March 8, 2025 Issue, Page 3 of 10

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NEWS The Elk City News SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025 • 3 shop at her parents’ home. Al- derstanding of using the back parents had when you were said that everyone has his/ Crows, Chicks on 66, Guera, MARKET though she has made changes doors. It’s just really nice,” she growing up. One guy came in her own style, and the vintage Perfectly Imperfect, Mike Continued from page 1 in location, she has been con- said. and bought a spit cup because booths have such a variety Spieker, Lavender Lotus, Lori sistent in providing her mer- Beiri has been surprised he said it reminded him of his that there are not duplicates. Moler, Sweet P’s, Relic Room, 80 percent of my booth ven- chandise to loyal customers at what sells. She said that if grandpa,” Beiri laughed. Booths are different sizes, but Mi Casita Vintage, Lovely Vin- dors are vintage. I have bou- and the public. a person sees something he/ So far, the hardest part of most are 8’x10’s and the booth tage, and L&E Thrifting. tiques, printing, and also Hot As Beiri has transitioned to she likes, he/she needs to buy opening the market has been rent is $150 per month. Al- Main Street Market is a place Wheels collections. There are open the Main Street Market, it because it could sell and not wanting her vendors to do most all of the vendors make that a person can find just two booths that provide home- the current construction has be there later. It may be perfect great and succeed. When one their booth rent, which pleases about anything, whether it is a made products like tallow and not slowed her determination for one person and not for an- of her vendors is not selling Beiri. dish that was in grandmother’s lotions,” Bieri explained. to offer vendors a place to sell other, everyone has different a lot of his/her merchandise, The vendors include Me- home; printing on a 3D print- In her personal booth, Beiri their wares. While customers tastes. Beiri feels bad, but she admit- maws, Genius Inventions, er; or children’s clothing. Enter sells kids clothes and knick- must enter through the back- “Sometimes I think, ‘Who ted that doing well in this busi- All That, Buck Creek, MRZ, through the back door and fol- knacks. She previously had door, it has not slowed the would buy that?’ and then they ness seems to be working his/ Simple Treasures, G&B, Coo low the maize of booths to see her own store on south Main grand opening. do. Vintage is about family. I her booths. Coo, Kartzies Treasures, Bitter everything that is offered, and Street, which began in a small “Elk City really does come think a lot of it is what you had, She currently has one booth Sweet, 913 Vintage, Curation set aside some time to get to together, and they’re very un- what your parents or grand- left that is open for rental. She Nation, Nan Moore, Seven see it all. with a phone call or a message don’t have a whole lot in that “Okay, people are our “It plays a huge role, wheth- “My tech background can LENIUS and get clarification. They starter home price range.” greatest strength. If you look er people want to admit it or provide some insight to our Continued from page 1 know that they will get a re- What is the city’s greatest at Elk City as a whole com- not, that’s how they get their city on what we could be do- sponse.” weakness? munity and things that have news. That’s how they get their ing to advance us or protect us, website. I would like to see the What do you think is your “There is a lack of com- happened, whether it’s the events. There’s always one side both. But also, I was a business mindset about city shift a little greatest quality that would munication. That is commu- storm of 2017 or ice storms, or of the story that’s out there, if owner here, and I have been bit to be more progressive and make you the best person to nication with each other on anything that may have hap- no one else is telling the other a citizen here for almost 20 welcoming to business growth be a commissioner? the commission and with the pened, our community comes side.” years. I have always shot peo- outside of industries. I think it “Listening. I consider my- community. I’d like to see our together. That’s why I think if “I’m just another citizen ple straight, and if I am asked a could really benefit everyone.” self a problem solver. It’s leadership communicate what you communicate and you get stating my mind, but if you question, I provide an answer “We need to be more active something that has benefit- is going on and why some of everybody on the same page, take somebody from the city, or I will tell you I don’t know on social media. There’s stuff ed me in my technology, and the decisions are being made, Elk City could potentially be whether it’s the city manager, the answer and I will find it. that other communities are that’s something that is needed either during the time that unstoppable.” the mayor, or somebody, even So, I think somebody like that doing when it comes to tech- on the commission. We need a they’re being made, or after How would or do you han- if it’s just a weekly post that on the commission would be a nology that we’re not necessar- way to listen to the problems the fact to come out and ex- dle conflict or controversy? says, ‘Hey, we’re aware of this great asset.” ily doing, or that I’m not aware or the issues that are going plain why certain things were “I think the most import- wildfire out here, a racetrack, What do you want the pub- that we’re doing. We need to on, take a step back and real- done. It is not all negative. ant thing is to hear both sides. or the empty lot or about the lic to know about you? be more modern, whether it’s ly think about how to address Our city does great things that Listen to what each person has casino, or the construction. If “My family and I are dedi- helping our first responders the need at hand.” some don’t know about. We to say, and then present the they would just state what’s go- cated to Elk City. We love Elk or police departments with What are the most im- have built a multimillion-dol- facts. That’s one of our weak- ing on, I think it would carry City, and we want nothing but technology and equipment portant projects that the city lar athletic complex or water nesses here. If is something a lot more weight. I know the the best for Elk City. Our old- they may need. We modern- should be working on? park. We need to get on top of that’s posted on Facebook, Main Street construction is a est boy will be a freshman in ized our water meters, and we “I think economic devel- city hall and scream it to the positive or negative, it spreads mess, but that’s not 100 per- high school