Published: July 23, 2008 09:51 am            

Locust Grove condemns three properties

Condemnation proceedings and employee raises were just two topics of discussion at the Town of Locust Grove regular monthly

meeting Monday.

Trustees agreed to begin condemnation proceedings on three Locust Grove properties while another has been set for a hearing.

The Wanda Bates property located at 412 S. Bryan Street has been a topic of discussion at several town meetings and now the property owner has been asked to come to a hearing at 6 p.m., July 28.

Condemnation proceedings will begin on the Reva Ingram property located at 401 S. Walnut St, the Leland Wray property located at 600 S. Walnut St. and the Mary McKim property located at McNair and Broadway.

The board also agreed to several employee raises. Locust Grove Librarian Annissa Parris was moved from an hourly to a salaried position and given a $1 raise, bumping her pay to $11 per hour.

Jerry Ragsdale and Scott Phillips were each given 25 cent raises. Ragsdale now makes $11.25 and Phillips makes $11.75. Karen (Hershberger) Raith was given a $1 raise bringing her to $13 per hour. Police Chief Nathan Raith declined his pay increase. Mayor Shawn Bates said Raith asked the board not to give him a raise so he could use it for pay increases for his officers and dispatchers. The board agreed to hold off with a review in three to six months.

Joey Kelly received a 50 cent raise bringing him to $9.67 per hour and Kara Gibson was given a $1 raise bringing her to $10.50 per hour. Charles Spradlin was also given a $1 increase bringing him to $8.50 and Derek Pettus was given a 50 cent raise bumping him up to $7.50. A total of 50 cents for Gibson, Pettus and Spradlin’s raises came from the fire department.

Tabitha Smith and Mayme Miley were taken off of the town’s payroll. Smith was a dispatcher and Miley was a City Hall office employee. Both were part-time employees, but neither have worked in the last 90 days. The board also accepted the resignation of Penny Wright. She was an employee at the library.

Nick Caldwell was hired as a part-time dispatcher. He will make $7 per hour with a start date of July 1.

Nate Cooper was hired as a full time police officer along with a canine. Cooper’s start date is

July 10 and he will have a salary equaling $11 per hour.

Lou Ella Martin was hired as a part-time library employee. She will begin July 24 and cannot exceed 28 hours per week. She will start at $7 per hour.

The board also agreed to make several purchases including emergency lights for the Streets and Alley truck. The lights will be purchased from A&B Emergency Lighting and are not to exceed $850. The Street and Alley budget was also a topic of discussion. The board approved a $30,958.35 budget for Streets and Alley which covers the salary and insurance of employee Joe Kelley.

A new motor will be purchased for a police vehicle. A 2000 Crown Victoria police car, Unit #6, was in need of a new motor. The board agreed to purchase a used motor from Joe Watt Auto Sales & Salvage, Vinita, not to exceed $1,750 for the motor and installation. The used motor has 73,000 miles.

Locust Grove Animal Clinic was added to the blank purchase order list. The board approved the blanket purchase order for $250.

In other business:

• The board is looking into hiring a Town Building/Code Inspector. There was discussion on contracting with an inspector of another town. No action was taken.

• Windows in a 2000 Crown Victoria, Unit #5, will be tinted. The vehicle is used as a canine unit. The window tinting will be done by Lonnie’s Windows and Tinting in Claremore, not to exceed $140.

• An extended service warranty for the library copy machine was purchased for $220 from Digi Group.

• A lease renewal with Community Action Resource and Development was approved for the Community Center.

The Public Works Authority meeting followed with raises for PWA employees.

Pete Braden was given a 50 cent raise bringing him to $9 per hour, Kurt Johnson was given a 50 cent raise making his pay $9.64 and Leon Wilsie will make $12.53 after his 50 cent raise. Wallace Allen and Leah Hurry were not given raises because they have not been employed longer than 90 days. PWA Superintendent Tom Pirtle was given a $1 raise making his pay increase to $15 per hour. City Hall office manager Crystal Harms also received $1 per hour bringing her to $13 per hour.

The PWA board also approved hiring Monica Parker as a part time personnel for PWA office. Parker will make $7 per hour and cannot work more than 32 hours each week. Her start date was July 15.

A CL17 CO2 Analyzer and service agreement with HACH for water plant meters was approved. The board approved spending $4,600 from water and sewer improvements.

        

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