[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6581599,"mediaKeyId","3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829","parentId",3091129,"title","Residents, businesses press McAlester council over recurring flooding, stormwater maintenance","audioSeconds",595,"startMs",708000,"endMs",1303000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829&start=708&end=1303","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829/thumbnail_708000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6581599/McAlester/Pittsburg-County/Oklahoma/Residents-businesses-press-McAlester-council-over-recurring-flooding-stormwater-maintenance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581599-4104a26f9d728b7ae9d0760ed91eb001/orig.mp4?Expires=1771209909&Signature=ktj99GRI025yoaBVPxELsn7GLxS5WFvYLlZLDWGqduD-QfkGBRdVBqIIWZSAsSniKTtQ7VmYl-mBqM1S3yRkrP3xb-pw93HFfGdWSSyS6wF386RyWwVvWk6mvTA~5jqUGHna95hZppaCCEbAI48dhSQCZRP0NrhYKOu4hEWbzmMGT~cNEqh9sbHWANa5vZdP3SLFJroyjzt2iRV3Hr~-7ywH8CpYs1nNrYVCRsBWtrHUXDUZfbEyoXok5TpskiRIk9bc7UbDrnGzqOQIcVNh49t2Bsq8l~UUy2ife8l9jCX~hWvj8x6FnDztzvbfk2EDO-M1~xbUNRWVkorMrJIMcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mcalester","date","2025-04-23T07:37:05.187Z","article","Several McAlester residents and business owners urged the City Council on April 22 to address recurring flooding and apparent stormwater maintenance lapses that they said are damaging private property and nonprofit operations.

Mike Thomas, who identified himself as the owner of Little Dixie Raceway, said the city’s drainage changes have concentrated water onto his land. \"All the water that comes into your town comes on to me, and then it goes on to the softball field,\" Thomas said, adding that changes to development and cleaned channels now send runoff to his property faster than in the past.

Joey Clark, a local business owner at 1712 Dave Drive, told the council his building has flooded four times in the past five years. \"Our building has flooded 4 times in the past 5 years from front to back,\" Clark said, and he said businesses spent more than $100,000 to install a parking lot and engineered flow to the canal but still experience repeat inundation.

Other speakers — including Kyle Spruce, Robert Ramer, Rachel Kronwald and insurance agent Clint Santine — described similar damage to property and operations. Spruce said repeated inaction had lengthened the problem: \"We have been trying to do this for years, to get this fixed,\" he said. Ramer described recent storms that sent debris and silt into parking areas and upstream culverts. Kronwald and Santine urged the council to prioritize repairs because local nonprofits lose days of service when they must close for cleanup; Santine said insurance provides little relief for that lost service.

Speakers asked the city to enforce floodplain and stormwater rules, investigate whether recent developments and cleaned channels have increased downstream flows, and consider retention measures in the canal that runs west of downtown. Thomas pointed to federal flood mapping changes from February 2010 and to Army Corps of Engineers oversight of “blue line” waterways. He described the canal as \"12 foot tall\" in places and said retention blocks could slow flows.

Councilors declined to debate details from the dais during public comment. The mayor advised that, based on staff guidance, the council should not continue the discussion outside of a public record or should handle it in executive session; when asked whether councilors could question witnesses, staff recommended against additional questioning at that time.

What happened next: the council took no immediate corrective vote during the public-comment segment. Staff and council members acknowledged the issue will need follow-up through stormwater staff and the city’s ongoing maintenance scheduling.

Why it matters: speakers said repeated flooding is damaging small businesses and nonprofits, risks donor funds and volunteer time, and may reflect cumulative effects of development and channel maintenance decisions. Multiple speakers urged faster, visible action to protect property and service providers.

What residents asked for: enforce floodplain permit requirements, review past and recent permitting for developments that discharge to the canal, inspect retention basins and detention ponds, and prioritize clearing debris in culverts and canal inlets. Several speakers asked for a site visit and a concrete timeline for repairs.

