Ponca City Commissioner meeting minutes Sept. 28

PONCA CITY — The Ponca City Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Sept. 28. Mayor Kelsey Wagner called the meeting to order, which was followed by the pledge of allegiance. Commissioners Stephanie Austin, Robert Bodick and Garrett Bowers attended. Commissioner Annette Newcomb was absent.

CEREMONIES AND PROCLAMATIONS

Under Ceremonies and Proclamations, three proclamations were presented:

•    Public Power Week, Oct. 4-10, recognizes Ponca City Energy for its contributions to the community to educate consumer-owners, policy makers and employees on the benefits of public power and urges the citizens of Ponca City to join hands with more than 2,000 other public power systems in the United States in this celebration of public power, which is best for consumers, business, the community and the nation.

•    Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10, 2026 Week encourages citizens to understand that safe charging means making smart choices every time they plug in.

•    Manufacturing Month, October and Manufacturing Day, Oct. 2 encourages all citizens to recognize the men and women who work in manufacturing, thank the companies that have chosen to build and grow in Ponca City, and encourages young people to explore the careers waiting for them in manufacturing.

CONSENT AGENDA

Under the Consent Agenda, the City Commission approved the minutes of the Ponca City Board of Commissioners regular session held Sept. 14; a resolution appropriating money for the payment of claims against the City of Ponca City; a resolution appointing members to various boards and commissions and establishing the terms of office;  a resolution amending the operating budget of various funds for Fiscal Year 2026-27; and the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group’s Municipal Liability Protection Plan for the policy period of Nov. 1 through Nov. 1, 2027 in the amount of $526,133.

REPORTS

Under Reports, City Manager Craig Stephenson reported on several items:

Ponca City’s five splash pads will be open thru Sept. 30 and then close for the season.

The Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma will host their annual Lineworkers Rodeo in Ponca City. Contestants from multiple municipalities throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas will participate. September 30, 2026 will consist of safety training classes and a vendor’s expo for contestants. Oct. 1 will consist of rodeo events that Lineworkers may find themselves doing on a daily basis and will be judged on safety and efficiency.

Oktobefest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be live music, crafts and vendors, a beer garden, delicious food, sports on the big screen, and kids’ activities. Admission will be $5 and free for children age eight and under. A free shuttle service will be available at Ponca Plaza.

Kayak Sunset Tours will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6 and Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Kayak Barn at Lake Ponca. The cost is $30 per tour and free to seniors age 50 and over. Registration is available online for ages 13 and older.

Ponca City Energy will celebrate Customer Appreciation Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7 in the lobby of City Hall from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Ponca City Energy customers are invited to come by City Hall to celebrate and pick up some great giveaways and information, as well as register for prizes. This event is held annually each year in conjunction with Public Power Week.

Marland’s Grand Home will host a Fall Afternoon Tea on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 4 p.m. Reservations required due to limited seating and the fee is $35.

Marland’s Grand Home will present From Patrol Car to Desk Jockey, Stories from U.S. Marshall Clayton Johnson, on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. Reservations required due to limited seating and admittance is complimentary.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day will be held Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Philips 66 north parking lot, located at South Ave. and Oak Street. Items accepted include: used oils and filters, antifreeze, car batteries, paint, solvents, pool chemicals, household cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, wood preservatives, drain cleaners, televisions, computers, rechargeable batteries, ammunition and medications. Items not accepted include:  medical waste, radioactive materials, compressed gas cylinders, commercial waste, tires, kitchen appliances, containers over 5 gallons, explosives, hypodermic needles and dynamite. No Commercial disposal allowed.

PONCA CITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REVIEW

Lori Henderson, PCDA Executive Director reported on several items under the PCDA Review. Henderson reported that support of PCDA initiatives has brought jobs, businesses, investments, infrastructure and quality of life improvements like retail, dining, cinema, live entertainment and more to Ponca City. She went on to present a snapshot of how taxpayer investments have paid off in Ponca City during 2025 and 2026.

Workforce Development: 

•    24 new residents with $1.1 million in salaries from the Talent Attraction Program

•    320 new interns at 150 local businesses

•    153 workers placed through digital recruiting at local companies

•    1,453 student workforce attendees

Business Development:

•    $40,000,000 in new private investments in buildings and equipment

•    58 new jobs created

•    $580,000 In Oklahoma Innovation and Expansion Program public funding leverages

•    $274,00 new shared equipment, programs, and incentives

Housing Development:

•    $665,000 in funding authorized or given for housing incentives

•    $12,000,000 in private construction investment

•    59 new single family and duplex homes

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Under Public Hearings, the City Commission conducted a public hearing and approved an application and interlocal agreement by the Ponca City Police Department for grant funds from the Fiscal Year 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial JAG (Justice Assistance Grant) in the amount of $13,566.00. The Ponca City Police Department will receive $10,174.50 for the purchase fifteen Level IIIA Spec Ops ACH High Cut Ballistic Helmets. The total purchase price is $11,176.20, with the Ponca City Police Department providing $1,001.70 in local matching funds. The Kay County Sheriff’s Office will receive $3,391.50 for the purchase of four Kenwood in-car radios and associated equipment. The equipment will support reliable in-vehicle communications, coordinated response and officer safety. The total purchase price is $3,996, with Kay County Sheriff’s Office providing $604.50 in local matching funds. This funding will enhance officer safety, improve operational readiness and support interagency collaboration within Kay County.

