MINUTES
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA MET IN A SPECIAL CALL SESSION IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL APRIL 8, 2024
The City Council of the City of Muskogee, Oklahoma, met in a Special Call Session at 5:30 p.m., on April 8, 2024, in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, 229 W. Okmulgee Ave., Muskogee, Oklahoma, with Mayor Marlon J. Coleman presiding.
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Meeting was called to order by Mayor Marlon J. Coleman and the City Clerk called the roll as follows:
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1 | Receive presentation relating to the proposed Tax Increment Districts of the City of Muskogee and Muskogee County, and take other necessary action. (Mike Miller) City Manager Mike Miller explained the Port of Muskogee, working with City and County officials, has identified industrial development opportunities that will create new jobs and benefit both the City and County. However, certain critical infrastructure improvements arose, such as utilities and rail, that are necessary to allow the development to move forward. He stated on October 9, 2023, Council voted to appoint a TIF Review Committee to make findings and a recommendation for this proposed project. With Mayor Coleman as Chair, the committee met at least three (3) times. On March 15, 2024, Council recommended approving two (2) districts, and voted to hire the Public Finance Law Group to help guide us through the process. Mayor Marlon J. Coleman stated he had the opportunity to visit as a joint TIF Committee with City of Muskogee officials as well as County officials. Nate Ellis, Public Finance Law Group, LLC, presented a PowerPoint of the Proposed Tax Increment Districts. Mr. Ellis stated there are three (3) separate hearings that are tied together in a joint project plan between the City of Muskogee and Muskogee County. A joint review committee looked at project plans and decided to create TIF District #6 (six) and TIF District #2 (two), while terminating an existing TIF District #1 (one) that did not come to fruition. Mr. Ellis explained a TIF District is an economic development tool that allows a city or county to identify a specific area for future development, and to capture the increment of new tax revenues generated because of that development, utilizing that revenue stream to help offset costs related to making that development move forward. Mr. Ellis stated the termination of TIF District #1 (one), Project Faith, is necessary as the proposed development did not come to fruition, and future development would not be supported by the existing parameters. Proposed projects for the new Muskogee Increment Districts are:
Tax Increment District #2, Muskogee County, is a 15-year term ending not later than December 31, 2039. It will capture 100% of new ad valorem increment revenue and 50% of new construction sales tax increment revenue. Tax Increment District #6, City of Muskogee, is a 17-year term ending not later than December 31, 2041. It will capture 100% of new ad valorem increment revenue and 50% of new construction sales tax increment revenue. |
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2 | Hold a Public Hearing regarding the proposed creation of Increment District No. 6, City of Muskogee and the Southside Industrial Park Economic Development Project Plan, or take other necessary action. (Mike Miller) Mayor Marlon J. Coleman opened the Public Hearing. No citizens signed up to speak on this item. Mayor Marlon J. Coleman closed the Public Hearing. |
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3 | Hold a Public Hearing regarding the proposed creation of Increment District No. 2, Muskogee County and the John T. Griffin Industrial Park Economic Development Project Plan, or take other necessary action. (Mike Miller) Mayor Marlon J. Coleman opened the Public Hearing. No citizens signed up to speak on this item. Mayor Marlon J. Coleman closed the Public Hearing. |
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4 | Hold a Public Hearing and consider approval of the proposed termination of Increment District No. 1, Muskogee County and the Project Plan Relating to Increment District No. 1, Muskogee County, Oklahoma (Project Faith Increment District), or take other necessary action. (Mike Miller) Mayor Marlon J. Coleman opened the Public Hearing. No citizens signed up to speak on this item. Mayor Marlon J. Coleman closed the Public Hearing. |
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5 | Consider approval of Resolution No. 2982, applying for and accepting grant funds in the amount of $125,000.00 from the Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General Opioid Abatement Board, to finance Police Department response and abatement activities, and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to sign all documents relating to the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Award, or take other necessary action. (Johnny Teehee) | ||||||||||
Motion was made by Councilmember Jaime Stout, seconded by Councilmember Alex Reynolds to approve Resolution No. 2982, applying for and accepting grant funds in the amount of $125,000.00 from the Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General Opioid Abatement Board, to finance Police Department response and abatement activities, and authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to sign all documents relating to the Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Award. | |||||||||||
