Votes at a glance: Altus council approves water deals, equipment purchases, IAFF agreement and surplus disposals

Here are the formal actions taken in open session at the Altus City Council/Authority meeting and key details recorded on the agenda.

Mountain Park groundwater financing (authority and city companion resolutions) - What: Authority resolution 2025-15 and city resolution 2025-16 approving documents that secure Mountain Park Master Conservancy District’s planned $15,350,000 OWRB promissory note. The city amended the security language to explicitly include electric revenues as part of the pledge. - Outcome: Approved (authority and city companion resolutions adopted). - Key details: Project financing contingent on OWRB approval; estimated capacity about 4,000,000 gpd when complete; estimated Altus annual payment ~$915,000 if only Altus participates, ~$752,000 if Frederick and Snyder join.

Hydrant-meter deposit fee (Resolution 2025-17) - What: Amendment to the centralized fee schedule to increase the deposit for fire-hydrant meter rentals from $2,000 to $4,000. - Outcome: Approved (resolution adopted).

Lead-service-line removal contract - What: Authorization to contract to remove lead service lines throughout the city using a loan program; staff noted some loan forgiveness is expected and the contract covers service-line removal into homes. - Outcome: Approved (motion carried).

Irrigation-district water allocation (ratification) - What: Ratification of an agreement with the irrigation district for the city’s 2025 allocation of 4,800 acre-feet of water; staff and councilmembers negotiated the agreement and agreed to form a committee to work on future solutions. - Outcome: Ratified. Vote recorded with one abstention (Councilmember Austin Leverett).

Capital equipment and vehicle purchases (state and Sourcewell contracts) - 2026 Ford F-450 crew cab for Water/Sewer maintenance — Billingsley Ford of Altus — not to exceed $59,868. Approved. - Sourcewell/DPW Ford F-550 telescopic aerial device truck for Electric Department — $208,100. Approved. - New landfill compactor under state contract SM10-20 for Altus City Landfill — $901,764. Approved. - Ford F-450 crew cab for Street Department under state contract — $59,868. Approved.

Other capital and maintenance actions - Final pay application: Accept completion and issue final payment of $29,555.52 to Welded Construction for overflow parking at the city pool. Approved. - Elevated water storage tank (Northwest Altus): Council granted a 15-day extension to the bid-review period to confirm grant funding and evaluate bids. Approved. - EOC equipment: Declared antiquated equipment as surplus and authorized the city manager to dispose of items. Approved.

Executive session outcomes (labor and litigation) - What: The council convened in executive session under 25 O.S. § 307(B)(2) (labor negotiations) and § 307(B)(4) (confidential attorney-client communications regarding a pending claim/contract with Thompson’s Pool and Spa Center). - Actions in open session following executive session: (1) Motion approved to adopt the agreement with IAFF Local 2749 as discussed in executive session. Vote recorded with one abstention (Councilmember Sally Maines). (2) Motion approved to authorize the city attorney to proceed with the course of action discussed in executive session; that motion passed with recorded yes votes.

How votes were recorded: The meeting transcript records roll-call responses for each item. Where the transcript recorded an abstention, it is noted above; other items were recorded as approved by the council or authority in open session.

Items not detailed here: The consent agenda and trustee reports were approved without substantive discussion and are summarized on the meeting agenda.