February 8, 2023 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Serving ; Western Oklahoma a Since 1901 Wednesday, February 8, 2023 Marty Logan Talks Storm Chasing to Rotarians Chief Holland, Susie Cupp and Marty Logan.; Marty Logan tells stories to those in attendance. Courtesy photos. Bus Bond Question By Sheryl Ponce into it, but we didn’t find anybody in April of this year. We sold our storage business in Fort Supply and that loosened up a lot of Approaching my time. And like Eddie and I were talking about retirements, it ‘The Elk City Rotary Club held their regular meeting Thursday By Sheryl Ponce at noon in the Elks’ Lodge and welcomed News 9 storm chaser is just a word. We don't like that word. I came back, and within a Marty Logan as their guest speaker, who was invited by Chief Ed- week I was in Beaver County with the very large fires. We could With the Feb. 14th Elk City School district's bus bond issue die Holland. Logan is a retired firefighter from Woodward, where save thousands of acres. About two or three weeks later, just two question coming, Superintendent Mike Sparks sat down to go he spent 25 years fighting fires. firefighters got back to Balco, but about a month after that we over the issues and the cost to the taxpayers. He spoke about In 1992 he found a classified ad fora storm driver and sent his lost a firefighter from a grass fire. Also remember in southwest the $66,000 grant the district received from Marathon Oil and resume in to apply for the position. In April of ‘93 he got a call Oklahoma that we lost the lady firefighter. Two firefighters lost what the plan is for those funds. from the television station and asked him if he was still interest- their lives last year because of grass fires. The reason I came back “We are going to pair that ($66,000) with another grant, ed in storm chasing. is that when I was on the fire department, we did not have fires Clean Air grant, and put those two together. They make you “I didn’t know what a storm chaser was at the time. Remem- like we have now,” Logan continued. drill a hole in the engine block, so the bus you trade in cannot ber there were no storm chasers. Gary England started in early He recalled that they have gone from Ashland, Kansas, down be used anymore because the idea is to get older technology summer of ‘93, I went and bought a brand new VHS camera in to north of Woodward, and one that started in Woods County. It off the road. We had a bus that was a 1998 that we were going a local appliance store for $1200 bucks, and I had my 79 Dodge went up to Kansas last year. There was also one in Beaver County to trade in, but that bus is still ranning. Another bus that runs club cab, and three little kids. So the kids started out early with that consumed thousands of acres. He continued to remind the our longest route, Tom (Osborne, Director of Transportation) me, and I knew nothing about weather. I knew about firefighting, Rotarians of the fires that have been out of control in western had to put a new turbo in it that was $12,000. Now the trans- and I knew about what happens after the weather goes through Oklahoma, explaining the reason he returned to the air. mission is going out of it, and that’s $8,000. The bus is a 2001 “That is what I came back to do. But of course, there’s the in recovery. And so that’s when I started, none of my knowledge or 2002. Now we are going to trade in that one and keep the has come from college. It’s just been hands-on experience and lis- storms, too. Hove doing it all. AndI try to throw different things ‘98. That’s because we're money ahead, I would say we're just tening to the pros. Now it has evolved into watching fires. I said I in, trying to think of some way to spice things up and think of something to make it interesting,” Logan said. limping to the finish,” Sparks explained. started in ‘93. I retired in 2020,” Logan began. ‘This story seemed to be one of many that supports the need After 27 years chasing storms, he asked to keep his Facebook He takes it seriously when he comes on the air. It is a serious for new buses. The Clean Air grant will give the district about page up in case something happens. He could then post what was situation. He does not want to alarm people but warn people. “It is serious and that means you better listen to what I've got $23,000 toward the purchase of a new bus. The purpose is to going on until they could replace him. Logan said that he had 13 replace the emissions that is caused by older buses. to say, or what the storm trackers have to say. I must be careful people contact him, and 20 others ask about it. No one had expe- because if we say some ofa town better watch out because they “The cost of buses has gone from $89,000 to $90,000 to rience in the area of Woodward. may need to evacuate. You better make sure that they know that $125,000 up to $135,000 for a yellow route bus. Buses are also “You want to be sure that whoever you're going to be hiring harder to get, because they are waiting on parts to complete a can talk and keep