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6 | Discuss and provide direction to Staff on a potential future General Obligation Bond Program 2024, or take other necessary action. (Mike Miller) City Manager Mike Miller provided a presentation explaining General Obligation Bonds (GO Bonds) are used to fund large public projects that do not fit into the annual budget and must be approved by a vote of the people. At the Budget Retreat in April 2023, Council gave direction to pursue the GO Bond as a way to fund some capital projects. In May 2023, Council gave direction to hold an election in 2023 for a 25-year, $77 million bond. Then in July of 2023, Council gave direction to continue work on the GO Bond, moving it to 2024. Mr. Miller stated it is necessary to analyze survey data and use it to determine which categories are most important to the public. It will be necessary to finalize proposed project lists based on public input and needs assessment. In June, July, and August, the publicwill be educated via a dedicated website, public meetings, videos, fliers, media, social media and other communication as necessary to ensure everyone has ample opportunity to fully understand the propositions on the ballot and the projects those propositions would fund. The election would be tentatively held August 27, 2024. Mr. Mark Hughes stated he is concerned that the survey will not be scientific or will be too generic for citizens. |
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Motion was made by Mayor Marlon J. Coleman, seconded by Councilmember Jaime Stout to give direction to Staff to prepare a survey that reaches the broadest range of Muskogee residents and assemble that data for later discussion on how to proceed. | |||||||||||
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7 | Consider approval to purchase a 2024 ALTEC Articulating Overcenter Aerial Lift Truck for the Forestry Division of the Parks & Recreation Department for the amount of $223,952.00, utilizing cooperative purchase pricing under Sourcewell Contract #110421-ALT, or take other necessary action. (Mark Wilkerson) Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Rick Ewing stated the current aerial lift truck was put in service in 1994, and it is out of service due to lack of parts. This is a budgeted item from capital outlay. Staff recommended approval. |
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Motion was made by Councilmember Shirley Hilton-Flanary, seconded by Councilmember Jaime Stout to approve to purchase a 2024 ALTEC Articulating Overcenter Aerial Lift Truck for the Forestry Division of the Parks & Recreation Department for the amount of $223,952.00, utilizing cooperative purchase pricing under Sourcewell Contract #110421-ALT. | |||||||||||
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8 | Discuss and provide direction to staff regarding the revised Industrial Development Contract with the Port of Muskogee for fiscal year 2024-2025, and take other necessary action. (Mayor Marlon J. Coleman) Jeff Underwood, Port of Muskogee, stated the previous contract was negotiated in 2011 and must be brought up-to-date. He explained having a capital development fund will allow the port to have site-readiness for companies desiring to locate in Muskogee. |
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Motion was made by Mayor Marlon J. Coleman, seconded by Councilmember Perline Boyattia-Craig to direct Staff to have a finalized contract for the City Manager to sign no later than April 22, 2024. | |||||||||||
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9 | Discuss human trafficking and the dropping off of homeless people in Muskogee, and consider establishing a committee to address these issues, and provide further direction to staff, or take other necessary action. (Mayor Marlon J. Coleman) Mayor Marlon J. Coleman stated that human trafficking and homelessness is becoming an issue for Muskogee, and it is time to make changes. He stated it is necessary to decide how to handle these problems before they become an even bigger issue. He proposed forming a committee comprised of council members and entities within the City directly impacted. |
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Motion was made by Mayor Marlon J. Coleman, seconded by Councilmember Patrick Cale to establish a proactive committee comprised of two (2) Council members and three (3) members from entities being directly impacted by the homeless, to create policies and procedures to deal with the homeless population and the homeless being dropped off from other areas in Muskogee. | |||||||||||
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10 | Discuss assisting residents who are descendants of those interred in the Historic Black Cemetery, cleaning the cemetery, and consider establishing a committee, or take other necessary action. (Mayor Marlon J. Coleman) Mayor Marlon J. Coleman stated it has been brought to his attention that this cemetery is in dire need of cleaning. |
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Motion was made by Mayor Marlon J. Coleman, seconded by Councilmember Traci McGee to direct Staff to come back to Council with a plan of action addressing the need to clean up the Lowes Cemetery and continuous properties in order to give them proper access to their relatives and ancestors. | |||||||||||
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11 | (No Action) Discuss and give possible direction to staff on dedicating a portion of future special project funds for museum operations, or take other necessary action. (Mayor Marlon Coleman) Mayor Marlon J. Coleman gave direction to Staff to consider using future special project funds in the next 60 days to help fund our museums and look at other funding mechanisms that may give them a natural increase over time. |
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12 | Consider approval of the appointment of Deputy Mayor Derrick Reed to the Eastern Oklahoma Development District Board (EODD) to fill the unexpired term of Councilor Perline Boyattia-Craig, beginning April 1, 2024, and expiring on June 30, 2025, or take other necessary action. (Mayor Marlon J. Coleman) |
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Motion was made by Mayor Marlon J. Coleman, seconded by Councilmember Traci McGee to approve of the appointment of Deputy Mayor Derrick Reed to the Eastern Oklahoma Development District Board (EODD) to fill the unexpired term of Councilor Perline Boyattia-Craig, beginning April 1, 2024, and expiring on June 30, 2025. | |||||||||||
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MARLON J. COLEMAN, MAYOR
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KENNA TERRELL, DEPUTY CITY CLERK
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