December 18, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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Saturday, December 18, 2021 Weekend Edition Beckham County Sheriff’s Office is investigating of a Dedication to tourism ends after 15 years the 2019-20 fiscal year. $17.2 million figure is with in Erick five months ago and that the child’s information was put into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons were not released by our office - regarding a NAMUS entry The district could not find the fiscal year ended. He Department of Human Services officials are working with As the fish were released into Elk Lake, some went to Hunt, payroll/insurance the bottom in48theyears, moss and to the current fiscal year, but withhad 40 to of be pulled out by hand. Pictured are Tom Ivester, Brian Pierce and Kyle Cherven- Co-workers Cheryl Sipes, Cindycontinues, and a final Wood, Mildred Nesser, Charlotte Thomas, and Kacy Hall gathered at City Hall to cel- ka trying to rescue as many as possible. Courtesy photo. ebrate Nesser’s retirement from the Elk City Museum. Courtesy photo. By Sheryl Ponce for ten years. It was interesting asking people that traveled a lot City Manager Mildred Nesser started her career with the City of Elk City, working at the Route 66 Museum Complex, in 2006. Her original where their favorite places were,” she continued. Nesser also reported that there were ‘snowbirds’ who came through every year. There was a group from Canada that filled the Ivester’s update Later on Tuesday on the sheriff’s office FB page, Manning said sheriff’s officials had found documents that confirmed plan was to work about five years, but ended up working over 15 museum parking lot. There was one person who stood out among By Sheryl Ponce before retiring Dec. 14. She was honored with a reception and the rest, a co-worker. flawless, and that doesn’t retirement party at City Hall by her co-workers and City Manager “The one person who impressed me the most, and she worked The CAPP’s project began with five projects to be completed Tom Ivester. Her dedication to the museum did not go unnoticed. here was Wanda Queenan. She knew the most about Route 66 with $23.5 million. Those included the ball parks, which have “I reflect back on the years and how interesting it has been. and the Native American tribes. She worked here about 15 years, been completed; the activity center, which is anticipated to be The most shocking thing was all of the foreign people that came she knew so much. She and her husband, Reese, owned a trad- completed by next summer in the amount of $12.5 million; in. I thought OMG, they are in little Elk City but I soon learned ing post west of town for years. After her death, for many years, satisfied that the circumstances through which he came to ton – there is going to be Ackley Park improvements, including a new that they were a big part of our attendance,” Nesser said. people would still stop and ask1978, about 1982 and 1984 Wanda, many–of and one Na- them state train and train tracks, and redoing the miniature golf course. She noted that there seemed to be the most from England and tive American. She was a special lady and told us so many stories,” “The pool project, which we are finishing up the design phase. Australia, but Poland, Sweden, Russia, South Africa and New Zea- Nesser remembered. been a coach for 48 years – a head football We added one project that wasn’t there before that is a complete land were also represented. She said there were a lot from France coach As she looked back over thefor 40 years,years she – andthat said hasitanseemed overallto re library remodel. That remodel should be done by the end of Jan- who stopped in too. cord of 307-147 and a playoff record of 44- be busy, at least six months out of the year. They took a hit dur- uary. We are flushing through the pool project,” he said. “Even though we didn’t always speak the same language, we ing 2020, with Covid-1924.rampant, butfootball she thinks ’21 was better. “Our He played at Oklahoma State. The strength decisionisasgoing to increase to which way todramati go with the pool is being dis- managed to communicate. Sometimes we even wrote it down. We “As my time ends as an employee, I hope the museum contin- cally,” he said. “The [players’] confidence cussed, whether to remodel the existinginfacility or redo the en- also had lots of great people from the good ‘ole USA. Our motor- ues to grow and prosper. Next, I’m going to chase the grandkids, tire aquatic center. cycle groups, bicycle groups and school groups came through. We spend sometime fishing, a little bit of it traveling and a lot “The crux of it is, how much do we want to spend. The west- had one school teacher that brought her students here, probably See Nesser page 2. ern Oklahoma way of doing it, is I’ve got this much money. Like, I have $10,000 and what can I get for $10,000. Or you could say this is the type of pool I want and how much is it? There are two Officials during an interview in the athletic office at different ways in of Beckham looking at County have things and wecut are nearly kind of $1 million caught be- from their estimated budget this year, with the tween what we want to have and the pool design verses what we final approval of the 2019-20 fiscal year budget coming in the can actually afford. There is not a set budget but there is a give See Update page 2. the2019-20 search isbudget at their on to find The accident weeklycoordi an offensive Occurred meeting