Jenks council formalizes utility easement closure, schedules executive session and hears downtown plan update

The Jenks City Council voted to adopt Ordinance 1676, a formal utility easement closure for part of Bentley Ranch located south of 131st Street and east of Elm, after staff said the council had already approved the underlying action at a prior meeting but the ordinance text was omitted from that packet.

"This item was already approved previously, last meeting and in the whole excitement of getting it on the agenda, we forgot the ordinance," said Mrs. Hilton, the staff presenter, asking the council to adopt the ordinance to formalize the earlier decision. Council members moved and seconded the measure and approved it by roll call.

Council also moved and voted unanimously to enter an executive session to discuss the potential purchase of real property described in the meeting as either land near Riverfront Drive and Aquarium Place or the parcel at 1855 North Ash Street in Jenks. The presiding officer said the matter had been discussed previously and expected the executive session to be brief; no further details or staff directions were recorded in the public portion of the meeting.

Earlier in the meeting staff provided an informational update on the downtown master plan. Mrs. Hilton and consultants told council members that consultants had met the contract benchmarks and that the document remains a draft intended to solicit public and council input before a recommendation to the Planning Commission and a future council action. Staff asked interested parties to send detailed comments with the subject line "downtown master plan" so they can be forwarded to the consultants.

The council approved its consent agenda at the start of the meeting. After the council adjourned, the Jenks Public Works Authority convened, approved its consent agenda and heard brief operations updates, including a public-works announcement that the intersection at 121st and Elm is scheduled to be painted over two days using phased operations and is expected to be fully open by Friday.

Animal-welfare staff highlighted shelter operations at the start of the meeting: ACO Jordan Simmons introduced "Phantom," described as about 1 to 2 years old, and said six dogs currently are available for adoption; adoption fees were being waived, vaccinations were up to date and the city would cover spay/neuter costs.

The council closed the public portion of its meeting at about 6:52 p.m. and the PWA portion adjourned about three minutes later; no final public action on property acquisition was recorded in the public minutes. The council indicated follow-up steps would be determined after the executive session.