Good morning, good morning, good morning. Welcome, welcome, welcome meeting. Is it time now for our Community Connection program? A subset of it we called City Matters because of it matters to you, it matters to the city. We have a Vice Mayor, Trevor dorsse Y. How we doing counselming? Very good, well, great to have you here. Beautiful day today. Not quite as rowdy as it was yesterday with the weather and oil. But we had a council meeting on Monday, May fifth. Tell us a little bit about it.
Yeah, we did have a council meeting, and so it's always interesting having the community Connection later in the month because you kind of forget some things about what all, what all transpired, and what all we covered in the council meeting. But it was a good council meeting. And you know, we as always we talk about the roles or I always try to mention if you want to serve your community, those roles that we have. We've got
a couple that are open right now. We got one opening on the bars Area History Museum Trust Authority, one on the Barbsville Library Trust Authority, one opening on Streets and Traffic Committee, and two openings on the White Rose Cemetery Board.
And and all the citizens that.
Serve on these committees are invaluable because they're they're feedback and their interaction kind of helped to craft and mold some of the things we do as a city. It's always important to get feedback from from your constituents, and these roles I think are paramount and serving in that way that they're they're constantly involved in these committees with other citizens, and they're gathering feedback from from their friends and neighbors and the coworkers, and so it's very good.
These these committees provide tremendous feedback to us as council members, and the council members serve, you know, on various committees, maybe not every committee we have, but certainly on.
A lot of those committees.
And so I have various service roles on some of these committees. A matter of fact, we'll have a meeting here in a little bit on the Golf uh Committee because we've got a good we've got it. We've got a new golf pro now and and we're doing a lot on the golf course. The greens are starting to shape up. That thing is looking really good.
And I think.
We've always had one of the better municipal golf courses in the state of Oklahoma in my opinion because I've played quite a few, but but I think we have and we've done tremendous improvements to the golf course out there and put a lot of money into it.
So I think it's going to.
Draw a lot of folks as soon as we get that thing back up and rolling, and we'll be ready for the big United Way Golf Tournament, the biggest fundraising golf tournament in America, I do believe.
Yeah, it is at least at least.
Carry in the United Way team have done a phenomenal job, and you know, I think that really helps uh funnel money back throughout all the nonprofits.
In our community.
That really and we always talk about nonprofits too, I mean, we have this city is just blessed with some just amazing, giving, carrying people that just get back and serve the community. So, speaking of we talked a lot about the Seapac Committee, which was our comprehensive plan committee, and we had a lot of folks that served for gave time for over
a year on that committee. Chase Alcott, Roger Box, Lisa Carey, Leadonna Chancellor being costalist, Sarah Freeman and Keller Heer, Todd Mays, Cody Me, Billy Rohone, Schavon Robles, Quinn Shipper, and of course myself. And there was a lot of city staff involved like Larry Curtis, Greg Collins, Mica Sniner, Holly Mayhew, Mike Seemers, Keith Henry, Terry Lordson and Mike Richardson.
I'm sure there was more.
So if I've left somebody out, I do apologize, But a lot of city staff were very involved and influential in that process. And then we had half An Associates, their consulting team, Christian Lynz and Jordan Evans, a lot of other people were involved in that. But you know, they gave us very good directive and collaborate, you know, helped us collaborate as a as a group.
And of course that group of people you know the show.
Yeah, and so they they're very plugged into the community, They're very engaged in the community, and you know, they garnered a ton of feedback. We had a lot of community interaction surveys, we had meetings again started in twenty twenty three and the schedule is to roll that out to the city October November twenty four, which which we did. And again, that group is very plugged in. And you know, I know all of those people very well, and the
reason is because they're always volunteering, they're always giving back. Uh, serve on some committees and various nonprofit boards with a lot of those folks, and so just great citizens and very.
Well to engage.
Yeah.
So, and and you know, if you for those people that maybe didn't watch the meeting or didn't attend the meeting, I offered a public apology to this group, even though it's not mine to give because you know, there's a subset of the local political group and that leadership has has tried to foster the idea that there's somehow you and conception and agenda that was funneled through this committee, which just isn't true. Uh you know, I guess that was done in an effort to create an errative that's
just not there. So I want to make sure that that this group knows how valuable and how appreciated they.
Are for for putting a year of their time. You know, they gave gave a lot.
Of time in working on this and there's a big commitment and just like all these other committees, there's a there's a commitment when you put your name in the hat to serve and we appreciate that. I think the city again, it's it's very invaluable. Uh you know, I didn't I didn't properly get to think may occurred who was vice mayor at the time, But he was very instrumental and plugged into that. Even though he didn't serve on the committee, he was very involved in and throughout
the process. And so and then we have a new council member, Aaron Kirkpatrick. Aaron took the time and the due diligence to you know, I think.
He created some AI tool.
That that plugged it in and it gave you a lot of different feedback. But he also went above and beyond that and talked to each committee member and talked to city staff, talked to the consulting firm, and I think, you know, one of the things he came out of that with which was nice for him to take that time because he said, well, you know, it was kind of messy and sloppy a little bit, and and but it was a true collaboration and it's not a one
size fits all for everybody in the community. But I do think that we we came together with a pretty.
