[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6206222,"mediaKeyId","3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f","parentId",3764585,"title","At a glance: Muskogee council approvals June 9 — contracts, payments, appointments and annexation","audioSeconds",13436,"startMs",196000,"endMs",13632000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f&start=196&end=13632","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f/thumbnail_196000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6206222/Oklahoma/At-a-glance-Muskogee-council-approvals-June-9-contracts-payments-appointments-and-annexation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206222-42bd44707d2d8f0facff76f34366f6cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013361&Signature=guIyW30mW6AaYHpdtvgMTDWEwpOL8IcvCx7XFunimLoolblSEuY1Iyc7wAhhm02k36hMEnqcHuQ9~eWzwEf9ZDKuMYFClhu~MBHYeNZv~e1NDonQYrrZ~8zZTKf3mnyvZeEctf40ZjDMgCequs191QcfhI-jow0degdzpm5jDf5wZxwvCHJy8lh3kRtAs9-LREGpGj-9cQrtA-Quxhd4wrf1pewo9nFXgV82V~Rfx1GnL7LtxyrItTR4eduC2vSoqVpepQFZBWQUp73bN50BL7eCUb9e1CaWRzmw9jMKV5yyV2P6RTO~8xc6vgt8eGWgUOwjLQ-FeexU9qyXwzvUzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Muskogee, OK","date","2025-06-11T14:10:00.55Z","article","At its June 9 meeting the City of Muskogee and associated authorities approved multiple routine and substantive measures. Below is a compact summary of formal actions taken, the vote outcome, and key details or next steps. Where the transcript recorded roll-call answers, those votes are reflected.

Votes at a glance

1) Approval of Public Works Committee minutes (05/12/2025) — approved (unanimous roll call).

2) Purchase of 11 traffic-signal battery backup units using TLS Group pricing, $109,065 — approved (roll call recorded: unanimous yes); funding from former sales tax.

3) Final payment for Southwest Zone Mill and Overlay Project to Apex Central Inc., $196,930.50 — approved (unanimous roll call); project contract total about $3.9 million; funded from 2019 CIP.

4) Honorary street name: designate portion of 20th Street in front of Dean’s Chapel Baptist Church as Lawrence Thompson Sr. Way — approved (unanimous roll call); multiple public speakers supported the request.

5) Appointment: John Hayes to Muskogee Industrial Trust, term 08/01/2025–07/31/2031 — approved (unanimous roll call).

6) Appointment: Dave Ross to Street Improvement Advisory Board to fill unexpired term ending 01/31/2027 — approved (unanimous roll call).

7) Finance claims for city departments (05/03/2025–05/30/2025) — approved (unanimous roll call).

8) Public hearing: City budget for FY2025–26 — informational public hearing only (no vote at hearing); council later approved formal budget resolutions under separate agenda items.

9) Water-treatment chemical bids: award low bids with one staff-recommended substitution for item 4 — approved as amended (unanimous roll call).

10) Road materials bids (rock, sand, asphalt) — approved (roll call: Dan Hall recorded a No on the item; other members Yes; item passed).

11) Concrete materials: award to Muskogee Ready Mix — approved (unanimous roll call).

12) Master sales & license agreement with RouteWare Inc. (sanitation routing/optimization), not to exceed $7,076,115.84 — approved (unanimous roll call). See full article.

13) Renewal: construction inspection services agreement with Great Plains Consulting (monthly fee up to $13,006.70; not-to-exceed $500,000 included in contract language) — approved (unanimous roll call).

14) Final payment to Ascend Commercial Builders for Grandview Park, $20,000 — approved (unanimous roll call); project ~$1.5 million and completed; some parking-lot repairs deferred.

15) Equipment purchase: Caterpillar compact track loader (skid steer) for Hatbox Event Park, $74,031 — approved (unanimous roll call).

16) Muskogee Municipal Authority (MMA) claims — approved (unanimous roll call).

17) MMA budget adoption (Resolution No. 30-32) — approved (unanimous roll call).

