Alva Review-Courier -

Mayor Kelly Parker provided an update on the Hatfield Park Aquatic Center project during his report to the city council Monday. As of that date, the community had raised $2.9 million in grants and pledges. The city has received the official notification letter announcing Alva was awarded a $500,000 grant from Land and Water Conservation, bringing the total to $3.4 million.

Parker said the project is expected to cost $5 million. The city is applying for a $500,000 grant from TSET, and they can apply for the same amount again next year.

The Alva Swimming Pool Committee and the Alva Parks and Recreation Board made some changes to the preliminary design that had been displayed on posters around town. Monday a new drawing was displayed with a 95 percent completed design.

The city is now ready to move forward to secure financing on the rest of the project and to advertise for bids. Before finishing bid specifications, Parker said that Dr. Stephanie Widick, city grant writer, contacted local contractors and trade persons about the project. It's hoped that local businesses will bid on portions of the project, resulting in lower costs. Some of those contacted said they're willing to provide materials at cost or donate labor. Bid notices should go out in a few weeks.

Once bids are opened and analyzed, the Parks and Recreation Board will meet to make their recommendations. Then the city council will have the final approval.

Parker said the city has also asked their bond attorney to work on financing the remaining $1.6 million cost of the aquatic center. If the TSET grant is approved in November, that amount can be reduced. The mayor said the half-cent sales tax voters approved to fund the Alva Recreation Complex (now Parks and Recreation) will be used to pay off the financing.

With work expected to begin within a few months, it's hoped local citizens and businesses who have been delaying will be encouraged to make donations to the project. Anyone with questions may contact the mayor, city business manager, councilmembers, pool committee members or members of parks and recreation.

In other related action Monday, the city council approved two policies that apply to the TSET grant application. Those are a workplace wellness policy and a workplace tobacco free policy.

In addition the city council approved applying for an EPA Brownfield grant for $200,000 to help mitigate the chlorine contamination of soil at the old swimming pool location.

Water Infrastructure Needs

Continuing his report Monday, Mayor Parker discussed water infrastructure needs of the city. He said the city needs $80 million to $100 million in water infrastructure projects. The city reached out to bond counsel Alan Brooks to get information on borrowing to get started on the projects.

After looking at city finances, Brooks believes the city would qualify to borrow about $5 million. He recommended working with Owasso and Broken Arrow to have only one transaction fee to save money.

Parker said projects planned for the $5 million include replacing the storage tank in the wellfield, replacing the telemetry system and replacing about 20,000 linear feet of water lines in town. The city currently has to make multiple trips from Alva to the wellfield daily to check on the water system. A remote-read telemetry system is projected to save the city about $60,000 in employee time and fuel over four years. Waterline replacements in town would move some waterlines out of the streets into the right of way. That would allow the city to repair streets without having them constantly torn up to fix waterline problems.

Business Manager Report

City Business Manager Steve Ford reported he has the list of street closures needed for the Big Cruise and Car Show Sept. 15-17. Street closings will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday and continue to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Most of the closings will be around the downtown square. The 300 block of Flynn will be closed on Sept. 16 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the dyno-machine to test cars.

Ford said a Sanitation Committee meeting was held to discuss financing the purchase of more poly-carts. He said they discussed adding to the city ordinance that all trash must be in bags. The city ordinance states trash barrels should be 35 gallons or smaller, but a lot of 55 gallon drums were given out. If trash is bagged, it can be lifted out of the large barrels, but when workers have to lift the barrels to dump them, they are getting hurt.

The city tested a couple of GPS trackers, Ford said. They plan to outfit city vehicles with them. That way when someone says a sanitation truck was speeding, they can check GPS speed records. The trackers will also help locate vehicles and provide information for vehicle maintenance.

Councilmember Joe Parsons asked about the cost of the GPS trackers, and Ford said they cost about $20 each. Ford said the city hopes to apply for a grant that would allow them to purchase the more expensive unit with a dash cam.

A crew was in town installing the new water meters, but Ford said they kept "breaking stuff." They were sent home, and the meter company will be sending a new crew out in a couple of weeks.

An item on the Monday agenda was for approval of a mural design for the north side police department building. Ford said he finally received a design, but it was so bad he wouldn't present it to the council. When Parker asked for more information, Ford said the artist's drawing poorly done. He said the Mural Society didn't want it either. Instead of having the mural painted during the Northwest Mural Fest at the end of September, Ford said they are looking at doing the mural in March.