the level down to where you're not screaming new bus. We have not had a hard time finding parts to repair about the tornado on the ground. There's a lot of things that go See Logan page 2. what we have. Tom keeps three or four old Chevy buses that they don’t make any more to rob parts off to keep the other ones running,” he added. WOHS Kicks Off Membership Drive If the bond passes, the board plans on purchasing two ac- tivity buses, five route buses, and look at some smaller buses that do not require a CDL to drive. Those would be a ten to By Sheryl Ponce as follows: 14 passenger bus to take smaller groups, like the golf or tennis A Lifetime membership can be purchased for $1000, and teams to tournaments. ‘The Western Oklahoma Historical Society was established the money is deposited in a trust fund with the income used for 1967 as a 501C-3 organization that gives financial and voluntary WOHS projects. This membership also indudes members and ‘The cost to taxpayers will be $5.35 annually for every $100 support for the National Route 66 Museum Complex in Elk City. their guests unlimited visits to the museum complex throughout that a person owes in property taxes. If a person owes $100 in According to membership chairman Cindy Wood, the 2023 mem- their lifetime. The guests must be accompanied by the lifetime property tax for one year, his or her tax increase would be $5.35 bership drive has started and it will run through the month of member. for that year. If a person owes $1000 in property tax a year, the February. ‘The Heritage membership is based on a $500 donation. The increase would be $53.45 for the year. This equals $4.45 per Being a member of WOHS helps provide support for the members and their guests are granted unlimited visits to the month. museum, which most recently has been building a new general museum complex during the year, however, the guest must be “The increase won't kick in until ‘23-24 year, It is only a stored located on the museum complex. They are expecting an- accompanied by the Heritage member. five-year deal, then it is off the books. Five years is the longest other year of growth and are inviting anyone interested in local Pioneer membership is $100, which entitles members and you can run a transportation bond, and we did it for the maxi- history to become a part of WOHS. their families or guests unlimited visits to the museum complex mum amount of time to keep the cost as low as we could for the ‘The organization operates with a 26-member board that during the year. The guests must be accompanied by the Pioneer taxpayer,” Sparks said. meets once a month at 11 a.m. on the fourth Monday of each member. He also said that with this bond, the transportation prob- month at the Western Technology Center in Elk City. The annual Family memberships cost $35 and entitles the member and lems could be solved. They run six daily routes, and one of those dinner meeting will be held on the third Monday in February. members of his/her immediate family to unlimited visits to the is for special education services. That busis new because Assis- ‘This year it will be held on Feb. 20th at 6 p.m. in the Opera House museum complex. The member must accompany the family. tant Superintendent Cindy Buckmaster was able to apply for a at the museum, There will be a report of the year’s activities giv- Individual membership costs $20 and entitles the individual grant that funded it. en, the treasurer's annual report, the election of officers will also membership unlimited visits to the museum complex through- “This would take care of our route buses and the activity take place, as well as any other transactions of business that may out the year. be needed. All members are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested in becoming a member of WOHS can stop buses. This would set us up to where the district wouldbe able ‘The society is active in the community by being a member of by the Old Town Museum and see membership chairman, Cindy to manage their transportation fleet and not have to come back the Elk City Chamber of Commerce. It also holds the WOHS Flea Wood. Membership applications can be picked up at the annual to the taxpayers again. The buses will be brand new ones. Mr. Market each year, the Western Oklahoma Hall of Fame, and the dinner or take them to Wood at the Old Town Museum. Mem- Garrison tried to pass the transportation issue in 2017 with WOHS website, www.westernoklahomahistoricalsociety.org. bers are needed and have become an important part of the goals the ag farm bond, it was lumped together. It did not pass,” he Memberships come in a variety of packages that provide dif- of WOHS. Drop off the membership application and a check at See Bond page 2. ferent benefits, All memberships come with admittance to the the museum, or mail the application and funds to P.O. Box 542 in museum complex. The memberships offered by the WOHS are Elk City, OK 73648, Vol. 120, No. 11 View online «AQUA Weather tomorrow 124 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com