[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6299579,"mediaKeyId","2496717-a8abc1f376c2cf4375df515b3b2054a1","parentId",2496717,"title","NSU president outlines Senate Bill 701, says Broken Arrow courses would funnel students to Tahlequah campus","audioSeconds",1534,"startMs",364000,"endMs",1898000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496717-a8abc1f376c2cf4375df515b3b2054a1&start=364&end=1898","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496717-a8abc1f376c2cf4375df515b3b2054a1/thumbnail_364000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6299579/Oklahoma/NSU-president-outlines-Senate-Bill-701-says-Broken-Arrow-courses-would-funnel-students-to-Tahlequah-campus","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299579-352ea8fcf1503c80bcae83ef1c28a810/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703107&Signature=RIapQSvFlDUXIyeLdmqaPxdxoSjBCYV0ZOyOzwucm0EF4u91xHQdQUyR7Jpfza76AvmcDYVT9rf-CAShuxsS~JCI4Xizt0e6Yd2eTrDxWS0DKI0~n7EARrjc6VZEKnbupAGLgiK~oi4qsq6F9HWQnAHQb1pSGPdUuMvrC21H4Bq-7bnqkG95uJZrhTJvDlSoIB5lmb57s6s-PsZ2niKA1Xwc3kchT9YMRc3wSS~1WuUp8bOfsz6vmS~4qDCbdROB0LQRDmo7Ye4FvheAzHdtJ8ljeK~vucvFUSv68c0vNHAe9b2FTbV9eoFB6Ukw40CFXLKzMlYLUpeiuOTBNH9FwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Tahlequah, OK","date","2025-03-04T14:55:43Z","article","Northeastern State University President Phil Hanley told the Tahlequah City Council on Monday that a proposed state law, Senate Bill 701, would let NSU offer lower-division (first- and second-year) courses at its Broken Arrow satellite campus and could increase enrollment across NSU campuses.

Hanley said the bill — carried by Sen. John Haste of Broken Arrow and coauthored by Sens. Christy Gillespie and Julie McIntosh — passed a Senate education committee and could reach the full Senate soon. He said the change would allow NSU to recruit more traditional 18-to-24-year-old students at Broken Arrow while keeping campus identities distinct: Tahlequah would remain the main campus with programs and majors that students would come to finish.

Hanley said the university expects modest first-year increases if the bill passes, then 15–20% growth in years two and three at Broken Arrow; he estimated a roughly 35% initial increase for that campus under some scenarios. He told the council NSU recorded a 0.3% spring enrollment increase at Broken Arrow this year and a 7.3% increase at the Tahlequah campus. He said tuition revenue from Broken Arrow already flows to support academic programs in Tahlequah and that the university has reversed a 15-year enrollment decline.

\"We have no plans to move any of our majors or our departments to our Broken Arrow campus,\" Hanley said. \"We want to offer those general education requirements so students can pursue their chosen major, which will mostly be finished in our Tahlequah campus.\" He also said there are no plans to move the football team and that recent neutral-site games in Broken Arrow were recruitment and outreach efforts.

Regent Riley of the Regional University System of Oklahoma, who attended the meeting, said the board supports NSU's strategic presence in Broken Arrow and expects the change to strengthen enrollment at Tahlequah. \"I honestly believe this will increase the enrollment at Tahlequah, or I would not be so in favor of it,\" Riley said.

Local residents pressed university officials on impacts. Dr. Gandhi asked whether the change would affect Langston University; Hanley said the bill would not affect Langston's activities. Tanya Jones, who identified herself as a local resident with children in public schools, asked whether offering gen-ed classes at Broken Arrow would reduce seats for Tahlequah high-school students taking those classes; Hanley replied that NSU intends to keep gen-ed availability at Tahlequah and expand options so local students can stay in town if they prefer.

Hanley also told the council NSU will commission a third-party economic-impact study to measure the university's local effects year over year, and that the university plans to publish that study once complete. He said NSU has seen a large increase in grant dollars, with most research funding directed to the Tahlequah campus.

The Regional University System of Oklahoma board passed a resolution reaffirming NSU's commitment to Tahlequah and supporting the strategic use of satellite campuses in Broken Arrow and Muskogee; Hanley read the regents' resolution to the council.