18) Muskogee Redevelopment Authority (MRA) budget adoption (Resolution No. 30-34) — approved (unanimous roll call).

19) Joint MRA/City resolution authorizing preliminary term sheet for TIF note issuance and related professional agreements (Increment District No. 3; Shawnee Avenue economic development) — approved (majority; Jamie Stout recorded No on related MRA motion).

20) City Council: ordinance amending War Memorial Park Trust trustee terms from 3 to 5 years (Ordinance No. 42-65A) — approved (Dan Hall recorded No; motion passed).

21) City budget adoption (Resolution No. 30-31) — approved (unanimous roll call).

22) Resolution requesting annexation of remaining John T. Griffin Industrial Park parcels (Resolution No. 30-30) — approved (majority; Jamie Stout recorded No). See full article.

23) Transfer of unused drug-forfeiture funds ($7,000) to Neighbors Building Neighborhoods prevention program — approved (roll-call: Deputy mayor Derek Reed abstained; others Yes).

24) Renewal: school resource officer contract with Hilldale Public Schools — approved (unanimous roll call).

25) City of Muskogee Foundation appointments (Eric Wells; Tony Corbel) — approved (unanimous roll call).

26) Appointment of Councilor Mike Brawley to Eastern Oklahoma Development District Board (3-year term) — approved (Mike Brawley abstained from vote on his own appointment; others Yes).

27) Historic Preservation Commission appointment (Stacy Alexander) — approved (unanimous roll call).

28) Executive-session authorizations: multiple labor negotiations (AFSCME, P.O.P., IAFF) and economic-development incentives (two projects) — council authorized continuation of negotiations and incentive proposals as discussed in executive session; a pending tort-claim settlement was also authorized in executive session.

Notes and next steps: Where staff recommended further negotiation or contract execution, council authorized the city manager to finalize terms. Annexation requires statutory publication and a follow-up public hearing; TIF and economic-development incentives will require additional documentation and potential foundation consent that staff said they will return to council to finalize.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Works - June 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council approved a range of routine and substantive items June 9, including procurement contracts, final payments on street and park projects, appointments and the annexation of remaining parcels in John T. Griffin Industrial Park; several items were unanimous, a few drew dissent or abstentions.","taxTitle","City of Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma","taxId",62213,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6206227,"Muskogee approves RouteWare contract to optimize sanitation routing, tracking at roughly $7.08 million",257,2139000,2396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f&start=2139&end=2396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f/thumbnail_2139000.jpg","/articles/6206227/Oklahoma/Muskogee-approves-RouteWare-contract-to-optimize-sanitation-routing-tracking-at-roughly-708-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206227-ebe7d95bfbc1f4dd961a074a86fed0fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013361&Signature=JNhYEh~Q-WPvN5JJsYLpaBSacCrrcJ~1RRL5EbTNieQzttxDkUxlXkZ6vBuQ4WhJjlb~i3IhC9xy7k-LTZs~SDSMeSYdY3txm4MVeyZGUkAya68JDChGJa~IH3On7EvhfJM0i2NnPgtzKfzEZnRSZDA0aHCtvNY62Bar2DiEKlS~1R1c5tym5eTa3-La8l5fChrU8NUCcvNm4SV0p4n7yNZu0Zam-3UnkX8ECSTwo81f~3MOQv2YacxTd249ZcAFgjTj52SGyf7BVdSfqMSVNdTsVWshNItkjB8Mt6KNsgeACZ~DfBxvQZXSSHKLp8H6mOJUc~2aGMITAWqhg-bZ2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Muskogee approved a master sales and license agreement with RouteWare Inc. on June 9 to expand and upgrade the sanitation department’s routing, GPS tracking and service-verification software, with contract authority not to exceed $7,076,115.84.

Public works staff described RouteWare as a tool the city has been using since implementing automated trash service and said the city intends to buy an optimized module that uses AI-assisted route optimization, scheduling and built-in GPS to reduce travel time and improve service verification. “At its core, RouteWare is a service verification system to make sure we’re servicing our customers the way we should,” said a public-works presenter during the meeting.

