Council proclaims Fair Housing Month, Week of the Young Child and Red Dirt Music Week

At the April 7 meeting the Stillwater City Council issued three proclamations: April 2025 as Fair Housing Month, April 5–11, 2025 as the Week of the Young Child, and April 2025 as Red Dirt Music Week.

Mayor William Joyce read the Fair Housing Month proclamation citing the “national policy of fair housing without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, familial status, sexual orientation and handicap,” and said the city is committed to supporting the Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) through education and programs. A representative from the Housing Authority of the City of Stillwater thanked the council and said staff conduct annual training and maintain landlord and resident relationships.

Kai Butcher, president of the Early Childhood Coalition of Stillwater, accepted the Week of the Young Child proclamation and said the coalition serves nearly 5,000 children in Payne County and aims to promote access to high-quality early care and education. Retired pediatrician Amy Harden and coalition treasurer Lisa Khandiff were also present.

The mayor read a proclamation recognizing Red Dirt Music Week and invited artists to the podium. Musicians and local music leaders — including members associated with Cross Canadian Ragweed, the Red Dirt Rangers and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame — briefly addressed the council and thanked the city while noting the genre’s local cultural significance. Councilors noted the music community’s fundraising and benefit concerts following recent local tragedy.

These items were ceremonial proclamations and required no council votes or formal action beyond the readings and acknowledgments.