Outlook: Council members did not adopt an immediate remedy at the meeting. Staff indicated the issue is on the city’s stormwater radar; several public speakers said they will continue to press for action at future meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","New - Regular Council Meeting, April 22nd, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Several McAlester residents and business owners urged the City Council on April 22 to address recurring flooding and apparent stormwater maintenance lapses that they said are damaging private property and nonprofit operations.","taxTitle","McAlester, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma","taxId",53915,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6581589,"Votes at a glance: McAlester council approves budget amendment, street‑naming rule; tables property‑maintenance ordinance",478,4512000,4990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829&start=4512&end=4990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829/thumbnail_4512000.jpg","/articles/6581589/McAlester/Pittsburg-County/Oklahoma/Votes-at-a-glance-McAlester-council-approves-budget-amendment-streetnaming-rule-tables-propertymaintenance-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581589-60847a1005567cc601f834930177a532/orig.mp4?Expires=1771209909&Signature=Kzlk7fQFhLTwAZUltbH7x3TwbZbLpytMh0YK5q2Cza5j0ATa7XDsTT0JHxb60~PpJYVzEZaUZLF1xMh2aJnm~ObM2liq2B20tVPDOc2uttMgQICraKYMQxY16CK9mGUfZf6nHv7cv5SHiLtfwwmdZI-VC1X1j5bpbE8RQJPl4s4i2Hc0zc02kZH0mW9qmRwDtd9RMI3y8NKbKWqlgiwRpsDCgGP~SWcc4zffEh6YBhuVxqaj0O7e2eoTMUpKO61jlxuZDnwEAmcWonyAoBq5uI87w-91qJGdB73BKGOl84D4Q~1UiW3ZjUAtp21UuI8ol4MxAWAjpwLEkAfgyHlMxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McAlester City Council took several formal actions at its April 22 meeting. Key outcomes included approval of a budget amendment ordinance, adoption of standardized street-naming procedures, approval of a five-year capital improvement program, surplus declaration for city chairs, and a decision to table a proposed property-maintenance ordinance for further revision.

Votes (selected):

- Consent agenda: The council approved the consent agenda (items a–d and f–i) by roll-call vote. Motion to approve was made by Councilor Beatty and seconded by Councilor Boatwright; the clerk called the roll and the motion carried.

- Surplus chairs (agenda item 2): The council approved declaring 796 padded chairs surplus for recycling or disposal. Doug Baser, community services director, described the chairs as aged and damaged; the council approved the surplus by roll call (mover: Councilor Beatty; second: Councilor Woodley).

- Ordinance amending Ordinance No. 2812 (budget amendment, agenda item 4): The council approved amendments recognizing new investment income and reallocations across funds, including police equipment purchases, airport fuel sales adjustments, stormwater equipment, and general fund adjustments for severance and retirement. Councilors approved the ordinance and later approved an emergency clause to make parts effective immediately (motion carried on roll call).

- Property maintenance ordinance (agenda item 5): After extended discussion, the council voted to table the draft property maintenance ordinance until the next meeting to allow staff to revise language on tenant protections, enforcement options and timelines (motion to table carried; mover: Councilor Tanker; second: Councilor Gilmore).

- Street and public facility naming (agenda item 6): The council approved an ordinance amendment to standardize the street- and facility-naming process and also adopted an emergency clause; the motion carried on roll call.

- Capital improvement program resolution (agenda item 7): The council adopted the capital improvement program resolution for 2025–2030, described in the meeting packet as a long-range list of projects (the council approved by voice/roll call; motion carried).

- Executive session: The council voted to recess into executive session under Oklahoma statutes cited on the record (Section 25-307(b)(1), (b)(2) and (c)(11)). The motion to enter executive session carried by roll call.

How votes were recorded: Most motions were approved by unanimous roll-call votes (Vice Mayor Beatty, Councilors Boatwright, Gilmore, Woodley, Stone, Roden and the mayor recorded \"yes\" on those measures). Where available, the meeting minutes and roll-call sequence were used to compile the list above.

