The Sallisaw plastic foam manufacturing site is one of several Cellofoam plants across the United States, and the Sallisaw manufacturing plant needs to expand, Cellofoam managers told the city.
As a first expansion step, Cellofoam managers rented the old Super H Grocery store at the intersection of Choctaw and Cherokee Avenues in Sallisaw.
The city hopes to build a new manufacturing plant for Cellofoam in the industrial park, with the assistance of federal funding.
The two bids for the new building were for $1,492,797 and $1,744,000. Acting as the Sallisaw Economic Authority, the commissioners approved accepting the bids and turning them over to the staff for review.
The commissioners, at the request of City Manager Bill Baker, extended the time period to award the bid to 60 days so that arrangements can be made for the federal funding.
Cellofoam manufactures expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation products and EPS products such as Permafloat dock flotation drums.
The commissioners approved a proposal to close the Adams Street crossing over the Union Pacific Railroad in exchange for other crossing improvements.
Baker explained that the Federal-aid Railroad Safety Project for improvements offered the city two options. The first option would be improvements at the Hickory Street crossing, at a total cost of $200,000 with the city paying 10 percent, or $20,000. The second option would be improvements at the Hickory Street, J.T. Stites Street and Shiloh Road crossings and closing the Adams Street crossing. The total cost of the project would be $615,000 with the city's share at 10 percent, for $61,500.
Baker said closing the Adams Street crossing "appears to have the least inconvenience for everyone."
Under option two, pedestal signals with gate arms will be installed on Hickory Street, J.T. Stites Boulevard and Shiloh Street.
The commissioners also:
*Opened bids for an excavator and dump truck for the landfill, and turned all bids over to the staff for review.
*Approved the co-sponsorship, with the Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce, of the City of Character program which teaches "positive and constructive character qualities...." The program will cost the city $250 for the initial training and $250 a month for materials and continued training.
*Approved the purchase of seven Ford vehicles for various city departments. The vehicle models range from two 2006 Ford F150 pickup truck at $15,495 to a 2006 Ford 500 car for $19,209.
*Approved the purchase of nine Ford vehicles for the Sallisaw Police Department (Commissioner Ron Lockhart asked that it be noted he did not approve of the purchase of the two Ford Expeditions because of their size and gas use). The vehicles range from a 2006 Ford F150 XLT pickup truck at a cost of $23,297.95 to the 2006 Ford Expeditions at a cost of 28,110.40 each. Police Chief Shaloa Edwards confirmed that the Expeditions can and will be used to transport search and rescue teams.
*Approved the purchase of a lowboy trailer for the street department.
*Approved $25,000 in matching funding for the Kibois Area Transit System (KATS) which provides public transport in and around the city.
*Approved a rezoning request by the Cherokee Nation to expand the Redbird Smith Health Clinic on South J.T. Stites Street.
*Approved rezoning requests from Wesley and Bobbie Green for Green Avenue Place, an addition to the city in the 300 block of North Shiloh Road.
Baker also presented the new city seal to the commissioners, and noted that it was a stylized design with an S imposed over a black diamond. The top and bottom ends of the diamonds are designed as stylized horse heads.
