Whatanticipation for Whataburger

Amid a particularly lengthy Sallisaw Board of City Commissioners agenda Monday, which included its share of “housekeeping” functions such as approving purchase orders, city ordinances and construction contracts, there was one item that was of particular interest: When will the new Whataburger restaurant open?

Keith Miller, the city’s business development director, and George Bormann, director for economic development, both addressed the question, even if their answers were vague.

Both reported that final inspections for the restaurant were completed Monday, which means it’s only a matter of time.

But when there’s been plenty of anticipation for the restaurant on Kerr Boulevard, even the smallest morsel is welcomed.

“It’s fixing to open up,” Bormann told the commissioners, trying to be as precise as possible.

“They have started training their personnel,” Miller added. “They haven’t set an official opening date, but expect that pretty soon.”

A visit to the property in 600 block of South Kerr Boulevard confirms Miller’s revelation. An A-frame sign on the lawn of the restaurant announces: “Training in progress. We’ll be open soon.”

So it’s just a matter of time.

Given the commotion that has occurred with Whataburger openings in other cities — street lanes dedicated just for restaurant patrons, police directing traffic and long lines of cars filled with customers eager to patronize the restaurant — it probably won’t be difficult to figure out when Whataburger opens its doors to the public.

Similarly, Bormann told the commissioners that foot traffic for another long-anticipated business has been brisk as of late.

Placer AI mobility data analytics, which tracks cellphones that everyone carries, showed that for the first 30 days since its March 6 opening, more than 100,000 customers have visited QuikTrip, at I-40 and U.S. 59, Bormann said.

A good neighbor

In other business before the city commissioners Monday, Millison Casting Technology is proving itself to be a good neighbor to Sallisaw. In addition to its massive expansion project that will continue to mean new jobs, the manufacturer formerly know as SLPT Global Pump Group is also looking out for its fourlegged neighbors.

The commissioners accepted the donation of a 40-foot x 100-foot steel building from Millison to be utilized to expand the capacity of the Sallisaw Animal Care Facility.

Millison offered to donate the steel storage structure that is just south of its current production facility. The structure is not congruous with the company’s plans for expansion, and City Manager Brian Heverly told the commissioners the framework is in very good condition.

“Millison has offered to donate the 40×100 building. It’s a steel building, the frame is in outstanding condition, and that’s really what we want is that frame. The sheeting, we won’t reuse that,” Heverly said.

“It will be $16,000,” Heverly explained, noting that the city has sufficient funds to tear down the building and store it “until we have enough money to re-erect it on a new pad right next to the animal welfare center.”

The donated building will more than double the facility’s capacity.

“This is absolutely a donation,” Heverly said. “It’s costing us $16,000 to tear it down and move it.”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Ward 1 Commissioner Kenny Moody said. “Thank you to Millison.”

The contractor will be available to begin dismantling the building about May 1. Pouring the pad, reconstruction and “finishing” will be presented as an item for the 2025-26 budget year.

Bormann then reported to the commissioners that Millison’s expansion project is “moving forward at lightning speed.”

“They are currently clearing the land adjacent to them for further expansion. Current facilities are 246,000 square feet, with expanded facility somewhere around 400,000 square feet.”

But Millison isn’t waiting around for the expansion to be complete.

“They’ll be starting some sort of manufacturing this month or beginning of next month,” Bormann said. “I tell people they’re building the plane as they’re flying it, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

Take the money

The city commissioners approved a settlement offer of $6,000 from ESIS/ Managed Claims Services, on behalf of XL Ins America, Inc. (Altice), for damages to city property on Aug. 22, 2024, when a delivery truck caught lowhanging Suddenlink telecommunication lines. The incident caused damage to two electrical poles.

ESIS, which is handling the claim for Altice, maintains that the company didn’t receive notice of the incident when it occurred, and that there was no clear identity as to the owner of the low-hanging lines. The city has no proof that Altice was notified.

The $6,000 settlement offer from ESIS is intended to “amicably resolve the property damage claim.”

The claim was originally filed with the trucking company’s insurance carrier, which denied the claim advising “given it was an unrestricted roadway where our insured had a right to travel, no communication line should’ve been lower than 15.5 feet based on NESC guidelines and the insured vehicle was within the legal DOT range for freight vehicles of 13.5 feet or below.”

The city’s cost to repair the damages was $12,600.91 (materials $3,141.84, labor $3,034.07 and equipment $6,425), which was the city’s request for reimbursement from Altice.

“Our recommendation is we take the $6,000 and get on with our lives,” Heverly counseled the commissioners. “We would easily spend $6,000 trying to go after the other $6,000 … easily.”