Presenters told the council RouteWare already helps managers monitor drivers, flag missed collections with time-stamped photos, and reduce fuel and wear by cutting extra return trips. The software also produces dashboards showing route progress, idle time, vehicle speeds and service exceptions. Staff said the optimized module will help time routes with landfill trips and reduce operational costs over time while improving documentation for customer calls.

The contract passed on a roll call vote. City staff emphasized that the purchase is intended to improve efficiency, provide evidence to resolve service complaints more quickly and support sanitation crews through better scheduling and training tools. The vendor pricing and final contract language will be negotiated and executed by the city manager subject to the authorized not-to-exceed amount.","Council approved a master sales and license agreement with RouteWare Inc., enabling route optimization, GPS tracking and service-verification features for city sanitation operations; staff said the upgrade will improve efficiency and accountability.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6206232,"Council approves annexation of remaining John T. Griffin Industrial Park after heated public comments from Polaris employees",5031,3179000,8210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f&start=3179&end=8210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f/thumbnail_3179000.jpg","/articles/6206232/Oklahoma/Council-approves-annexation-of-remaining-John-T-Griffin-Industrial-Park-after-heated-public-comments-from-Polaris-employees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206232-846bf99f3142c78e89e226a6a08db7d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013361&Signature=jWS35OKPbvHR2yc6QekfwmITtdAUSm03p3h3iKVDfTDZcYSkhgycRMM4xmjaLloBV2ksNW9s9NAJGOO2VL2pRFUqQ39P7aNiSo2hKbhVT~JJejjwCAAvOOk808YzELc2tHVn87MUxKzV8-fPeYWCjGCt9HS7DVUP5vhfhFmM3CIFfX9w3AAJlzeXBKSu7MIFNAcyWGu5ca20D2kzLPbJCUaN57ZFubnbxEIyGnZXmfiZWcFbM1nf-njH9cMB~QF-1Rtsy1w-lrjRtG4THJOqixCZcsZ1Di0yGxjX6~0l7cYZRqF7tL8S40aaIT7fa2ICcyI9Egb3IS8doCcjXKtP1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Muskogee City Council voted June 9 to proceed with annexation of the remaining parcels in the John T. Griffin Industrial Park, a decision that prompted extended public comment from Polaris employees who warned a proposed 3% electrical franchise fee tied to annexation could force layoffs.

Councilors voted to direct staff to proceed with the annexation process after a lengthy public record that included employees, residents and industry representatives. The final roll call showed the measure carried with a majority in favor and one recorded dissent.

Several Polaris employees and community members spoke at the hearing, saying the company has been an important local employer. Anna Stewart, identifying herself as a Polaris employee, said, “Polaris has been more than just an employer to me. It has been a lifeline to me and my family,” and urged the council to consider the impact on workers and families. Jonathan DeMario, another Polaris employee, told the council that the company’s local payroll supports households and that an added franchise fee could jeopardize future hires, noting planned investment and growth.

Representatives for Polaris and allied speakers asked the council to pause or to negotiate directly with the company before annexation proceeded. Dan Chipkaskos, speaking for Polaris, asked the council to “tap the brakes,” arguing the city should engage the company and evaluate the fiscal consequences before advancing action.

Port Director Kimber Scott and city staff said annexation has been part of long-range plans for the park and that prior tracts inside the park were previously annexed. Scott told the council, “Annexation has always been the plan,” and said the park is already served by city utilities and that exclusion of the remaining parcels would create inconsistencies across tenants.

The council’s action authorizes staff to move forward with the annexation process, which includes publishing statutorily required notices and setting a public hearing date. City staff and the Port of Muskogee said they expect infrastructure work and development activity in the park to continue, and that future draws of TIF or other funds will be brought back for council approval.

