At the last city commission meeting, the commission declared the school a nuisance and condemned the building, Baker said. The school was put back on the agenda to expedite the clean-up and to coordinate it with the Old Sallisaw High School Association.
Baker said since the Sallisaw school year is starting soon, the city needs to speed up the process.
He said the association still owns the land, and after the city does the clean up, a lien will be put on the property for clean-up costs since the association doesn't have the funds to do it.
"We would do this with any other property," Baker said.
Baker said the commission also opened bids for the airport runway taxi lighting project, which has been on the city's capital improvements project.
He said the staff will review the bids and will recommend an award to the city commissioners on Aug. 9. Baker said the majority of the funding for the project is being provided by federal funds, and very little local money is being spent on the project, which is expected to cost around $200,000.
The commission also approved a lease renewal between the city and the Sallisaw Improvement Corporation (SIC). Baker said the city currently leases the old Coors building located on the northeast corner of Wheeler and Cherokee Avenues to the SIC. The old lease expired June 30, and the city renewed the lease for another year.
The SIC pays the city a $1 a year to lease the building and uses it as a business incubator to get businesses to locate in the area. The Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce is also planning on making the move to the building next month through an arrangement with SIC. The chamber will occupy offices in the front portion of the building and will also have a welcome center.
