Wagoner council pauses decision on splash-pad grant amid questions over 10% match

The City of Wagoner council on Sept. 11 postponed any vote on grant applications tied to a proposed splash pad at Lincoln Park after members raised conflicting information about whether the city must provide a 10% match.

Speaker 3, an unidentified council member, said grant documents on file indicate the city would be "on the hook for 10%" of the project cost and that Wagoner lacks engineering estimates and budgeted funds to cover that obligation in the current fiscal year. "We don't have the funds," Speaker 3 said, noting roughly $27,000 remained in the city side of the budget and that a required match could create an unaffordable gap.

Speaker 5, who led the application effort and said the application was filed in April with help from Tanya, cited an email from "the chief" (Chief Hopkins) and told the council the chief had offered $150,000 as a contribution. "He wrote it ... stating that I know how much grant you asked for, but I'm giving you 150,000 free money and you don't have to pay it back, period," Speaker 5 said, describing the chief's communication as independent of the formal application.

Council members disagreed on whether that written communication supersedes language in the formal grant application. "This grant, it's in writing that we're on 10%," Speaker 3 said. Other members suggested some match costs might be met through in‑kind labor or donated materials, but council members pressed for clarity and supporting invoices before committing city resources.

Speakers also raised jurisdictional and administrative questions. Speaker 6 said parts of the community fall under Creek Nation jurisdiction, which can affect eligibility for Cherokee Nation programs; Speaker 2 and others said GRDA (the Grand River Dam Authority) and local grant administrators required invoices or estimates to process awards.

Rather than vote, the council asked that a representative from the Cherokee Nation or GRDA — Chief Hopkins, Taylor, Canaan, Duncan or another designated official — attend a future meeting or a special session to present full grant terms, explain whether the $150,000 is unrestricted, and confirm the city’s obligations. "We need all our ducks in a row," Speaker 6 said, urging a formal presentation and documentation.

The meeting concluded without approval of any grant application. Item 2 (adjournment) was moved, seconded and carried by roll call, and the special meeting ended pending the requested presentation from the funder or its representative.

What comes next: council members said they will invite a Cherokee Nation/GRDA representative to provide full documentation, obtain engineering estimates and then reconvene or schedule a special meeting if the funder’s fiscal year deadline requires faster action.