Wagoner council approves budget amendments, plats and property purchase; withholds street payment amid contractor dispute

The Wagoner City Council on Nov. 3 approved a slate of routine bills and development items, adopted a budget amendment incorporating unanticipated grant and donation revenue, and approved land purchases and plats intended to support public safety and affordable housing — but the council also voted to withhold payment on a disputed street-rehabilitation payout until subcontractor and delay issues are resolved.

Mayor Dalton opened the meeting and presented a proclamation recognizing Serena Lang Day for her decades of teaching children and adults to fish. In his report, the mayor said discussions with the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) indicated a likely rate increase that could raise the city’s bill by an estimated $30,000–$45,000 per month during peak months and that the city is coordinating food-distribution and SNAP outreach, including a ride hotline at (918) 640-2734 for residents needing transport to meal sites.

Council approved several contractor pay applications and invoices after staff recommendations. Among them, the council approved pay application No. 1 (final) from Lone Hickory Cattle LLC for $173,974 for a 48-inch bore at the Union Pacific tracks (WAG‑19‑01A), and approved pay application No. 4 from Darris (Darus) Contractors LLC for $134,968.40 for the wastewater treatment-plant headworks (WAG‑23‑02). Council also approved an invoice of $2,085.20 for a CDBG-funded Bollinger Addition street rehabilitation invoice and an invoice of $52,680 for large drainage boxes delivered for a south-side drainage project.

On parks and facilities, council accepted the pickleball-court project as complete and approved a final contractor payout of $5,862.24 for WAG‑24‑07 Lincoln Park; staff noted the courts are complete though fencing remains a separate item.

Council approved zoning and planning items that will affect future commercial and housing development. The council rezoned the west 75 feet of a south 150-foot parcel (Lot 1, Block 313) from C‑1 to C‑3 to allow commercial retail use; the applicant told the council the existing structure will be remodeled and operate as a vape/smoke shop. Metro Planning & Zoning and development services recommended approval, and council approved the rezoning after staff confirmed required notices had been posted. The council also approved preliminary and final plats for the Dunlap Addition, clearing the way for Habitat for Humanity to build seven ownership homes on that parcel.

In a separate vote, council approved purchase of Lots 12 and 3 in Block 365 (property behind the Wagner Fire Station) for roughly $55,000 to site a new ambulance station and potentially a future police station; staff said funds for the purchase are budgeted.

Not all payments were approved. On the 2024 street-rehabilitation project (pay application No. 5 from Glover & Associates), staff reported subcontractor Cowboy Asphalt said it had not been paid, and the project was roughly 172 days overdue with a contract clause of $500 per day in liquidated damages. Counsel recommended withholding the pay application pending further discussions with contractors and staff; the council voted to deny payment until the outstanding issues are resolved. As staff explained, the next step is for city staff to contact the contractors and attempt to reconcile the unpaid material/supplier claim and the contractor’s timeline before releasing the disputed funds.

Personnel actions included ending probationary periods for multiple employees (listed in the packet) with effective dates noted in staff reports; council recorded the votes to confirm those personnel actions. The fire/EMS staff reported ongoing grant efforts to replace aging cardiac monitors and ventilators and noted new air packs and station maintenance updates.

What’s next: staff said they expect to schedule a special meeting to finalize a public-works contract that had not been ready for this agenda; the council adjourned at 7:02 p.m. The Wagoner Public Works Authority and other boards convened immediately afterward for their separate agendas.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (10/06/2025): approved (roll call). - Pay application No. 1 (final) — Lone Hickory Cattle LLC, $173,974 (WAG‑19‑01A): approved (roll call). - Pay application No. 4 — Darris/Darus Contractors LLC, $134,968.40 (WAG‑23‑02): approved (roll call). - Invoice #2979 — Eastern Oklahoma District (CDBG Bollinger Addition), $2,085.20: approved (roll call). - Invoice #036669 — DP Supply (drainage boxes), $52,680: approved (roll call). - Final payout — Eagle Eye/Ecolite Construction (pickleball courts), $5,862.24: approved (roll call). - Rezoning Lot 1, Block 313 from C‑1 to C‑3 (allow vape/smoke shop): approved (roll call). - Ordinance No. 984 — declared an emergency: approved (roll call). - Preliminary and final plats — Dunlap Addition (Habitat for Humanity, seven homes): both approved (roll calls). - Deny payment on pay application No. 5 (Glover & Associates) pending resolution of subcontractor/supplier claims and liquidated-damages issues: motion passed (roll call). - Purchase of Lots 12 & 3, Block 365 (behind fire station): approved (roll call).

Quotes and context from the meeting - On withholding a payment: “He’s recommending not to pay,” counsel said during discussion of the street project, describing the outstanding subcontractor and liquidated-damages issues. - On community food assistance: Mayor Dalton said the city is coordinating local meal distribution and added a ride hotline for residents needing transport, listing the number (918-640-2734).

Reporting notes and limits This article is drawn from the Nov. 3, 2025 meeting transcript. Vote outcomes, dollar amounts and project identifiers are reported as stated in council discussion and roll calls. If a specific individual vote was not read aloud with a name in the transcript, the outcome is reported as the official roll call result recorded in the meeting. Where staff discussed pending contractor claims and next steps, the council voted only to withhold payment pending resolution; the transcript does not record any final settlement or further enforcement action at this meeting.