City council meets to OK accessing Emergency Fund

Feb. 25—McAlester city councilors held a special meeting Thursday evening to approve transferring money from the city's Emergency Fund.

Money is to be used for emergency expenditures "to address immediate public health issues, repair damages caused by severe weather conditions and mitigate future risks," the meeting agenda stated.

The city had $3,871,312 in the Emergency Fund, as of Thursday prior to the council meeting, according to the city's Chief Financial officer Sherri Swift.

Mayor John Browne anticipated that the city may need to access at least $750,000 from the city Emergency Fund — a fund which is required by the McAlester City Charter.

Before the meeting, Browne said some of the money is expected to spent on repairing or replacing two of the three clarifiers at the city's water treatment plant.

"Two clarifiers are down and need work," Browne said.

Water clarification is a process used to remove suspended solids as well as any floating matter on the water surface during the water treatment process. At the McAlester water treatment plant, polymers are used to weigh down the solids and drop them to the bottom.

Browne said some of the money would likely be used to improve electronic and mechanical communication between the city's water towers and the water plant. One aspect of the communication is to accurately transmit water levels in the tanks on the water towers to the water treatment plant, Browne said. That proved to be an issue over the past two weeks during the winter storm hit as well as its aftermath.

A portion of the money would likely be used to pay some of the private contractors who joined with city crews during the recent extreme winter weather to repair major water line breaks around the city, the mayor said.

"Those are the big three," said Browne.

City councilors held the special meeting at City Hall.

McAlester's City Charter addresses the Emergency Fund in Article 5, Section 5.04 under the heading of Financial Management and the city's budget.

It states: "An Emergency Fund will be included in the budget and every reasonable attempt shall be made to maintain this fund at a minimum of ten percent (10%) of the total operating budget including capital improvements. A separate account shall be maintained for the Emergency Fund and the City Council shall define by ordinance under what circumstances withdrawals may be made from the Emergency Fund account," the City Charter states.

The special meeting also included a consent agenda asking city councilors to concur with three of the mayor's appointments to the McAlester Regional Health Center Board.

They included the appointment of Sayer Brenner for a term expiring Feb. 28, 2027. Brenner will replace Evans McBride on the board.

The mayor also appointed Damon Mascoto to the hospital board, replacing Kevin Priddle.

Browne reappointed Susan Kanard to another term on the MRHC board.