Pryor Creek council declares city a disaster area after Feb. 18 severe weather

Pryor Creek — The Pryor Creek City Council voted Feb. 18 to declare the city a disaster area following severe winter weather beginning Feb. 18, 2025, and directed implementation of city and county emergency operations plans.

The proclamation, read into the record during the meeting, said severe weather “causing 0 known fatalities and 0 injuries with considerable damage to public and private properties” began Feb. 18 and that the conditions “constitute a threat to the safety and welfare of the city” under section 683.3 of the Oklahoma Emergency Act of 02/2003 as amended. The proclamation directs local emergency plans to be implemented to protect public health and provide relief.

The emergency declaration was introduced after council members discussed the ongoing effects of accumulation and melting snow and the need for a formal authorization so expenses and relief efforts would be covered if costs are later claimed. Council members referenced a recommendation from Chase McBride and said Johnny Jensen had raised the matter and drafted the proposed proclamation.

The council approved the proclamation by vote of the members present. After the proclamation vote, the council adjourned the meeting and said remaining agenda items would be scheduled for the next available date.

Votes at a glance: The council also approved routine consent items earlier in the meeting. The payroll purchase orders through Feb. 28, 2025, and the claims/purchase orders through Feb. 18, 2025, were moved and seconded and carried. Council members noted one purchase order for a refund to the golf account that had been paid to a council member would be pulled for review the next morning; one member said they would abstain from that specific purchase order pending verification of signatures.

Quotations in the meeting included the proclamation language as read into the record by the presiding official: “Now, therefore, the City of Pryor do hereby declare [the city] to be a disaster area entitled to aid, relief, and assistance, and do hereby direct the implementation of city county emergency operations plans.” The council did not record any fatalities or injuries in the proclamation reading.

Background and next steps: Council members said the declaration would cover the period beginning Feb. 18 and would permit the city and Mayes County to coordinate emergency response and accounting for expenses. Staff members and council said they would follow up on the pulled purchase order to confirm signatures and avoid a conflict on approval of that single payment. No specific dollar amounts or time-limited end date for the proclamation were specified in the meeting record.

The council identified Councilwoman Bradshaw and other council members as voting in the affirmative; Councilman Gauthier was noted as absent earlier in the meeting because of a fire at his church and family matters.

The meeting record shows the council called for follow-up and indicated the remainder of the agenda would be handled at the next available meeting date.