Owasso Council approves FY2025–26 budget, several contracts, road project amendments and a drone first-responder system

The Owasso City Council on Monday adopted its fiscal year budget and approved a package of routine and project-specific items, including multiple budget amendments, a sole-source purchase of a drone first-responder (DFR) system, a community-garden lease, a planned-unit development for a 141‑unit subdivision, and construction contracts for street rehabilitation and a parks maintenance office.

The council adopted resolution 2025-04 adopting the FY2025–26 budget as presented and approved supplemental budget amendments and transfers to reflect higher-than-anticipated revenues and grant transfers. Staff described the amendments as procedural and required under the Municipal Budget Act to ensure authorized transfers and appropriations. Among the amendments: $850,000 to the general fund for excess sales tax transfers; $140,000 to the tax-increment financing fund; $19,800 for ambulance billing-related expenses; and $2,016,828 for federal-grant fund transfers to the Owasso Public Works Authority.

Public safety equipment: the council authorized a sole-source purchase of a Paladin DFR system with cellular remote-control and ADS‑B airspace monitoring, presented as a way to reduce launch delays and give earlier aerial situational awareness to first responders. Staff presented a total purchase price of $107,000 for two drones, docking stations, software and one year of service, and said recurring licensing and maintenance payments are expected at about $49,000 per year.

Land and development: the council approved a five-year lease (renewable) of a 0.23-acre former water-tank site to the nonprofit OK Community Roots for a community garden at an annual fee of $10; the lease requires liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 and allows the city to terminate with 60 days’ written notice if the property is needed for public improvements. The council also adopted Ordinance 12-35 approving a planned-unit development (PUD) for Owasso Trails, a proposed single-family neighborhood of up to 150 units with a conceptual plan showing 141 dwelling units, trails, and a nature-preserve area.

Contracts and construction: staff recommended and council approved the following awards and amendments: a $332,992 contract to Holbrook Asphalt LLC (single responsive bidder) for the 2025 high-density mineral-bond street rehabilitation program; a $1,369,000 contract to Magnum Construction for the parks maintenance office project after the apparent low bidder withdrew; and Amendment No. 6 to the BKL Inc. engineering contract in the amount of $70,000 for design revisions on the E. 90th Street project. Councilors framed the pavement decision (concrete vs. asphalt) as a tradeoff of upfront cost versus long-term life.

City employment: the council ratified an employment agreement for City Attorney Julie Lombardi for the period 07/01/2025–06/30/2026; staff said the second year of a previously approved two‑year agreement reflected an updated annual salary amount as presented in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance (motions and recorded votes shown as recorded in the meeting transcript): - Consent agenda: motion to approve; recorded votes in transcript: Councilor Chad Balthrop — Yes; Vice Mayor Bridal Dunn — Yes; Councilor Cody Walter — Yes; (other councilors recorded as Yes in transcript). Outcome: approved. - Appointments to citizen boards and committees (Item 8): motion to approve; recorded votes: Balthrop — Yes; Dunn — Yes; Walter — Yes; Preger — Yes. Outcome: approved. - Ratification of City Attorney employment agreement (Item 9): motion presented; recorded votes in transcript include affirmative votes by council members; outcome: approved. - Budget amendments (Item 10) and supplemental appropriations (Item 11, Resolution 2025-04 adopting FY2025–26 budget): motions to approve; council recorded affirmative votes; outcome: approved. - Purchase of Paladin DFR drone first-responder system (Item 12): staff recommendation for sole-source authorization in the amount of $107,000; council discussion on warranty, recurring costs and AI/autonomous features preceded a recorded vote; outcome: approved (recorded votes in transcript: multiple yes votes, one recorded no). - Lease to OK Community Roots for community garden (Item 13): motion to approve; recorded votes: Balthrop — Yes; Dunn — Yes; Walter — Yes; Frigier (mayor) — Yes. Outcome: approved. - Ordinance 12-35, Owasso Trails PUD (Item 14): motion to adopt; Planning Commission recommended approval 3–0; recorded council votes: affirmative. Outcome: approved. - Amendment No. 6 to BKL engineering agreement (Item 15): motion to approve $70,000 amendment; recorded votes: affirmative. Outcome: approved. - 2025 High-Density Mineral Bond street rehabilitation (Item 16): bid award to Holbrook Asphalt LLC, $332,992; recorded votes: affirmative. Outcome: awarded. - Parks maintenance office contract (Item 17): award to Magnum Construction, $1,369,000; recorded votes: affirmative. Outcome: awarded.

Why it matters: the budget and contract approvals move multiple capital projects and public-safety capabilities forward, while the drone system raises recurring-cost and privacy questions staff acknowledged. The PUD and lease decisions shape near-term development and open-space use in Owasso.

What the council directed next: no item recorded in the transcript requiring immediate referral back for additional council action; staff answered several council questions during presentations and noted recurring costs and construction sequencing where relevant.