Cross-country cycle race to bring visitors to town in April

The city is going to pick up around $4,000 for the use of Nichols Park next month. An agreement signed Tuesday night with the Oklahoma Cross Country Racing Association (OCCRA) will allow that group to hold a two-day event. "We are going to get 50 percent of the net race proceeds," said mayor Jennifer Clason. That includes entry fees and vehicle charges. The city had the option of settling for a $3,000 flat fee but opted for the event split.
The OCCRA conducts timed races over natural terrain courses. In other parts of the state, they range from five to 15 miles for both motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. The races will be held April 15 and 16 and some 3,000 people are expected to attend. City officials will be closing the park due to the large number of visitors and contestants. The event will be held at the site of the Henryetta Off-Road Track and Trails area. Interim city manager Donna White told the council the city picked up $1,316 in use fees from the trail area this past month. "This is a good deal," said councilman Ronnie Duke. "People will be coming here and buying gas and food."
Council members renewed a resolution backing development of the former Fountainhead resort property on Lake Eufaula. Belinda Hicks, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) tribal administration, said the tribe is in the process of getting the property gain Indian trust status. If that comes about, the tribe wants to build a gaming facility on the property.
"We need the support letters," Hicks said. "We tried several years ago but didn't complete the package." The tribe is facing a mid-April deadline to get the paperwork finished. She said similar resolutions of support have come from the town of Eufaula, Lake Eufaula Authority, and Okmulgee chamber of commerce. The Fountainhead lodge structure was torn down in 2008. Originally a 185-room rest, it was built by the state in 1965 at a cost of $9 million. After the state defaulted on bond payments, it was closed and taken over by the federal government in 1985. The following year, the property was sold to investors for $2.6 million but never developed. Henryetta council members approved an earlier resolution in 2005 backing the trim efforts. The council awarded a $39,700 bid to Benchmark Enterprises to complete the splash pad at McCutcheon Park. Benchmark is expected to start work next month and be completed before Memorial Day. Also approved on the project was a bid of $6,680 for parts and material by Sisson Plumbing. This week, crews have been getting the concrete block bathroom facility completed. White said the town is waiting for DEQ approval before work can start on the million-gallon water storage tank. Clason said she met with Eastern Oklahoma Development District (EODD) to get a $450,000 grant to help with that project. "It must be submitted in six weeks," she said. City officials are getting bids for trash service. "We are waiting on a bid from Center Pointe Landfill," she said in a report to the council. Center Pointe is the current trash vendor but that contract ends March 31. She said the city now spends $8,000 a month but that rate is expected to go up. Stone Horse Construction, who services Okmulgee, submitted a bid of $6.75 per cubic yard and $1.25 per ton solid waste fee. She said that would come out to about $12,000 monthly. A lawsuit against the city filed last year by Dustin Palmer was said to have been dismissed. That lawsuit stemmed from an incident in 2014 when Palmer was struck by a taser dart fired by police. One of the darts struck him in the eye. According to court records, the lawsuit was dismissed March 9, 2016. Click here to see the meeting video