Still waiting

The commissioners approved extending the stay of condemnation of property known as Ed’s Truck Stop and the old Sallisaw golf course in order to allow sale of the properties to go through and allow the new owners to take appropriate action.

Real estate agent Jerel Driscoll requested the stay for the condemnation of dilapidated structures that was discussed at the February 10 commissioners’ meeting. Both properties are under contract to be sold, and extending the stay will allow the purchase to proceed and give the new owners an opportunity to develop or present a plan to remediate the conditions.

Driscoll said sale of the golf course land and houses was expected to close this week. He had hoped the truck stop sale would close about the same time. More importantly, the buildings at both sites have been secured, Driscoll said.

Heverly explained that these properties have been discussed for the past several months, with stays for condemnation extended to allow for the sale of the properties. He said this is just another extension “to allow these sales to go through without a wrinkle.”

The extension is until the May 12 meeting of the commissioners.

Building boom

Commissioners approved a rezoning request by Sallisaw Apartment Partners LLC to change from One-Family Residence District (R-1) to Multi-Family Residence District (R-3) the property in the 1800 through 2000 blocks of West Drake Road. The property is located about 3/10 mile west of South Kerr Boulevard on the north side of Drake Road.

Tyler Choate, agent for Sallisaw Apartment Partners, said the intent is to build multi-family apartments, which would be part of a larger project that will see additional homes built in the current Prairie Sky development. The Planning Commission heard this item on April 1, and recommended approval.

“Their intent is to put an apartment complex [in the area being rezoned],” explained Chris Carter, code inspector for the business development department. “These are going to be Class A apartments.”

A meeting was held among Heverly, Keith Miller and Carter with neighbors who had concerns about the development.

“I think the meeting went well, and I think we resolved a lot of the problems that were concerns that people had,” Heverly said.

“The Planning Commission did approve this,” Carter noted. “They felt that this was going to be an addition to the city and be an improvement for the city.”

The subdivision will also include up to 30 single-family homes, with construction beginning in May.

“It’ll increase the property values for those homeowners and help the city out with some more housing,” Carter said of the Planning Commission’s expectations.

Street sense

Commissioners approved items related to street improvements designated as the 2025 Milling and Overlay Project.

Request for bids were advertised for the street improvements, and seven bids were received. On March 20, those bids were opened and read aloud. McKenzie Asphalt was the low bidder at $487,657.56, and city staff recommended awarding the contract to McKenzie, which plans start the project before June 1.

Other bids received were:

• Moore Contracting, $711,754

• Schiralli Construction, $659,046.64

• APAC- Central, $560,981.47

• EMC Services, $629,329.68

• Robinson Construction, $799,3662.62

• Parking Lot Maintenance, $665,333.90 The commissioners then authorized the city manager to approve any change orders related to the project up to, but not exceeding, $40,000 — “and that’s cumulative across the project,” Heverly specified — for the project. Approved change orders will be presented to the board for acknowledgment. Heverly’s authorization ends at the completion of the project.

Other business

In other business, the commissioners approved:

• Casting an official ballot for Lindsey Grigg-Moak, city clerk for El Reno, and Julie Casteen, city manger for Coweta, for two positions on the board of trustees for the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG), each for three-year terms commencing on July 1. The approval was part of the consent agenda.

• A proposal by Jacob Robinette, who is working on his Eagle Scout project that benefits the community, who proposed creating and placing a sign to identify and “draw some extra attention” to the Sallisaw rodeo grounds.

• Appointment of Ward 1 Commissioner Kenny Moody to the Eastern Oklahoma Development District (EODD) Board of Directors for a threeyear term expiring June 30, 2028. Ward 3 Commissioner Julian Mendiola had previously served as the city’s EODD representative, and Ward 2 Commissioner Josh Bailey was the alternate representative. Bailey has agreed to continue as an alternate.

• Striking action on Sallisaw Code of Ordinances 2025-05, which would have amended Chapter 66, Article III, Sections 66-71, repealed Sections 66-71 and adopted and enacted a new Sections 66-71. This item would have allowed skeet and trapshooting practice on property near the high school. But action was tabled during the March meeting because the commissioners had more questions than there were answers. The commissioners also wanted the school board to approve the proposed plan before the city considered approving it. Since then, Sallisaw Superintendent Steve Barrett said the matter would not be brought to the school board and the school would not support it.

• Repealing Article III, Chapter 22, Sections 22-72 of the Sallisaw Code of Ordinances for permits related to coinoperated amusement devices. Over the years, those obtaining a permit for coin-operated devices have dwindled, with only two permits issued in the current year, which generate about $360 in revenue. “There are two devices in the entire city that fall into this category,” Heverly said. “Honestly, it’s a waste of time and effort for the amount of money it generates.”