Good plan that encompasses all areas of Barsville and all you know, all.
Geographical areas as well as is all of our constituents. So I felt like it was a good plan. And I think that group, again a political subset, a grassroots group, was a little bit frustrated and upset because they decided that that plan was not what was best for Barsville and wanted to rewrite it.
Hmm.
Interesting.
There were a lot of meetings, as you said, where tons of people could have participated and you know, had their voice in it.
Yeah, we were.
We were in an election cycle, and so everyone had the opportunity to participate and be involved in attend meetings. And there were several presentations of this in the months leading up to it. No no feedback, no pushback, you know, and I especially in the campaign season, I would think it would be important for everyone to know what's going on in the city, be involved in that and uh,
you know, maybe participate or at least understand. Yeah. Uh So at the end of the day, again, I feel like we did a good job of rolling rolling this out, and you know, and I think that, and I'm very grateful that this group continues. You know, the group of people that I name, whether it's citizens in the community or city staff, continues to be very engaged and involved in trying to make Barsville the best city it possibly can be. And we have so much positive things going on.
We know, we heard from the BDA the other night at the council meeting, and we've got several new jobs going in the industrial park. We've got a lot of
new job creation out in the old Siemens building. There's a spec building that we're gonna be putting up in the industrial park, and I believe we've got considerable activity and interest in that building already, So it's very possible before we drag out the shovels into a groundbreaking that we could have some serious interest in somebody being in there and signing a lease and getting that thing going.
We also are expanding an industrial park for the group the Phillips Machining that was out there at the old Seamens building. They went to the industrial park and built a building. They've outgrown that and they are looking to create maybe a potentially thirty more jobs. So I mean a lot of good job creation going on in bars Bill, which is good, good paying jobs, be good careers for a lot of people.
So you know, every time I see Chris Batchelder with the BDA, I say, hey, Chris, what's cook it lots?
Can you tell me?
Not yet? Then he smiles and it's like, oh, you're killing me. Yeah, and you're doing that right now? Yeah, yeah, say.
Anything, and you know there's a it just continues. I think that group and I want to thank David Woods, who will be retiring at the end of this year. David has done a tremendous job in leading that organization. But as he said, you know once he steps aside, Batch and Jared are are ready to go.
I mean that team is.
Has done some very phenomenal and good things and they continue to work to improve Bartlesville, bring quality jobs, and help existing employers create quality jobs. We saw a company, I think Monday nine that is just on the outskirts of the hub of the city there that's been was it sixty eighty years something like that, Yeah, and they're looking at potentially creating another forty jobs.
And they could have done.
That in Georgia because as they've grown, they a lot of foundery in Georgia, but they chose to do that here and there's incentives that we can help recruit and get those forty jobs here, and then we have the resources with Tri County Tech. A lot of these jobs will be machining and welding and those type of things.
And so I know, Trick County Tech has really partnered with a lot of our local businesses in the new businesses they're coming to town to really try to hone in and put together curriculum that will help these businesses recruit and fill those jobs.
So that Tray County Tech, you want to talk about a gym, not only does it help businesses.
It helps the city, helps kids, helps.
Families in the way that they're able to train up and get people interested in different types of things that are going on around town to fit the jobs. The kids have the opportunity to stay home and mom and dad get a chance to watch their children's families grow. And that doesn't happen in America very often. Everybody just kind of flies away. But this is a good thing, good anchor.
Well, it's one of the things that attracted me about the council row when that opened, and Ed Gordon and Mike Belly kind of cornered me and said, hey, you need to throw your name in that. Well, I really you know, I've got three sons and I know Beth and I would love for them to be in Barsville. We get to see our grandchildren grow up. And it's
a great community living. It's a great community to raise the family and uh, and so I hope to be able to get back in that regard and hopefully create jobs and keep jobs here and and continue to make it the great city it is and expand upon that.
So I think that's the role that all the council wants is for.
Good to shakes.
Yeah, bartle Bille continued.
To attend of the day.
For sure, But yeah, it's uh, you know, I do believe that, you know, and when you see Batch, he's always wound up, excited and uh, you.
Know, one hundred miles a minute, that guy.
And it's good that we have he and Jared in the in in that position in that organization because uh, I think that they will continue to facilitate and drive a lot of good things.
In the community.
But even even though David's retiring. We we were very blessed that he came to this community. And I'd butchered if I said, what year, But I know you've been here at least ten years or longer, and so throughout that time there's been just a lot of expansion and improvement.
So it has been it has been very short time. I can tell you, I've only been here for six years, and in that six years, the old Kmart came alive. It's a nice shopping center. We've seen a lot of retail, a lot of other things come in. And of course the big job makers that are coming into town now are all you know, pieces of the puzzle that just really make the town take and fly.
Yeah.
When when we're creating jobs, it's gonna it's gonna provide and push retail.
