Alva Review-Courier -

Beginning Monday, Nov. 26, residents will find the Alva City Office across the street in the Professional Building. So if you have a utility bill to pay or other business with the city, look for the office in Suite I.

The temporary relocation was required due to replacement of the heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system in City Hall. Fair Plumbing started the HVAC replacement work in the police department end of the building, and the first phase of the project has been completed.

Work Order System

The City of Alva is testing a new work order system, says Alva Business Manager Joe Don Dunham. He told the city council during the Nov. 19 meeting the web-based system will allow anyone to report an issue. As an example, he listed tall weeds, dilapidated buildings, water leaks or missed trash pickups.

The problem would be immediately routed to the person responsible for addressing the situation. Dunham said this will be a great tool for documenting problems and allow direct communication between the reporting party and the city staff member responsible.

Swimming Pool

Mayor Kelly Parker said he recently spoke to the Rotary Club about the city. The main topic of discussion was what is going to happen with the municipal swimming pool. Parker said, “We’ll take all the feedback we can get. It’s going to be a big endeavor.”

Dunham said staff would like to start holding meetings to discuss the challenges the city faces with the swimming pool. At the minimum, the pool will need some work to stop leaks and repair the gutter in some spots as well as having the chlorination system reworked so it is on an automatic feed system.

Preliminary estimates for these repairs from Larkin Aquatics are $50,000 to $100,000 for the pool basin cracking repair and $250,000 to $500,000 for the recirculation system.

Economic Development

The council’s three-member economic development committee has been discussing the idea of developing an economic incentive grant. The grant would provide an incentive for business owners in Alva’s commercially zoned district to make improvements to their buildings.

Nuisance Report

Dunham reported on properties that have been declared nuisances. He listed four addresses: 722 Choctaw, 928 Barnes, 414 Seiling and 1437 Young. Only one of those, the Seiling Street address, had any signs of work being done. At that address, the yard had been mowed and cleared of weeds and trash; however, the house still needs repair with the plumbing and electrical brought up to code.

Finances

Sales tax and use tax, which provide the largest source of income for the city, declined $59,714 in October from the same month a year ago. Alva received $340,530. That amount is $13,532 less than received in September 2018.

Dunham said when analyzed, the sales tax shows the sectors experiencing the largest variance from last year are construction, wholesale trade and real estate rental/leasing.

In utility billing, the aging report shows 93.31 percent of money owed is less than a month old. Only 5.77 percent of billing is four months or older.

As of October revenues collected of $5,455,668 are 32 percent of what was budgeted. The city has spent $5,577,844 or 27 percent of the budget. Over the first four months, the city has expended $122,176 more than what was brought in.