Documents and next steps: The city will return the property‑maintenance ordinance with edits at a future meeting per the council’s direction. Budget changes including the emergency clause will be processed as approved.","At its April 22 meeting the McAlester City Council approved several consent and ordinance items — including a budget amendment and a street‑naming process — declared an emergency for some measures, approved a capital improvements plan and tabled the proposed property-maintenance ordinance for revision.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6581594,"McAlester council reviews draft property-maintenance ordinance; tables vote after equity and enforcement concerns",1372,2990000,4362000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829&start=2990&end=4362","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091129-d3feceb0f93d25490e4a6f3b07f30829/thumbnail_2990000.jpg","/articles/6581594/McAlester/Pittsburg-County/Oklahoma/McAlester-council-reviews-draft-property-maintenance-ordinance-tables-vote-after-equity-and-enforcement-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581594-2f89ca03744c8267d098f0fa08349ac6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771209909&Signature=FDnFPBzerwPM8l86FRn~em-Igm5LvjZxezSp7fu1veQK4n0NJg1HMQ8aSNLVPRU9TiY9Jyav29NJGL8Q80tz9tmoO8GOBh2NArJRf5IrtUGn22N-xBS9TLmepcrSiw3tEfHVC4ntjMjPJboqfL5pDWIC2Mbqd2dTTyGhpw9kA3zUv1UloCuo8mHflDZA4gZCS4y5iniKjVFvyifJkTbFt1ndvMg2kIpzll8drWf3a7S8QzgkyFcic~o9TMUDBrlvz5cyNnVXXEhxzNX~-guLZYHyzZ-7O9kM7CUk0Bj0AVuRUBkygVjpHcRh~72qtf3xZf6EF6nansH1MD1tJZYH7g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a draft property maintenance ordinance to the McAlester City Council on April 22 that would create local standards for sanitary and structural conditions and adopt select elements of the International Property Maintenance Code.

\"This is focusing on sanitation, lighting, and ventilation,\" said Miss Flippen, the staff presenter, describing the draft as a tool to address holes in roofs and walls, missing windows, plumbing failures and other conditions that staff say can render units uninhabitable.

Flippen said the ordinance is intended to be complaint-driven, not a program of proactive inspections, and that the department has condemned roughly 30 structures in recent years. She described certificate and timeline options and said staff will coordinate with utilities when unsafe plumbing or sewage issues are found.

Several councilors and public commenters raised concerns about enforcement and unintended consequences. John Brown, a longtime resident and former council member, urged safeguards to prevent retaliatory evictions or rent increases after repairs and warned the ordinance could increase homelessness if not carefully crafted: \"We need to put something in there to keep things like that from happening,\" Brown said.

The city attorney (on the record as the council’s legal adviser) noted that state law already gives tenants remedies under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act and cautioned that criminal penalties tied to code enforcement raise due-process considerations. \"Should the house not be deemed habitable, the tenant does have certain rights...\" the attorney said, referencing Section 1.2.1 of the landlord-tenant statute and advising that abatement and civil remedies are often more effective than noncollectible fines.

Councilors asked multiple technical questions — about whether tents would qualify as structures, how gray water is treated (DEQ rules apply), and what constitutes \"secure\" entry — and sought clearer timelines for required repairs. Several members signaled support for the ordinance’s goals but asked for stronger tenant protections, flexibility for owners doing repairs and clearer enforcement paths that avoid criminalizing poverty.

After discussion, Councilor Tanker moved to table the ordinance to the next meeting to allow staff and councilors to incorporate suggested changes. The motion carried on a roll-call vote.

Why it matters: The draft would create a new local tool to require repairs and abate substandard housing. Proponents said it would prevent blight and improve habitability; opponents and some councilors warned it could harm low-income homeowners and tenants if enforcement and remedies are not carefully designed.

Next steps: The council voted to postpone action to allow edits and additional legal and policy work; staff said they will return with revisions and possible guardrails addressing tenant protections, enforcement alternatives and timelines.","Councilors and residents debated a proposed property maintenance ordinance that would adopt elements of the International Property Maintenance Code. Staff presented the draft; residents warned it could increase homelessness or lead to evictions without protections. Council voted to table the ordinance for more review.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents, businesses press McAlester council over recurring flooding, stormwater maintenance

Votes at a glance: McAlester council approves budget amendment, street‑naming rule; tables property‑maintenance ordinance

McAlester council reviews draft property-maintenance ordinance; tables vote after equity and enforcement concerns