Votes at a glance: Del City Council approves sign code rewrite, Cantoritos alcohol permit, SRO renewals; GPS purchase and several routine items pass

Del City’s council and its municipal authorities handled a slate of votes on June 2, 2025 covering ordinances, interagency memorandums, contracts and routine minutes. Key outcomes included adoption of a new sign code, approval of a special‑use alcohol permit for a restaurant at 5501 Main Street, renewal of two school resource officer contracts, authorization of an emergency‑support memorandum with Tinker Air Force Base, and a GPS licensing purchase for the utility line maintenance fleet.

Why this matters: The actions affect business permitting and signage, public safety in local schools, interagency emergency coordination, and routine municipal operations.

Votes and key details

- Ordinance No. 1446 — Repeal and replace Chapter 18 (signs): Approved with modifications to extend the defined commercial corridor on Sunny Lane (from SE 20th to SE 44th/40th Street in discussion) to ensure consistent sign rules along the corridor; council later voted to declare an emergency so the ordinance takes effect immediately. Vote: unanimous aye on adoption; unanimous aye to declare emergency. (Motion recorded and seconded in the transcript.)

- Ordinance No. 1445 — Special use permit for on‑premises alcohol sales at 5501 Main Street, Suite 102 (Cantoritos / Cantarito's Tacos and Tequila): Approved. Planning staff and the applicant (owner Manuel present) described the business as a relocation from Penn Square Mall; council voted to adopt the ordinance. Vote: unanimous aye on the motion to approve.

- Renewal — School Resource Officer (SRO) contract with Mid‑Del Public Schools for Del City High School and Del City Middle School (07/01/2025–06/30/2026): Approved. The transcript records Mid‑Del Public Schools (listed as "Middale" in the transcript) will pay $145,000 for the contract period; Del City will pay remaining balance of officers’ salaries and benefits per collective bargaining terms. Vote: unanimous aye.

- Renewal — School Resource Officer (SRO) contract with Cristo Rey Catholic High School (07/01/2025–06/30/2026): Approved. Cristo Rey will pay $79,750 for the contract period; Del City will cover any remaining salary and benefit costs. Vote: unanimous aye.

- Memorandum of Understanding — U.S. Air Force, 72nd Air Base Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, and Del City Police Department (emergency support, law enforcement assistance, information sharing): Approved. Council and police leadership confirmed dispatch coordination and that Tinker dispatch will contact Del City dispatch when mutual aid is requested. Vote: unanimous aye.

- Memorandum of Understanding — Household hazardous waste collection with the City of Midwest City: Approved. (Council motion passed; staff recommended adoption.)

- Purchase — GPS tracking licenses for utility line maintenance vehicles (state contract SW1021CV): Approved by the Del City Municipal Services Authority; purchase of 15 GPS‑only gateway licenses not to exceed $4,906.80 for contract period 07/01/2025–06/30/2026; authorized chair or manager to sign necessary documents. Vote: unanimous aye.

- Minutes and routine approvals — Minutes for DCEDA (05/19/2025), DCMSA (05/19/2025) and City Council (05/19/2025) were approved; DCEDA and DCMSA motions passed as recorded.

- Reappointment — City attorney (Mueller Wheeler and Associates, PLLC): Reappointment approved for a 12‑month period; council praised the firm’s work. Vote: unanimous aye.

- Tabling — Items 16 and 17 were tabled by separate votes; the council recorded motions and carried each tabling vote.

What council members said: Council members and the mayor supported the sign code rewrite for corridor consistency and praised planning staff for expanding the ordinance’s scope. Multiple councilmembers spoke in favor of continued SRO support, praising individual officers’ school work. Planning and police staff answered procedural and operational questions during the votes.

What the actions mean: The new sign code (Ordinance 1446) and the emergency declaration make the updated regulations effective immediately; the Cantoritos special‑use permit clears the path for on‑premises alcohol sales at the specified Main Street suite pending standard business licensing and inspections. The SRO renewals contractually extend police presence in local schools for the 2025–26 school year with contributions from the school partners. The GPS license purchase funds tracking tools for utility maintenance vehicles for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025.

Speakers and staff on the record included Mayor Rhodes, Councilman Dean, Councilwoman Finch, Councilwoman Brown, Councilman Tatum, City Manager, Chief Burger, Planning staff (Andrew Myers) and Economic Development Director Kyle Gandy. The transcript also records community presentations (Najuma’s Filipino Cuisine recognized as June’s Dining in Del City) and multiple public‑comment items.

The council did not take up several agenda items (16 and 17) and tabled them for later consideration.