City of Durant employees were presented service awards during a recent city council meeting.
The following employees received awards:
5 years
Jeremy Overton, landfill Creston Brown, library
15 years
Miles Gooding, police administration (not present)
25 years
Phillip Hightower, public works In other action, the Durant City Utilities Authority approved a contract with Hoffman Sanitation for a recycling program that will start Aug. 1. It will be citywide and a volunteer program for citizens who want to participate and Stewart Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Sanitation, said that if 20 percent of citizens participate, then you are hitting a home run.
The cost which is paid by citizens is $20 for one container that will be picked up weekly.
City Manager Pam Polk said this is a short-term pilot program to see how it works.
Hoffman Sanitation is partnering with the Choctaw Nation Recycling Center for the program.
Reports were presented by department heads during the meeting.
Public Works Director Phillip Hightower said there has been a problem with low water pressure on Mason Street east of town and that a another water line will be installed and the city is obtaining a quote for a booster pump. Hightower said he thinks this will solve the problem.
New playground equipment is being installed at Dixon Durant Park but the project is not finished yet because of the recent rain, according to Hightower.
Interim Police Chief Joe Clark said two officers graduated from the CLEET academy and they are currently patrolling the streets. One officer has completed the field training program and will be attending the CLEET academy in October. Clark said 10 potential applicants have been identified through testing.
During the second quarter, Clark said there has been a slight increase in assaults and property crimes which is a trend typically seen in the summer time.
“We’ve seen a decrease in burglaries and frauds, so that’s a big positive,” Clark said.
He said the 911 center now has 11 people and 13 is a full staff, so the department is looking to fill those positions.
“Last quarter, we were down to six people,” Clark said. “Efforts with city leadership has paved the way to get our numbers up and it worked.”
A third supervisor has been added to the 911 center. During the last quarter, there were 14,595 calls from service which Clark said is a slight decrease from the previous quarter. About 8,700 of those calls were for the Durant Police Department.
Durant Emergency Management Director Richard Ezell told the council that all outdoor warning sirens are operational.
Fire Chief Jeff Langford said the department responded to 637 calls during the second quarter of the year and that the department is fully staffed other than there is an open position for fire marshal.
Airport Director Josh Matekovic said repairs and projects are currently in progress. The airport will be upgrading and replacing its automated weather observation station that provides weather information to pilots.
The city is waiting on an FAA grant for the runway and taxiway remarking project. The current markings are fading and chipping.
Building Inspector Paul Cottrell spoke of the housing projects in the city and he said a general contractor has been found to complete the Choctaw apartment complex on South Ninth Avenue.
“There’s a massive difference between our residential growth in Durant and commercial growth,” Cottrell said. “We seem to do really good on the residential side. Duplexes seem to be the hot spot right now.”
He said a Wingstop restaurant will be opening in Durant.
The council also awarded a bid to All Seasons Contracting in the amount of $62,500 for city hall roof repair.