Inola trustees approve $75,000 INCOG/REAP grant, accept resignations and authorize property negotiations

The Inola Town Board of Trustees met Jan. 26, 2026, at Town Hall and approved a series of grants, personnel changes and planning steps, including acceptance of a $75,000 INCOG/REAP grant and direction for staff to negotiate a possible property purchase adjacent to Town Hall.

The meeting opened at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Darlene Shear calling the meeting to order and roll called by the town clerk. The board approved the previous meeting minutes after a motion by Trustee Larry Grigg and a second from Mayor Darlene Shear; two trustees abstained and two voted yes, and the motion carried.

Why it matters: The INCOG/REAP grant provides restricted funding that the board can direct toward regional projects and local capital needs; the vote to pursue purchase negotiations could affect town property adjacent to a nursing home and may lead to future budget or planning decisions.

Key actions and outcomes

- Grant acceptance: Mayor Darlene Shear moved to accept the $75,000 INCOG/REAP grant for 2025–2026; the motion, seconded by Trustee Dan Corle, passed unanimously. The transcript records the grant amount as $75,000.

- Personnel changes: The board accepted Town Clerk Jayce Springer’s resignation effective Jan. 31, 2026, and accepted Trustee Dean Tyler’s resignation effective Jan. 22, 2026. Trustees voted to appoint successors to serve until the next municipal election; those appointments were authorized by motions and approved unanimously, but the transcript does not record the names of interim appointees.

- Executive session and property direction: Under 25 O.S. Section 307(B)(3) the trustees entered executive session at 6:12 p.m. to discuss appraisal of and possible purchase of real property located between Town Hall and the nursing home. After returning from executive session at 6:22 p.m., Trustee Dan Corle moved that Town Administrator Scott Devers and the town attorney negotiate with the homeowners; the motion was seconded by Mayor Shear and approved unanimously. The motion directed staff to negotiate but did not record a completed purchase or purchase price.

- Boards and emergency planning: The board appointed Crystal Lusk and Brittany Stevens to the Cemetery Board effective Jan. 26, 2026. Trustees accepted the Rogers County Emergency Response Plan and approved the FEMA 2025 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Resolution, both by unanimous votes.

- Staffing and operations: The trustees approved converting the police and fire administration clerk position to part-time effective Feb. 1, 2026, citing a reduction in duties. The board also authorized the Town Treasurer to open a debit card account with RCB.

Public Works Authority (PWA) session

The Inola Public Works Authority met in conjunction with the trustees at 6:27 p.m. The PWA discussed water rates after Rural Water District No. 2 increased its charge to the town by six cents per 1,000 gallons and approved purchase orders as initialed. The PWA returned to regular session at 6:29 p.m.

Quote: Mayor Darlene Shear thanked staff, saying, "Thank the PWA and Police department for the amazing work they did during the storm."

Votes at a glance (selected motions recorded in the transcript)

- Approve previous meeting minutes: mover Larry Grigg; second Darlene Shear; vote Grigg yes, Redden abstain, Corle abstain, Shear yes; outcome: approved. - Allow Town Treasurer to set up debit card account with RCB: mover Darlene Shear; second Mark Redden; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Accept INCOG/REAP grant ($75,000): mover Darlene Shear; second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Accept resignation of Town Clerk Jayce Springer (effective Jan. 31, 2026): mover Darlene Shear; second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Appoint successor to serve as Town Clerk until next municipal election: mover Dan Corle; second Mark Redden; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Accept resignation of Town Trustee Dean Tyler (effective Jan. 22, 2026): mover Dan Corle; second Darlene Shear; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Appoint successor to serve as Town Trustee until next municipal election: mover Dan Corle; second Mark Redden; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Enter executive session (25 O.S. §307(B)(3)) at 6:12 p.m.: mover Darlene Shear; second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Return from executive session at 6:22 p.m.: mover Darlene Shear; second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Authorize town administrator and town attorney to negotiate property purchase: mover Dan Corle; second Darlene Shear; vote unanimous; outcome: direction given (no purchase finalized). - Appoint Crystal Lusk to Cemetery Board (effective 1/26/2026): mover Darlene Shear; second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Appoint Brittany Stevens to Cemetery Board (effective 1/26/2026): mover Darlene Shear; second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Accept Rogers County Emergency Response Plan: mover Dan Corle; second Mark Redden; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Approve FEMA 2025 Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Resolution: mover Dan Corle; second Mark Redden; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - Convert police and fire administration clerk to part-time effective Feb. 1, 2026: mover Darlene Shear; second Mark Redden; vote unanimous; outcome: approved. - PWA: discuss water rates and approve purchase orders as initialed: mover(s) Mark Redden (purchase orders), second Dan Corle; vote unanimous; outcome: approved.

What the record does not show

The transcript does not record the names of any interim appointees to fill the clerk or trustee vacancies, nor does it record a signed purchase agreement or price for the property between Town Hall and the nursing home. Funding details for how the INCOG/REAP grant will be spent were not specified in the transcript.

Next steps

Town staff were directed to begin negotiation with property owners; any future purchase, budget amendment or ordinance would require subsequent board action. The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.