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Atoka council approves Talon Commercial Services quote for downtown stage, contingent on TOPS approval
Summary
The Atoka City Council voted unanimously to approve a Talon Commercial Services quote for a downtown stage project, contingent on approval through the TOPS purchasing process. The project price on record was $1,459,144.92; councilors agreed to cover a remaining funding gap from the city's school tax balance if necessary.
The Etobicoke/Atoka City Council voted unanimously to approve a quote from Talon Commercial Services for construction of a downtown stage, contingent on final approval through the TOPS purchasing review.
The stage vendor quote in the meeting packet was listed as $1,459,144.92. Council and staff discussed adding a 10 percent contingency for unforeseen changes; City Manager Danny Dealey said, “if it does wind up being a 10% … that would bring your total up” and noted staff would return later with a recommended contingency amount for formal approval. Dealey said existing grants and encumbered funds reduce the city’s exposure but that the project would still need an additional city contribution of about $492,021.94 unless other grants materialize.
Councilors approved using a portion of the school tax balance if needed; Dealey said the school tax balance was $11,359,341.70 and proposed pulling the necessary funds from that account. The council’s motion passed on a roll call with all members voting yes.
Why this matters: the stage is intended for concerts, movie nights and community events. Councilors and staff emphasized public access and low-cost community programming while acknowledging some events may require rental fees. Dealey and councilors said staff will draft rules and an operational plan for use and potential rentals.
Details and next steps: Dealey said the project would be processed through TOPS before any contract is finalized; he told council that TOPS staff must “review every little phase” and that final vendor/vendor paperwork must clear TOPS. He estimated construction would take roughly four to six months once started and said staff would return with a contingency authorization and a finalized funding plan if the TOPS review and internal approvals succeed.
Councilors discussed noise, hours and community access: one member asked whether nightlife would disturb nearby housing; staff replied the stage’s orientation directs sound west and that the facility should not require an oversized sound system for typical events. Council members said they plan to set operational limits such as earlier end times for concerts and other rules to address neighborhood concerns.
The motion to approve the Talon Commercial Services quote (contingent on TOPS review and return for any contingency authorization) passed unanimously.
