Wagner council approves salary ordinance, park pavilions contract, fleet lease, hires and budget amendments

WAGNER, Okla. — The Wagner City Council and associated authorities completed a slate of routine and substantive actions at a Jan. 6 meeting, approving a salary ordinance for the city treasurer, contracts for park pavilions and water‑plant residuals removal, a vehicle lease for the police department, personnel hires and promotions, and budget amendments.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance No. 976 (city treasurer salary): approved. The ordinance applies a 3% cost‑of‑living increase consistent with adjustments the council approved for other elected and staff positions. The council discussed statutory duties of the treasurer, including daily deposits to designated depositories; the salary level set by the ordinance applies to the office for the next four years. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - Pavilions contract (Lincoln and Dunbar Parks) with Tektone Builders, $149,346: approved per the city engineer’s recommendation. The scope includes red‑iron pavilion structures with concrete pads; the bid was the sole responsive offer. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - Lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management for four 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles: approved. The lease will replace older vehicles and leave 2017 model vehicles for reserve/pool use. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - End probation for Police Department employee Jamie Powell and set pay at $21.71/hour: approved. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - Hire Jordan Lancaster as shop supervisor, $26.84/hour, effective Jan. 2, 2025: approved. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - Promote wastewater employee Brad Reeves to wastewater treatment plant supervisor, $28.60/hour, effective Jan. 6, 2025: approved. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - Contract with Sandyland Environmental LLC for water treatment plant residuals removal, $105,000: approved following formal bid process; two contractors submitted bids and Sandyland was lowest responsive bidder. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - EDA (Economic Development Authority) audit for fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 (Hood and Associates, CPAs): accepted. Council and authority members discussed a mortgage/note tied to a property sale; the sale did not close and the note remained outstanding at the audit date. (Outcome: accepted, roll call unanimous.) - EDA to sponsor Martin Luther King Day parade insurance (estimated cost about $380–$400): approved. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.) - Resolution No. 2501: budget amendments to transfer cash on hand to capital projects for fiscal year ending June 30, 2025: approved. (Outcome: approved, roll call unanimous.)

Discussion highlights Council members debated Ordinance No. 976 before voting. A council member noted that the city treasurer’s duties are set in state statute and include depositing receipts daily into depositories designated by the council; the council discussed whether the current pay level was appropriate in comparison to similar jurisdictions and asked clerks and staff about filing deadlines for election paperwork related to the office. A council member said the increase applied in the ordinance followed the same 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment used for other positions.

On the parks pavilion project, city engineering staff told councilors the Tektone bid included engineered drawings and a red‑iron building design; two other contractors did not submit bids. For the water treatment residuals removal, Infrastructure Solutions Group recommended Sandyland based on prior performance and the low bid.

Personnel items were introduced by department heads who recommended ending probation for Officer Jamie Powell and promoted Brad Reeves after certifying required plant licensing. The public works director said he recommended Jordan Lancaster for shop supervisor after interviews and early work identifying a maintenance/app scheduling tool the city plans to evaluate.

Record of formal actions All motions and ordinances taken at the meeting were approved by roll call vote with all council members present voting yes. The roll‑call list used in votes included: Higginbotham, Abernathy, Butler, North, Wagoner, Wright, Sampson and Wagner.

What the council asked staff to do next Councilors asked staff to confirm and provide documentation for: the treasurer salary and the statute language cited during debate; final contract documents for Tektone and Sandyland; the terms of the Enterprise lease; and a follow‑up report on any outstanding notes or property matters tied to the EDA audit. Several items referenced specific deadlines for filing and implementation (for example, election paperwork timelines) that staff said they would confirm.

The council adjourned after routine departmental reports and the Economic Development Authority meeting.