of North Broadway Avenue and Grace Street, that was built in 2012 for LCYS, is outgrowing itself, and that a bigger facility is needed. Krebs said such a structure likely will cost between $400,000 and $500,000 to be built.
White awarded 25-year Oklahoma Municipal League Honor Roll of Service certificates to Bovos and City of Poteau Public Works Director Kevin Adams.
The City Council approved the recommendation of the City of Poteau Police Committee and Poteau Police Chief Stephen Fruen that the Poteau P.D. hire Brandon Waggoner as well as approved both City of Poteau Personnel Committee recommendations of awarding full-time benefits to City of Poteau Street Department staff member Josh Kinsey and to Poteau Area Recreational Complex (PARC) Department staff member Gary Francis.
The City Council approved the 2022 meeting dates as well as the 2022 holiday schedule. It also approved the payment of purchase orders as signed and approved by the City of Poteau Finance Committee, the acceptance of department reports and budget transfers for November.
The first meeting of Monday night's tripleheader of meetings was the Poteau Industrial Board.
Poteau Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Karen Wages told the board that there were about 100 entries in Saturday night's Poteau Christmas Parade, which took about 80 minutes to complete. She said people told her that the parade was one of the best ever, and she said it was definitely one of the biggest.
Wages said that 2021 was a very good year, and that she was surprised at how all the things got done that took place. She said the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center is pretty much booked until the end of May with a few exceptions.
Wages told the board that the OK Freewheel Bicyclists Group from Mena, Ark., is planning to have an event in Poteau/LeFlore County in which at the current time 350 individuals will be participating. She also talked about the Chamber launching a new app in November, how new businesses keep coming to Poteau and how outside Poteau businesses are joining the Chamber membership.
Like the Poteau City Council, the Poteau Industrial Board approved the 2022 meeting dates as well as the 2022 holiday schedule. The board also approved the payment of purchase orders as signed and approved by the City of Poteau Finance Committee, the acceptance of department reports and budget transfers for November.
The second meeting of Monday night was the Poteau Public Works Authority, in which the board approved the 2022 meeting dates as well as the 2022 holiday schedule. The board also approved the payment of purchase orders as signed and approved by the City of Poteau Finance Committee, the acceptance of department reports and budget transfers for November.
