June 20, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 turday, June 20, 2020 Weekend Edition Commission approves Ivester to ECHS principal fill interim city manager job leaves post to City Clerk Cheryl take WTC position Sipes, left, swears in By Don Munsch, Editor interim City Manager Elk City High School Tom lvester at the Elk Principal Jeff Lewallen will City City Commission leave the school to take a meeting Wednesday job at Western Technology afternoon. Ivester Center. was approved to fill Lewallen, who had been the role in a 5-0 vote ECHS principal _ since by the city 2009, will be the assistant commission. Staff superintendent in charge of photo by Don Munsch. student services at WTC. He will work in Burns Flat. ‘An Elk City native who grew up and attended school here, Lewallen began Jeff Lewallen his career in Cheyenne, where he was a coach and teacher for two years before coming to Elk City, where he worked for 23 years and has been a coach, teacher and administrator. In 2007, he became as- By Don Munsch, Editor Commissioner Larry Muck said the commission was hap- sistant principal at the high school, and he was in that po- The Elk City City Commission on Wednesday approved py to have Ivester aboard and that he will do a “wonderful sition for two years until taking the high school principal Tom Ivester to be the interim city manager. job.” position. Commissioners approved Ivester, a local attorney with of- After the meeting, Ivester said he was excited to be in- Jamie McClure, an assistant principal at Elk City High fices in Elk City and Sayre, in a 5-0 vote. He was sworn in at terim city manager and said he will await to see what hap- School, will become the new principal, Elk City Superin- the Wednesday afternoon meeting. pens in the commissioners’ search for a city manager and tendent Rick Garrison said Wednesday. Lewallen’s con- Ivester told commissioners that being the interim city see whether he will have an opportunity to take over the job tract with Elk City Public Schools runs through the end of manager is “an extremely wonderful opportunity, for the full time. June. city of Elk City and for myself.” At one point, he told com- “In the interim, I’m still going to be practicing law but I'm “Twenty-years is a pretty long tenure in education to be missioners that he felt like he was a football coach who is taking no new cases,” Ivester said. in one spot in those type of duties,” Garrison said about taking over a team with strong group of players. The city needed a new leader after commissioners voted Lewallen. “He’s just well respected. He works really hard, “T don’t have to go build much — it’s already built,” he 4-1 to terminate the employment of the previous city manag- and he knows there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears [he said. er, Lee Litterell, on June 4. Litterell had been city manager put] in Elk City Public Schools.” He mentioned the city’s tax base and finances as being since 2015. Commissioner Jeff Jackson was the dissenting Garrison said he knows it’s bittersweet for Lewallen to pluses, but he said the economic downturn and pandemic vote in the commission’s vote on June 4. leave, although Garrison realizes Lewallen desires a new are some challenges. He said he sees this interim job as Ivester is a former Oklahoma state senator who represent- challenge and change of pace. “steering the ship” and “keeping everything going until y’all ed District 26 from 2006 to 2014. He holds a Bachelor of “We hate to lose him, someone of that caliber, and decide what direction you want to go with a full-time city Business Administration degree from Texas Christian it kinda shows you when people are hiring your people, manager.” See Ivester page 2. that means you've got pretty good people,” Garrison said. “Hle’s a quality guy. He’s done a really good job, and he’ll do a good job over there.” Charity selling raffle tickets Lewallen is a 1988 graduate of Elk City High School who attended El Reno Junior College, where he played baseball and earned his associate’s degree. He then finished his edu- to raise money cation at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where he also played baseball. “T’ve enjoyed my time,” Lewallen said about working Sandy’s Santas for Elk City Public Schools. “My 23 years in the Elk City banner. Submitted See Principal page 2. Deadline to request absentee ballots approaches Registered voters in Beckham County have aa few days to By Don Munsch, Editor “This is going to be a tough year for fundraising, but we're apply for absentee ballots to be mailed to them for the June Santa Claus may not be making his annual gift-giving trip trying to come out of the box and find some fun ways to have 30 state and county primary and the Erick, Sayre, Hammon across the world for yet another six months, but it’s never people donate to [us], and this $1,000 certificate was a great Mangum, Sentinel and Sweetwater school board elections, too early to help organizations that provide toys at Christ- way to do that,” Hageman said. County Election Board Secretary Sherron Manning said in a mas time. People may also donate money to Sandy’s Santas on the news release Monday. Sandy’s Santas, an organization that gives Christmas toys group’s Facebook page and give through PayPal, or people to needy children and does other projects to help children, is may call Hageman at 580-799-3222 for donations or raffle Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the having a raffle to give away a $1,000 travel certificate that tickets, and she can deliver the tickets. Sandy’s Santas is a County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday to be processed in time for the election. will go toward a trip of the lucky winner’s choice. 501 (c) (3) organization. Checks are welcome for the raffle. The certificate, from Kathy’s Travel, is good two years In addition to the Christmas gift program, Sandy’s San- Absentee voters may apply in person at the County Elec- from the date. The drawing will be done live at noon Aug. 4 tas helps with toiletries through the backpack program in tion Board office or they may send their applications by mail, on Sandy’s Santas Inc.’s Facebook page. All tickets must be schools and helps with a literacy program for children. fax or e-mail. An online version of the form may be filled out purchased by Aug. 3. The $20 goes toward the charity, with Hageman said if someone chooses to go to Las Vegas, the and submitted electronically at www.elections.ok.gov. Any one of the $20 tickets being drawn for the big prize. recipient will receive an extra package of four days, three registered voter eligible to vote in the election may vote by Tickets, which are $20, may be purchased at three loca- nights and two tickets to a show at Stratosphere and $250 absentee ballot without stating a reason, Manning said in the tions in Elk City: Ultimate Realities, 302 N. Van Buren for spending money. That package comes in addition to the release, but absentee voters can activate certain special con- Ave., Teased Salon, 114 N. Main, and Kathy’s Travel, 108 $1,000 certificate. The $250 in spending money has to be ditions in the following circumstances: W. 20th St. Last December in its Christmas toy project, San- used at Stratosphere. Sandy’s Santas is providing the extra « Registered voters who are physically incapacitated and dy’s Santas, started by Sandy Hageman, helped 88 families. package. See Absentee page 2. mm Mm sn Weather / 69 Vol. 118, No. 51 Mail delivery View online eer LE) tomorrow 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com