Committee selected to consider potential city projects

Sep. 21—A 40-member committee has been selected to decide which city projects are to go on sales tax or bond issue elections.

“We are in the organizing stage at this point,” City Manager Mike Miller said, adding the committee’s first meeting could be announced within the week.

Muskogee City Council does not have to approve who is on the committee, he said.

Muskogee City respondent Shelby Banks said the list has not been finalized.

Deputy Mayor Derrick Reed said in July he proposed the committee in response to public reaction to a proposed $78.6 million general obligation bond issue.

The bond issue and a vote to renew a half-cent sales tax had been scheduled for August, but later called off because of public response.

The committee includes Miller, City Attorney Katrina Bodenhamer, Mayor Patrick Cale and Deputy Mayor Derrick Reed, plus council members Shirley Hilton-Flanary of Ward I and Melody Cranford of Ward III. City of Muskogee Foundation representatives James Gulley and Earnie Gilder, Muskogee School Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall and Hilldale Superintendent Erik Puckett also are on the committee.

Each city council member was to select three residents in their ward to be on the committee. Ward I Council member CB Abel selected two residents.

The committee includes several people who had voiced concern about the bond issue.

Business owner Ryan Lowe said he’s cautiously optimistic about being chosen.

“I’m glad they’re including the citizens, and are at least open to listening to their thoughts and concerns about moving the city forward,” Lowe said. “When dealing with the council and city management, I’m always cautiously optimistic.”

He said he hopes to return some “common sense decision-making.”

Lowe said he supports renewing the sales tax. However, he said he does not think revisiting the general obligation bond is a good idea “in today’s economy.”

Reed said the city likely would have separate elections because the current sales tax is set to expire in September 2025.

That tax, approved in May 2019, mostly funded street improvements and maintenance. Another part of the sales tax went toward equipment upgrades for police and fire, improvements at Roxy Theater and Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center and for industrial development.

According to the Muskogee County Election Board, a resolution calling an election must be filed with the board 60 days before the election date.

Reed said he plans to meet with Cale, Hilton-Flanary, Cranford and the school superintendents next week.

“We’re going to come up with a concept of what the committee should look like,” Reed said. “We’re going to get some feedback from them on how to bring 40-plus members together.”