City officials are waiting to see if asbestos will be an issue before either rehabilitating or demolishing the caretaker’s house at Nichols Park.
At the city council meeting Tuesday night, mayor Jennifer Munholland said test samples have been sent off and results were expected later in the week. As of Thursday morning those results had not been returned.
“We can’t do anything until those are completed,” she said. “We are game for anything that wants to be done. We want it to be safe and able to be used and structurally sound.”
About 20 people were on hand showing support for Steve Sanford who pointed out that the house was a part of the original park. He gave credit toward the congressman, Jack Nichols, for obtaining funding to complete the entire project.
“We want you (the city council) to see people care about it,” Sanford said. He pointed out the first step would be to get all the trash and debris out of the building. “We want to get the carpet out and see how bad the floor is, we want to take the breezeway back out and put it back the way like the National Parks intended for it to be.”
“The goal is to strip it back and see what we have,” said Michael Dickey. He made a motion to approve the project for a six month time frame to see what the house is like pending the return of the asbestos testing.
The issue of vandalism was brought up with Munholland pointing out, “there is graffiti out there every day. Nancy Wadley puts out decorations and they get stolen. Everybody says put cameras up but they steal them. Vandalism is going to occur until we can instill pride in everybody.”
The Henryetta Offroad Track and Trail area at Nichols Park will be used for Can-Am dealers to test equipment Nov. 1 and 2.
Also approval was given for Trampas and Sherry Parker to use one of the ball fields and beach house Nov. 6 through 8 for the American Heritage Motorcycle Racing Association competition. That is projected to bring in over 200 racers as well as family and spectators. The organization will hold an awards dinner Nov. 8 at The Briefcase on West Main.
Council members gave approval for Kassey Johnson to use the gazebo for a Christmas Winter Wonderland project. This is the second year the project has been held but no date was given for operations.
Councilman Michael Dickey joined his concern over spending $500 for bounce unit rental for Cruise Knight this weekend. “We didn’t allow that for the previous Cruise Knight. Now the new things arriving with children. I don’t know if that is a good idea.”
Council member Jana Duggan said she is not fond of it either.
Dickey said there is no way to keep children social distanced in a bounce house. He presented a motion to decline the expenditure but it died for lack of a second.
Council member Christy Jeffcoat made the motion to approve using a bounce unit that could be cleaned. Dugan and Jeffcoat both voted in favor but Dickey abstained and Munholland voted against it.
“Any other time I would have been fine with it,” she said, “I know Janna and I have been dealing with COVID nonstop and I just can’t see bouncing our numbers higher and higher.”
Council members allowed another 60 days for, “significant work” to be completed on a house at 105 East Smith. That house first came up for discussion in August and council members were told then work would be finished in September. At the September meeting, they were told that some work had been done but, according to code enforcement officer Jody Agee, no permits had been issued. As of the October meeting no work permits were issued for the project.
Councilor Michael Dickey said permits have got to be obtained and work underway in 60 days or else the city would include it on their demolition list.
The council accepted the resignation of Keith Green from the Board of Adjustments and appointed him to the Henryetta Planning and Zoning Board.
Also gaining approval was purchase of two police vehicles and repair of another vehicle damaged in crash earlier this month.