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  • Claremore Chief of Police Mickey told members of the Claremore City Council of an offer from the Rogers County Industrial Development Authority to help keep DPS at its current location. RCIDA agreed to pay half the cost of rent — a cost which the City has been paying in full for three years — to retain the driver’s testing facility at its current location in The Market. Tom Fink

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September 9, 2010

MORNING BRIEFING - City Council tables DPS agreement

RCIDA may help foot costs to keep driver’s training facility at The Market

Tom Fink Staff Reporter

CLAREMORE — Claremore City Council members Tuesday night tabled an interlocal agreement with DPS, as another agreement — one made with RCIDA — could pave the way to keep the driver’s license testing facility at The Market.

Claremore Chief of Police Mickey Perry addressed members of the Claremore City Council Tuesday night, informing them of an offer made by the Rogers County Industrial Development Authority which could keep the DPS at its current location.

“I have been in talks with Larry Steidley, who is RCIDA’s attorney and executive director, and they have indicated to us, both verbally and in writing, that they would be willing to fund half of this project (retaining DPS at its current location) through RCIDA,” Perry said. “Once their funding is approved, that’s their intention. Presently, the county commissioners have yet to approve their budget so they don’t have it yet, but RCIDA did put their intent in writing to us.”

For the past three years, the City has paid the $1,350 a month rent to keep the DPS in Claremore at The Market Shopping Center.

Were the City not to cover the cost of rent, the state would remove the testing facility, leaving Rogers County without a DPS site, according to City of Claremore Director of Marketing Cassie Woods.

Last month, the City of Claremore and Oklahoma State Department of Public Safety had reached an agreement which would allow DPS to relocate its testing facility to the former site of the City’s fire department administrative offices.

Although the move would require a one-time cost of $6,000 to the City to make the former fire administration building suitable for DPS’ needs, the annual savings (to the City) would be more than $10,000, allowing the City to recoup these costs.

When presented for approval at a previous Council meeting, the interlocal agreement with DPS was met with strong opposition by members of the Rogers County Historical Society, who wanted to use the recently vacated space of the fire admin building to establish a museum of historic Claremore.

With RCIDA’s offer to partner with the City and share half of the cost of keeping the DPS at The Market, the vacated fire administration building could later be approved to be used by the RCHS for a potential museum of Claremore history.

Longtime Claremore resident and collector of historical Claremore artifacts Judy Eagleton emphasized the need for a “Claremore Museum,” earlier in the evening, noting that much of Claremore’s history would deteriorate until it is lost without a proper location or museum to showcase the City’s rich history.

Not all were convinced of RCIDA’s ability to deliver on its commitment, however, as Ward III Councilman Don Myers expressed concerns that Rogers County Commissioners have yet to approve their final budget.

“Regardless of what the final budget for RCIDA is, they have committed to us in writing that they are wanting to partner with us (the City) to keep the DPS at The Market,” Chief Perry said.

After further discussion, Council members tabled approval of the agreement with DPS, with plans to represent the matter in an upcoming meeting, contingent upon RCIDA’s participation.

In other actions, Council members:

•Approved the bid from Sludge Technologies for sludge removal at the Water Treatment Plant backwash ponds in the amount of $228,6000, with an added alternate of $20,000. Council members approved the bid in a unanimous vote.

•Approved an agreement with Meshek and Associates for professional engineering services for Phase III of Master Drainage Planning Services.

“Phase I and II are completed, and Phase III is needed for us to have a complete Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program,” said Daryl Golbek, director of utilities, City of Claremore.

Cost of the agreement is $98,000 and is estimated to be completed in January 2011.

Council members unanimously approved the agreement with Meshek and Associates.

 

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