Meeting Summary
Announcements
- COVID-19 Reopening Guidance: The Council ratified the Third Amendment Proclamation to the State of Emergency, incorporating the Governor's "Open Up and Recover Safely" guidance.
- Phase 1 (📅 April 24th, 2020): Allowed personal care businesses (hair salons, nail shops, barber shops), state parks, outdoor recreation, retail, and other essential businesses to reopen following CDC guidelines. Grocery stores continued to serve vulnerable populations during specific hours.
- Phase 2 (📅 May 1st, 2020): Allowed dining and entertainment centers, gyms, and places of worship to reopen with social distancing and sanitation protocols. Bars remained closed, and tattoo parlors could open by appointment only.
- Citizens and businesses can find detailed guidance at OKCommerce.gov/COVID-19/ours-plan.
- Census Update: Shawnee's census response rate is currently at 52%, placing the city just outside the top ten in Oklahoma. Citizens are encouraged to complete the census online, which takes approximately 10 minutes. Census jobs are also available for those seeking employment.
Key Decisions & Votes
- Consent Agenda: The Council approved the consent agenda, which included routine administrative items, with the exception of items 2B and D1, which were pulled for separate discussion.
- Audit Services Contract: The Council approved the engagement of Single Audit Engagement Associates for audit services. This contract was clarified to be a continuation of an existing five-year bid. (Vote: 7-0)
- Agreement with South Central Industries Inc.: The Council approved an agreement with South Central Industries Inc. (Vote: 6-0 with 1 abstention due to a declared conflict of interest).
- Third Amendment to State of Emergency Proclamation: The Council ratified the Third Amendment Proclamation, which formally adopted the state's "Open Up and Recover Safely" guidelines for reopening businesses and activities in Shawnee. (Vote: 7-0)
- Shawnee Airport Authority Minutes: The minutes from the previous Shawnee Airport Authority meeting were approved. (Vote: 7-0)
- Shawnee Municipal Authority Minutes: The minutes from the previous Shawnee Municipal Authority meeting were approved. (Vote: 7-0)
- Water Treatment Plant Engineering Services Amendment: The Council approved Amendment Number One for the agreement for engineering services for water treatment plant improvements with Holloway, Updike, and Bellenie. This amendment, valued at $820,000, covers final design services, including geotechnical and survey work, for the plant upgrades. The design phase is expected to take 11 months, with the total construction cost estimated at $16,740,000. (Vote: 7-0)
Financial Matters 💰
- Audit Services: The approval of the audit services contract ensures continued financial oversight.
- Water Treatment Plant Investment: The $820,000 amendment for engineering services is a significant step towards the estimated $16.74 million water treatment plant upgrade project, crucial for the city's infrastructure.
- Sales Tax Revenue: Commissioners expressed concern about potential impacts on sales tax revenue in the upcoming quarter and urged citizens to "shop Shawnee" to support local businesses and keep sales tax dollars within the city.
Public Comments
- No citizens signed up for public participation during this meeting.
Agenda Summary Table
| Agenda Item | Description