They want to be here. I mean, you've seen.
Eastland revitalize, Like you said, the Kmart shopping center.
Revitalized. We've got over on.
Near Low's you know Silver, Yeah, like that, that area took off. And even the downtown. When we moved to Barlsville in twenty fourteen, the downtown there was a lot of empty, empty buildings.
Not so much no, not empty space but now.
And I think that's one thing that proves up thriving cities that you go to the downtown and if it's
thriving and going. And you know, there was a survey done around the time I came on to council about what was wanted in Bartsville, games that people wanted to see, and I think a lot of folks that were being recruited either by Phillips, Konaco or Abb or Seemen some of the larger companies slumberga that that you know, younger people wanted to see more retail and they want to see more you know, restaurant options and those type of.
Things, maybe even housing options.
And so I think Bartstill's done a good job of creating those opportunities where we can recruit those people here and they want to live here. I think sometimes it takes people actually working here to realize, oh, you know's be a great place to move before they end up coming here. I've seen this year several people that may have lived in a y O or Tulse area mover and that's really good.
It is it is a lot of a change of address. We even have people from far away as cal California in New York planning down roots here and they pretty much said they're gonna die here, and they they they mean that they're stinging here for good. They're not going back.
Well, and it's uh, I think you you get you get a taste of Barsville, you realize what a special city it is. And it is a great, great get a great place to live, work and play. And we've got tremendous things going on.
You know.
I guess I've always been glass this half full kind of guy.
So I think every day.
We continue to take a little bit, uh further positive step to make it, make it better, and that's good.
So well, I want to thank you for being here today and to drop by anytime you wish.
Yeah, well it's always open. I was always on.
Yeah at the uh, looks like we're gonna get a little sun today hopefully maybe maybe drive a little bit of the rain way.
We've been blessed, God's really blessed. Yeah.
It's kind of one of those things where you want to pray and say can you turn it on? And to speak it on and off and periodically because well we'll probably get into you know, the normal July auguess we're kind of kind of not seeing that and complaining, but we're certainly being blessed right now. And I do uh, you know, my my thoughts and prayers go out to everybody affected. I know we've this time of year, there's always a lot of tornados.
We experienced that.
I think it was almost a year ago it was, and you know Barnes always hit with that one. And so I know a lot of communities in Oklahoma, Kinnsas, Arkansas this last two weeks have been hit pretty hard with with this. So again, just praying for those that have been lost and and those those communities rebuild, that they can come together and get the help they need.
So well, I guess I'll see you graduation Friday.
Yeah, I'll be there. I got got one that's gonna gonna walk.
And so it's a it's an exciting time. Uh may have to do a little consoling. I think there may be some eye sweats from some people. There will be so but it is an exciting time and hopefully the weather is like today for that because it'll be it'll be a really good event. And I know those kids, as you well know a lot of them are excited to step into that next next phase of their lives and grow.
And so this is the first time I think I've ever seen kids say they wish the summer was over so.
That they could get started together.
Yeah, it doesn't happen very often, but sometimes in that senior year wanting to go off to college, and it does.
And my younger ones, they they enjoy that that break from school, but they'll usually a little ways into it they're like, you know, I'm ready to get back sea friends. They see friends throughout the summer, but you know, it's just not the same.
So you'll still be running around doing pop patrol on the baseball.
Oh yeah, baseball's hot and heavy. And although it seems the last few years, I know, we got rained out last night, so those games will be made up tomorrow night. So but it is fun this time of year.
You got you got.
You can drive by our soccer fields or our baseball fields and you see baseball, softball, soccer going on.
So it's it's a you know, everything's.
Greened up extra green this year because we've got We've gotten again blessed with an abundance of rain, and that's a good thing.
We're not talking about water issues either, because we got it. We got a lot of rain. I'm sure the lakes are above the normal levels.
Jerry Lawrence, who thinks he's on vacation.
Yeah, yeah, he's not.
He's not having to field all the concerning calls. And hopefully we continue that trend in when we don't have another year where we get.
Into a later, later part of the summer where we're.
Parked up or worrying about, you know, how to conserve water to make sure we have enough.
But you know, we continue to.
Work on those issues, and I know our our our local legislators and then our federal officials also continue to help us push forward in that battle. And I think that's just one of those things that takes time. You know. It's just too bad none of us have a you know, a family member that runs the federal Corps of Engineers or whatever, so that we can we can for.
The Corps of Lawyers is what they're calling, get them on our side.
But you know, I think, uh, we have had a few interesting times at least the eleven years we've lived here where we you know, water is a little bit concerning. But you know, hopefully again good Lord, I pray that you continue to space this out and continue to give us, give us a good rain. But right now, man, it's it's you drive around town, and you drive around Oklahoma and it's greened up beautiful.
Uh.
Of course, then it also means you got to break out the lawnmarer and the weed eater and and get after that.
So I, oh, price of paradise, brother, Price of paradise. Yes, sir, hey that traffic. Thank you for being with this strebor door see vice mayor here the city of barlowsvill Thank you for being under show.