next year, so we’ve can continue to grow with that opment needs to be a higher world. There are little things like wildfire. It is just what the cent on the city. That’s ODOT got him at home for what, and be more efficient with the priority. When I say economic that go unnoticed. I’ve talked community thinks, and our doing that. It’s not really cost- maybe four years? He’s going use of technology”. development, I don’t mean just to several people, and it is in- current leadership doesn’t get ing the city much money. It’s a to go off to college. I want him, How do you think you can bringing in more jobs. I mean credible the position we’re in out there to state the facts and pain for us, but we will get the when he gets married and has effectively lead the commis- start to finish; we need to at- because of the way our Found- say, ‘Well, wait a minute, we’re reward. The city is not the one kids, to come back here. He sion? tract visitors to Elk City. We ing Fathers and leaders have doing this, or this is why we that’s blocking all the business- has to have a reason to come “Personally, I think to be need to turn those visitors into positioned us with our water did this.’” es or tearing up the road. We back, same thing with our oth- effective, you have to listen, residents, and then we need to rights, but in the end, every- What role do you think have to facilitate and partici- er two kids. I’ve got so many and you have to respond. I bring the jobs and the housing body just sees and hears the social media plays in public pate, but we’re getting a great friends that their kids have would like to be the one that for those residents. I think our price tag of the dollar amount knowledge of city manage- thing for little to nothing.” left, and when you ask them if any citizen here in Elk City moderate homes are lacking and don’t understand why.” ment or disseminating public What experience do you why, they say, ‘Well, because has a question or concern, that for the first time home buyers. What is the City’s greatest information or misinforma- think will help you the most in there’s nothing to do.’ I want they’re not afraid to reach out If you look at our listings, we strength? tion? this position? these kids to come home.” forward.” “The biggest strength we recreation, and I having spent effort. I can say that I’m giv- are coming up, and going and ANDRESEN What is the most import- have are the people who live five years on the school board. ing it the best effort. I could checking on this house or that Continued from page 1 ant projects that the city here.” The best past experience I write it all down, but I am just house. I do whatever I feel I should be working on? How would or do you han- have is knowing people here telling you that a lot of that is need to do for the job.” youth to keep building them “We have the new fire sta- dle conflict or controversy? so that they can have some- more than going to meetings. “I’ve worked with a great up in whatever it is, whether tion, rebuilding of the police “To figure out what the body to come to if they need Some may think you just go board. I’m happy to have it’s basketball, baseball, our station, the rebuilding of the problem is and what’s the best anything.” to a meeting. No, I’m driv- worked with all the guys that foundation is with the youth.” terminal at the airport, plus solution for the problem. How What do you want the pub- ing around town at least two I’ve worked with in the past. I What changes do you see an added hanger out there. do we make the problem a lic to know about you? days a week, looking at proj- look forward to doing it again.” for the future of Elk City? We’ve got our street projects win-win for everybody?” “I’m giving them my best ects, looking at things that “I see us growing. Staying going that everybody current- What role do you think on the current path, we’re ly sees. We also have some social media plays in public going to be the number one projects that are coming down knowledge of city manage- city in Oklahoma. I feel like the road that’s going to make ment or disseminating pub- we already are, but definitely Elk City an easier place to get lic information or misinfor- we will be recognized. I think around.” mation? that’s happening a lot lately.” “I think we have some of “Unfortunately, social me- How do you think you can the most important things, dia doesn’t have a very accu- effectively lead the commis- such as the water department, rate role. I’ve seen that it can sion? sewer department, and trash. be good, too. I’ve seen that “To be a positive part of the We’re in good shape on all when we do a page on there, commission, you have to look those. We don’t have to be in it’s pretty informative. But as forward and understand that fear of running out of water or a whole, I don’t know about we’ve got to take care of a lot of in trash area because we’ve had social media, just to inform things, such as our current in- good forefathers who looked yourself of what’s going on. frastructure in replacing water out there and prepared us. Go find out what the informa- lines and things like that. We We’re set up for more growth.” tion is on issues. If they don’t have to maintain that as well What is the city’s greatest like our downtown project, we as new stuff. That is import- weakness? knew it was going to be incon- ant to me. I’m wanting to keep “It’s a weakness and a pos- venient. We tried to do every- the core city on solid basis, as itive thing which is our loca- thing we could to plan around far as water lines, things like tion to the general population holidays, so it’s not to interrupt that. We replaced 27 blocks of of Oklahoma. But we are try- the downtown businesses any water lines, and all of the fire ing to do something to bring more than we had to, right? hydrants are working in those people to us, and we’re bring- But this is a big project, and it’s blocks.” ing people from every state a redo project that the state’s What do you think is your around us with our baseball, paying for. This is a state proj- greatest quality that would softball, and basketball. We ect, so let’s take advantage of it make you the best person to need to get out and get small and make Elk City better from be a commissioner? businesses. I’d love to have a it.” “I’m a very positive person. big business, but small busi- What experience do you I always try to find out the nesses are where you start think will help you the most positive side of things instead adding people, two jobs here, in this position? of looking at the negative side. two jobs there.” “The experience I have If we stay positive, we’ll move What is the City’s greatest had serving on the summer strength? boards, helping with the youth