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

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.