Next steps: Hanley said timing depends on the legislature; the Senate bill could reach the floor soon and the house has a related bill moving through committee. If the bill passes, NSU would need time for recruiting and marketing before new courses start.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tahlequah City Council Meeting - March 3rd, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Northeastern State University President Phil Hanley told the Tahlequah City Council on Monday that Senate Bill 701 would allow NSU to offer lower-division courses at its Broken Arrow campus, which the university says could increase enrollment and channel more students to the Tahlequah main campus.","taxTitle","Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma","taxId",69051,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6299573,"Tahlequah council approves farmers market contract, sends street tax extension to May ballot; zoning, appointments and several project actions pass",0,2911000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496717-a8abc1f376c2cf4375df515b3b2054a1&start=2911&end=2911","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496717-a8abc1f376c2cf4375df515b3b2054a1/thumbnail_2911000.jpg","/articles/6299573/Oklahoma/Tahlequah-council-approves-farmers-market-contract-sends-street-tax-extension-to-May-ballot-zoning-appointments-and-several-project-actions-pass","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299573-c16f790655bbb8246fa2fc5edc6e53f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770703107&Signature=MNfNJSvd1EESFC0ZyIVwRFweNYV5u0c0T1q6p2KZ1jbCnJO4rYXDoJ4RWOYIpjkZcC3tNaNju-UEPoiaSFzJ9bOKl1fYcDUJm9vvEq9R5TnavNvi73BkjXHLLexR6yAGzfbCKWLKZhoqxEim9Zu0lY-~k3~U9tMzVo64OXRh5wOD~mifS4ccJjS0S-05PmCTJR0A6PutsxVygiV-80TTmroUtZ~4Sotf7LQ39vi5HRf1IjjAvFQ7~eOPwtYW4zkzs0IGt5RuA~gT9ooLFR4-T8yYTh1P6u6Vb5BwljvHCbYKIyeKi84L~JYJCFv7eJL-JzVLxG~7WLjGrYdD1TX9fQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tahlequah City Council members on Monday approved a package of routine items and separate motions that extend a market agreement, advance a street-improvement sales tax for voter consideration and approve several staffing and capital actions.

Votes at a glance

- Farmers market facility agreement (2025–2026): Approved (motion carried). Council recorded votes in favor during roll call.
- Ordinance 1384-2025 (2025 street improvement sales tax, 0.5% for capital projects, Jan. 1, 2026–Dec. 1, 2030): Second reading approved; council also approved Resolution 02032025 to call a special election May 13, 2025 to submit the tax measure to voters.
- Ordinance 1385-2025 (detachment of specified property south of West Park Street): Approved on second reading.
- Tahlequah Farmers Market contract (use of facilities, correction of dates and limited off-season use): Approved with modifications.
- Concession building project bids: All bids rejected; staff said the concession building timeline will be adjusted but field openings are not expected to be delayed.
- Change order No. 1, Woodridge Project (additional steel/plywood work): Approved ($5,000).
- White Avenue concrete work: Council authorized the city administrator to award a competitive bid if the contract amount is under $100,000; amounts above that must return to council.
- Rezoning to regional commercial (C-3) at 717 W. Choctaw Street (proposed laundromat): Approved.
- Appointments: Council appointed a city representative to the homeless-implementation board (Councilman Josh Allen) and appointed Danny Perry to a municipal utility board; a separate reappointment to the municipal utility board was also approved.
- Executive-session outcomes: Council authorized staff to pursue property appraisal and designated the city administrator as the city’s chief negotiator for labor negotiations (police and fire unions).

Farmers market and community programs

Council approved a two-season extension of the Tahlequah Farmers Market agreement, with staff correcting dated references and adding a sentence allowing the market to use the facility for board meetings or trainings during the off-season at the discretion of administration. During the meeting Marla Sager, who described a long tenure with the market, reported 2024 season totals: $203,000 in market sales, $10,400 in SNAP sales, $4,800 in Double Up SNAP tokens, $6,100 in the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, $3,000 from farm-to-school activities and about $20,007.70 in Cherokee Nation WIC redemptions. Sager said those programs produced roughly $45,000 in free food to the community last year.

Street tax and ballot language

City staff said the proposed 0.5% street-improvement sales tax is intended for capital projects only; operations and personnel costs were removed from the ordinance language to make that clear. The council voted to place the ordinance on the May 13 special election ballot. Staff and councilors discussed how state election \"gist\" language must be neutral and that state law controls which commodities are taxed. City staff advised that items currently subject to city sales tax would continue to be subject to the 0.5% rate if voters approve the measure.

Concession building and capital projects

Council rejected all bids for the concession building project after staff said the bids did not meet specifications. The parks project manager said the athletic fields remain on schedule (softball opening targeted for April 1; baseball targeted for May 21) and staff will arrange temporary concession solutions until a suitable bidder is found.

Other contracts, zoning and appointments

The council approved a $5,000 change order to finish a bridge element of the Woodridge Project and authorized staff to solicit and (if under $100,000) award a concrete bid for White Avenue curb, gutter and driveways. The council approved rezoning a parcel at 717 W. Choctaw Street to regional commercial; the applicant indicated plans for a laundromat. The council also appointed a city representative to a new homeless-implementation board and approved municipal utility board appointments.

Executive session and labor negotiations

After executive sessions, the council authorized the city administrator to obtain appraisals and designated the administrator as chief negotiator for upcoming labor negotiations with bargaining units for police and fire. Those designations were approved by motion recorded in open session.

What the council did not approve at this meeting

Council took no action on a proposed architectural and engineering contract for a downtown parking garage and related pedestrian/stormwater work; staff recommended no action at this time.

Votes and clerk records

Votes were recorded on the meeting record during roll-call votes for each action. Where members responded verbally, motions were carried by recorded \"Yes\" votes consistent with roll-call results shown in the public record.","At its March meeting the Tahlequah City Council approved a two-season farmers market facility agreement, voted to place a street-improvement sales-tax extension on the May ballot, approved a zoning change for a laundromat site, rejected concession bids for the new building, and made several board appointments and project authorizations.","actionData","errors"]

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NSU president outlines Senate Bill 701, says Broken Arrow courses would funnel students to Tahlequah campus

Tahlequah council approves farmers market contract, sends street tax extension to May ballot; zoning, appointments and several project actions pass