The annexation vote was among the most closely watched items of the meeting. Public commenters urged deliberation and direct talks between the city and Polaris about any proposed franchise fees and their effects on employment. The council’s motion carried; council members said they hoped the city and private partners would continue negotiating to mitigate unintended consequences for workers.","The City of Muskogee voted to annex six remaining parcels in the John T. Griffin Industrial Park on June 9 despite public pleas from Polaris employees and residents who warned a 3% franchise fee could force layoffs; Port officials said annexation was long planned.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6206238,"Muskogee presents balanced FY2026 budget; officials warn revenue dip and CIP risk",600,1240000,1840000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f&start=1240&end=1840","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3764585-58d0b9d60ad96e25e80d0896f3bcf76f/thumbnail_1240000.jpg","/articles/6206238/Oklahoma/Muskogee-presents-balanced-FY2026-budget-officials-warn-revenue-dip-and-CIP-risk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6206238-a3255e082af0baf239f4f633d1de8676/orig.mp4?Expires=1771013361&Signature=kEfLvQrnS~GqG-1MNWv1fukdsjJMp1FTCGILMm-HjeJUa-NhmttM9C9pxDMcCqUiDvOpSCvDjp7QJ-ZOKjGLdH9lECu77-srScWDrahGZl6eFmVQt6udw07675hGbgmSHq3WTR~42Pyn7HTKoho1V8sjre6S7mPsV90aLbwqc~q-RVncxeT0TV-GTOshZXdyECtWQhsCoPc~ThCgbPkwebOayFQVDD-ONTx8AAjxvmq-y3s2tVstjSEqVC5nNbfVk~2w5Lr2FOsWWhRrZjX-k0Uagl1GiuJ49ixSkFJdO4CYR8IhY7~XRSjr6~9jqsEXy2TIXATfh7soogapO2agqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Dennis Reid presented a balanced City of Muskogee budget for fiscal year 2025–26 at a June 9 public hearing, telling the council the administration projects a modest revenue decline and that the city’s reserve remains above its 20% target.

Reid said the administration prepared the budget after trimming general fund requests from about $45.6 million to roughly $44.3 million and that staff projected about a $300,000 drop in general-fund revenue for FY26. “For today, we’re gonna present a balanced budget,” Reid said during the presentation.

The budget presentation laid out the city’s key strategic initiatives — streets and infrastructure, public image, economic development, housing and tourism — and explained fund-specific assumptions. Reid told the council he expects sales-tax receipts to be below prior budget levels and noted a $600,000 decrease in use-tax revenue could occur “if the 2025 CIP does not pass.” He also reported that the city’s reserve had dipped to 20.65% after using some one-time funds this year, still just above the 20% target.

Reid walked the council through several enterprise and restricted funds. The civic center will receive a $300,000 general-fund subsidy in the proposed budget and capital items including a truss set and two winch sets. Economic development is funded primarily by use tax and includes $1.5 million in transfers with roughly $900,000 earmarked for general operations and $500,000 for ports-related projects. Reid said capital requests totaled about $5 million but the city estimated only $1.5 million in new capital funding would be available for FY26.

Reid highlighted the city’s conservative budgeting principles — statutory compliance, balance, use of current revenues and preserving long-term fiscal health — and noted that staff had already pared many requests during development of the proposal. He closed by inviting council questions and reminding the public the full budget book is posted online for review. No action was taken at the hearing; the council later advanced separate resolutions to adopt budgets for the city and related authorities.

The hearing included brief council remarks of appreciation for staff work and confirmed the item was informational that night. The council will consider formal budget adoption actions at later agenda items and public meetings.","City staff presented a balanced fiscal 2025–26 budget at a June 9 public hearing, reporting a modest revenue decline, reserves above policy minimums and a $600,000 use-tax risk tied to the CIP vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

At a glance: Muskogee council approvals June 9 — contracts, payments, appointments and annexation

Muskogee approves RouteWare contract to optimize sanitation routing, tracking at roughly $7.08 million

Council approves annexation of remaining John T. Griffin Industrial Park after heated public comments from Polaris employees

Muskogee presents balanced FY2026 budget; officials warn revenue dip and CIP risk