City commissioners take first look at revising junk vehicle ordinance

Junk vehicles — cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats that are inoperable or have not moved because they “are being repaired” — are a blight on city neighborhoods Sallisaw City Commissioners want to prevent.

That’s why the city is in the early stages of addressing the potential problem.

City commissioners reviewed a proposed ordinance at their regular meeting Monday, a first look at legislation that once enacted, would regulate how long a before a vehicle must be removed, consequences for violating the ordinance and disposition of an impounded vehicle if unclaimed.

City Manager Keith Skelton explained proposed changes to ordinances dealing with junk motor vehicles, and invited input from city commissioners before the legislation is finalized and presented to city commissioners in November for formal adoption.

Key aspects of the revised ordinance include:

• Once notice is given regarding a junk motor vehicle, the person shall have three weeks to remove the vehicle, or store the vehicle as prescribed in the ordinance. The three-week timeframe may be extended due to a noticeable hardship.

• If the junk motor vehicle is not removed, code enforcement shall notify the police department to remove the vehicle per the impoundment procedures of the police department.

• An owner may retake possession by obtaining a release from the police department and upon paying all towing and storage fees due to the wrecker service.

• If the vehicle is unclaimed, the wrecker service may dispose of the vehicle in accordance with state law.

Election slated

During Monday’s meeting, city commissioners also approved a resolution notifying the secretary of the Sequoyah County Election Board to conduct a municipal primary election on Feb. 13, 2024. A runoff election would occur on April 2, if needed.

Offices to be filled are commissioners for Ward 2, currently held by Josh Bailey, and Ward 4, a seat currently held by Kristin Peerson. Each elected seat is for a threeyear term.

Filing period for commissioner positions begins at 8 a.m. Dec. 4, and ends at 5 p.m. Dec. 6.

Court update

City staff provided city commissioners with an update about changes required of municipal court operations effective Nov. 1.

Senate Bill 462 — Municipal Judge Certification: Requires all municipal judges to complete a certification with the Municipal Judges Association which meets certain standards. Appointed judges will have one year to complete such certification.

House Bill 2165 — Juvenile Tobacco Possession Reform: Requires an individual who is under 21 who purchases, receives or possesses a tobacco, nicotine or vapor product or attempts to purchase any of these products using false proof of age to complete an education or tobacco use cessation program approved by the court.

House Bill 2259 — Court Cost Compliance:

• Failure to appear warrants will be handled the same.

• Failure to pay warrants will become ‘Cite and Release” warrants.

• Once a defendant is arrested, if the person is able to come up with $100, the court must set up a pay plan.

• After the “Cite and Release” warrant has been issued, and the person has come to court, if they fail to pay again, a failure to comply warrant can be issued.

• A defendant becomes delinquent when the amount due has not been paid by the due date, or when installments are not received for the most recent 90-day period.

• The court clerk must review cases for delinquency at least once every six months, and must notify court within 10 days and set a delinquency hearing within 45 days. Any summons issued shall not incur additional costs. Failure to pay warrants becomes ‘Cite and Release.”

• A ‘Cite and Release’ warrant begins with a 10-day window where the defendant cannot be arrested on that particular warrant.

• All municipal warrants for failure to appear or failure to pay issued prior to Nov. 1, which remain unserved, shall be treated as “Cite and Release” warrants.

• A defendant receiving a ‘Cite and Release’ must report to the court clerk within 10 days.

Administrative reports

Building Development Director Keith Miller reported to city commissioners that the process to purchase the old Cookson Hills building next to the city’s electric facility has begun.

Miller also said city staff continues to review the municipal aquatics center project, preparing for the next round of bids. Part of this review included a conversation with Sallisaw Public Schools about the possibility of joint use of restrooms and concessions. The joint use would include the football field.

City Manager Keith Skelton reported to the commissioners in their printed meeting packets that he sent an email concerning a pig situation with which the city recently dealt. He said after the incident, he asked the city attorney to review the city’s animal ordinances for possible changes. Skelton said he has also followed up with animal control on how to prevent similar circumstances in the future.

In order to better allow animal control coverage outside normal business hours, Skelton said the city will now have a designated employee on call after normal hours and on weekends. The city manager said he is working with Miller to evaluate the need for a third animal officer, which includes possibly looking at temporary worker placement through Cherokee Nation.

The city manager also reported that:

• City staff continues to set up and enter data on new software packages the city just launched. The city recently licensed fixed assets, work orders and business license through MyGov Systems, the same system it currently uses for code enforcement. The first item in this task is the inventory of electric transformers, both active and in the field, and those in inventory. Other tasks include identifying all businesses in town for entry into the business license system, as well as the use of these systems to assist in upcoming lead water service line inventory, which is required by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Skelton assured commissioners that the city knows of no lead water service lines in the community, but must still complete the inventory items.

• Valve and pump repairs at the water treatment plant have been completed. These issues caused some minor operational issues over the last few weeks, but all is now back to normal.

• Repairs to the sludge valve at the wastewater treatment plant are still ongoing. During this repair, the city took the opportunity to repair concrete and piping in the sludge building where sludge is dumped into a roll off for disposal.

Sallisaw Municipal Authority

The Sallisaw Municipal Authority board approved receipt of bids for the ODOT North Highway 59 electric and fiber optic utility relocation. Four bids were received and opened on Sept. 28 from:

• Kiowa Line Builders Inc. — $649,534.01

• Primoris T&D Services LLC — $850,276.89

• Capital Electric Line Builders Inc. — $1,121,444.08

• Hutton Contracting LLC — $3,220,846.75 Bids were turned over to the engineer for review and recommendation.

The board approval awarding the project to Kiowa Line Builders.

A special SMA meeting with Grand River Dam Authority representatives is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 30.

The next regular meeting for the city commissioners and the Sallisaw Municipal Authority is 5 p.m. Nov. 9 in the City Council Chambers, 113 N. Elm Street. This meeting replaces the Nov. 13 regular meeting to allow city staff to attend the American Public Power Association Customer Connections Conference in San Antonio.