WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. -- Ward 5 Trustee Sam Byers tendered his resignation during the West Siloam Springs Town Meeting on Monday, March 20.
Byers said due his work as a Jay police officer as well as other jobs and demands on his time he is resigning as the Ward 5 trustee.
The board of trustees appointed MaKenzie Denny as the new Ward 5 trustee. Denny was sworn in by Mayor Rhonda Wise. As a trustee, Denny will also serve as a member of West Siloam Springs' municipal authority.
The board also approved a motion to delegate the task of finding all of the information and prices on contracting with CARDS Recycling and Waste Management to handle the solid waste needs of the town.
West Siloam Springs presently has a contract with Delaware County Solid Waste Trust Authority wherein they lease a tract behind town hall to operate a convenience center, according to Town/Municipal Authority Bryce Harp in a follow-up text message.
Wise said the municipal authority had brought up during the previous meeting that contracting out to another company to handle West Siloam Springs' solid waste needs may be a good idea.
"The question is, can we get better service with this through the county," Harp said. "The issue we have with the county not adhering to their contractual duties and no intention to do so, it's given us a chance to look back and say, is this the best arrangement for the town anyway?"
Another problem the town is having is people from other communities bringing their trash to the town's dumpsters in uncovered trailers which causes the trash to fall off onto the highway, Harp said.
Following more discussion, the municipal authority approved the resolution with a vote of 4-0 with Municipal Authority Member Andrew Conklin absent.
The board of trustees and municipal authority also voted and heard the following items:
Approving the meeting minutes from the board of trustees and municipal authority meetings on Feb. 21.
Hearing reports from Kris Kirk, CPA; Barnett; Harp filling in for Director of Public Works Waylon Chandler and Engineer Cason LeBlanc.
Approving purchase orders for the town from February 2023: General PO#'s 274-313 in the amount of $96,881; EMS PO# 9 in the amount of $23,117 and Tribal PO#6 in the amount of $720.
Approving a public hearing to discuss the annexation of the Haskell Poteet land.
Approving Ordinance 2023-03-01 to extend the corporate limits of West Siloam Springs to include the Haskell Poteet property.
Approving purchase orders for the municipal authority from February of 2023: Water PO#'s 174-199 in the amount of $93,847; Street PO# 17 in the amount of $150.00; Meter PO#'s 79-93 in the amount of $14,458.
Tabling a discussion related to a $1,200,000 water expansion to New Life Ranch.
Approving the acceptance of a $11,000 quote from SignalTek to update the camera system on the traffic light at the U.S. Highway 412/Highway 59 junction.