• A change order in the amount of $17,450 to Patriot Utilities for the water system improvements for the Drake/Lenington Water Loop Project. To standardize service line size, it was requested that the service lines to the meters be increased from 3/4′ to 1′ lines. In order for this to happen, the contractor had to install a 2′ encasement pipe to carry the 1′ service line under the road, which required a road bore. “We changed the size of the service line, which would change the size of the encasement that needs to go underneath that road. That’s what they need to rebore,” Heverly said.

• A purchase order issued to Techline, Inc. of Cleveland, Okla., in the amount of $20,150 for wire for the electric system. Three quotes were received, with Techline as the lowest bidder. Other quotes were Irby for $22,000 and Anixter for $21,950.

• A purchase order issued to Traffic and Lighting Group, Inc. of Oklahoma City in the amount of $35,000 in order to upgrade to video the traffic light at McGee Street and Cherokee Avenue. “ This actually updates the traffic-sensing sensors to a video system. These are not stoplight cameras. It just changes the sensors to a video sensor, and should make the intersection a little more palatable to motor vehicle drivers. Right now, I believe it’s proximity or radar controlled,” Heverly said.

• A purchase order issued to River City Hydraulics, Sherwood, Ark., in the amount of $90,289.50 for a new ECO Ram Sewer Jetter on trailer for the water/sewer department, which will replace the city’s existing ram jet sewer machine. The current machine is 15 years old, and will be transferred to the street department. The new unit is a new build, and will be available in June. “ This is an upgraded sewer system cleaner. We’ve used the bejesus out of our jet machine. This is an upgraded one, and was approved as part of this 2025 budget. We’ve got the funds and the revenue in to make this purchase,” Heverly said.

• Investing the Sallisaw reserve certificate of deposit with National Bank for 182 Days at 4.59% interest. Quotes were requested for temporary idle funds. Other quotes received were Firstar, 4.11%; Armstrong, 4.27%; and Local, 4.57%.

Administrative reports

Bormann provided a report on economic development and grants:

• There are remaining funds from the Oklahoma Water Resource Board grant. OWRB has not determined if those funds — about $200,000 — can be used for other projects, such as the Country Club lift station.

• Most of the equipment and fencing have been installed for the dog park. A ribbon cutting is planned for May.

• The city found out Monday that it has been awarded a grant, through the Gates Foundation, from the International City/County Management Association. The funds will be used for a regional workforce development summit.

Finance director Robin Haggard provided a financial report:

• As of March 31, sales tax receipts were $642,000, which was an $80,000 increase over March 2024. The use tax was $76,000, which was an increase of $18,000 year over year.

• As of March 31, the city is threefourths through its budget year, so goals should be at 75%. General fund revenue and expenses were 73%. For SMA revenues, taxes were at 83%, telecomm 74%, sanitation and landfill 71%, electric 73%, water and sewer 98%. Total SMA revenue is 79%, and expenses are 59%.

Heverly provided the city manager’s report:

• Soccer fields are competing for an OWRB development grant, which will delay the bid process. However, the decision point timing is mid-August to proceed without grant funding and reduce the base bid scope, with a goal of the Sallisaw Youth League using the fields next spring.

• Animal Control Ordinance changes are coming. Reworked the draft to come to an “and” solution versus and “or” solution. It will be presented to the working group after the May Planning Commission meeting. Following any changes necessary, it will be out for public comment/survey in mid-May, then to the Planning Commission in June and to the commissioners in July.

• McGee softball and baseball fields. The Parks Department has made strides in drainage and is attempting to control run-off. The city is getting into steady-state operations, working the dirt and maintaining the grass with mowing and application of weed and bug killer.

• Landfill cell is clearing the last hurdle to being certified to open. Leachate water testing has been sent off, awaiting final blessing from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) and we will be able to use that cell.

• Looking forward to the budget retreat, and excited to get a draft budget to the commissioners by May 1.

• I want to say publicly a big, huge thanks to not only our employees, but also the volunteers who came out for “Spruce Up Sallisaw.” The cleanup campaign was a success by several different metrics. We provided Curbie service to 20 households and assessed that we can expand the number of available slots next time. We moved more roll-offs than we ever have during Chunk-Your-Junk. We exposed sidewalks in an admittedly wide range of conditions that we will get after repairing this next year. We cleared out a lot of the Rock Branch drainage system that most likely reduced the flooding that we did experience during the last storm. It looks tremendous. At Brushy Lake, we were able to clear out some dead trees, clean up the walking trails and re-mulch the playground. And we cleaned up over 3½ miles of roadway during our Keep Oklahoma Beautiful event. I just want to publicly thank the employees and volunteers that came out and helped make it a huge success. It isn’t perfect, but sure is a lot better than it was. I’m very proud of everyone that participated, and the results were impressive.