NEW BUSINESS

Under New Business, the City Commission approved Change Order No. 1 to Wyatt Contracting, Inc. for the Lake Road bridge replacement, east of Dalewood Lane, in the add amount of $21,745.65 and the final payment amount of $24,512.35. The existing single span structure was replaced by a cast-in-place double barrel box culvert set at a 30˚ skew to the roadway. The project included the installation of new guard rail on all quadrants of the bridge and a waterline relocation on the north side of Lake Road. The project started on Feb. 23 and was opened to two lanes of traffic on May 8. The final striping of the roadway was completed the week after Memorial Day, at which time the roadway was fully opened to all four lanes of traffic. Some punch list items remained after May, due to fabrication and delivery issues regarding some of the guard rail materials. All of the punch list items were completed by early August 2026 after fabrication and delivery issues were resolved.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

An Executive Session was held for the following purposes:

•    conferring on matters pertaining to economic development upon finding that the matter to be discussed would interfere with the development of products or services or public disclosure would violate the confidentiality of the business; and

•    discussing negotiations with the International Association of Fire Fighters.

No action was taken.

PCUA (PONCA CITY UTILITY AUTHORITY)

Under the PCUA Consent Agenda, the PCUA Trustees approved the minutes of the PCUA regular session held September 14, 2026; a resolution appropriating money for the payment of claims against the PCUA; and Change Order No. 1 to Wyatt Contracting, Inc. for the Lake Road Bridge Replacement east of Dalewood Lane in the add amount of $21,745.65 and the final payment of $24,512.35.

PCUA NEW BUSINESS

Tree Trimming

Under PCUA New Business, the PCUA Trustees approved a contract with the Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for tree and brush trimming of Areas 1, 3 and 18 in the Amount Of $568,374.38; a contract with Davey Tree Surgery Co. for tree and brush trimming of Area 20 in the amount of $309,760; and a contract with Asplundh Tree Expert Co. for hourly tree and brush trimming.

Tree trimming reduces electrical hazards and improves system reliability. Ponca City Energy’s distribution system is divided into 22 geographical tree trimming areas, in order to trim the entire system every four years. For Fiscal Year 2026-2027, six areas were selected for trimming bids; bids were opened September 3, 2026 and two contractors responded with proposals. After examining the bids, staff recommended awarding contracts for four trimming areas and the hourly tree and brush trimming.

The contract for area trimming requires results before payment instead of paying the contractor hourly. The contractor is paid an additional amount for removing trees, but must seek permission to totally remove problem trees instead of simply trimming them. A single hourly crew is maintained, year-round to perform work orders, assist line crews when necessary, and clearance trimming in selected areas to help complete the four-year cycle.

Construction Of Landfill Cell 4/5

A leachate collection system is a critical component of modern landfill design, installed above the landfill’s primary liner system to manage the liquid formed when rainwater or groundwater percolates through waste, dissolving chemicals, heavy metals and organic compounds from decomposing materials. Its primary purpose is to collect, convey and remove this potentially hazardous liquid to storage or treatment facilities, thereby protecting the surrounding environment from contamination. Ponca City’s Leachate Collection System is made of mostly a network of perforated pipe, surrounding gravel pack and sand that removes the liquids/water from the cells to the controlled collection pond.

Ponca City’s Landfill currently has cells 1, 2 and 3 in use, which are nearing the end of their useful lives. To address this, the construction of a 1.6-acre cell (cell 4/5) will provide an estimated five years of capacity. Completion of this smaller cell provides capacity in the event of a natural disaster or other unforeseen event, and provides time for developing plans, obtaining permits and securing funding for the next, much larger cell. Cell construction in this area falls under the existing Landfill permit.

The PCUA Trustees approved a construction contract with TriCore Group, LLC, of Oklahoma City, in the amount of $349,779.19. The work will include, but is not limited to subgrade, compacted clay liner, geotextile membrane (provided and installed separately), 2’ thick leachate collection layer and a future cell tie-in berm. The PCUA Trustees also approved a construction contract with Arkansas Liner, Inc, of Sheridan, Arkansas, in the amount of $71,319.49. The work will provide the installation of the composite liner system.