Monday. The fina just after 6 p.m. in a hay field 3 Christmas Baskets delivered over to the state by the first of October. Cain tried to repair something under his 1986 Ford F350 The Elk excise Citygives board Christmas the final approval and signs off on it His starting date is the first Monday after Basket, sponsored by the Elk $35K CityHartman, Beckham Ministerial Alliance County deliv- Beckham County Sheriff’s Office, Clerk. $30KCarter Fire, Elk City Fire, our first phase of the CAPS ered County officials approximately 225said in April that changes in the budget boxes of food to families December $25K 18th from Stfor tion scheme Matthews Cath- On the the Elk offense. $20Kde olic Church. These boxes con- First graders from the Western Oklahoma Christian School visited City Hall, just prior to the Commissioners Regular tained enough food to feed $15K Meeting. They sang patriotic songs along with Christmas greetings. The City Hall employees, the street department approximately 725 individu- employees and the Mayor were presented baskets full of gifts and goodies. Staff photo by Sheryl Ponce. The county cut $998,696 from its budget, Hartman said $10K als that were included in these families. This program began $5K Commissioners hear monthly financials department in the or every 1930’s during they’re needing Depression when Paul official gives their estimate of what the Great for Wade, the year,” Hartman said. “The excise the late editor of the Elk City By Sheryl Ponce recurring invoices for Dec. 15, going over all of the invoices that could stay on the floor the Daily News saw a need to help were over the amount of $10,000. families in the community Elk City Commissioners met Wednesday afternoon for their In the City Manager’s report, Ivester described the process of at Christmas time. His son, regularly scheduled meeting, facing a.m. a light agenda. with All were Hot Hash and pres- handling water and sewage problems in the town. He noted that the late “WeLarry don’tWade, know was thosein-figures yet,” she said. “We’re kind ent, with Mayor Nick Archer giving the Invocation and Rocky the process is not perfect, but they are working on it. He encour- strumental in seeing that the Andresen leading the flag salute. The meeting opened after a ser- ages the public to call in any water leaks to generate a work-order, program continued to bring enade and presentation of gifts from Western Oklahoma Chris- and if it is not taken care of within three or four days to call the year before Christmas cheeranduring currenttheyear figures and help the county tian School’s first graders. water department again. He said that the department knows that holidays. For approximately First item on the agenda was to approve the minutes from the there are problems, but they are working on it. Rainey reported “Butthe we’ve made 20Bas-percent cuts; some offices 85 years Christmas last meeting and followed by approval of a Professional Services that when they get the new software, this problem will be solved. ficient funds over the past few ket Program has been instru- Agreement between Municipal Finance Services and Elk City In- Ivester said that from December 6 through the 10th, the wa- mental in providing food for years, the reserve resources A fire that dustrial burned Authority the Team to provide Chip Tae continuing Kwon disclosure reporting as- ter department had 76 work-orders, and three watermain leaks. get those final figures from them,dwindledit’s to kind a of waithat point andthe Christmas dinner to families Do in sistancebuilding Tuesday the amount afternoon of $2000. This is in the 1400 required reporting they They are doing sewer inspections to inspect 300 meters, so when in the Elk City area. gave This their program was in danger of con- is final approval for the figures do annually on the behalf of the city about the CAPPs funds, ac- they get into the ARPA funds, theyawill definite Commissioners knowdate what settofor the be- repair possible thanks to the gener- tinuing to be as robust as it had cording to City Treasurer Jennifer Rainey. fore it breaks. osity of individuals in the Elk been in previous years. In light fire The chief secondforitemtheonElk theCity Fire agenda Department. to be approved was Noa quote first weekend in November. of this need, a generous donor In financial reports, they are five months through the fiscal City area. injuries occurred. Two people in the build from Spaces Inc., for office furniture for the Elk City Activity year and should be 47 percent of the budget. The significant thing there, at Each least one year account in approximately family set Hartman there,” up a matching said.dona- ing escaped unharmed. The main part of the Center in the amount of $64,107.50. City Manager, Tom Ivester that happened during the month of November is receiving the $14,000 is needed to provide tion fund, which matched do- fire occurred in the hot water heater area. told the commissioners that this needed to be purchased now be- Hartman could not provide an exact figure. baskets to families in he Elk nations up to a total The public 75 children ARPA this year. funds, $12,130. That figure getting aroundwas$1upmillion. from 40Thlast eseyear. funds came The cause insurance of the company delivery time also and it was notisin the original investigating.bid for the City area. Due to a lack of suf- See Basket page 2. center. They continued to approve the Purchase orders FY 21-22 See Commission page 2. 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