Enid on the Move (Summer 2009)

city of enid qrtly MAY2009 6/18/09 11:09 AM Page 1

CONTENTS

10 MILLION DOLLARSWhat do you think the city should do? . . . . . . .03

RECYCLINGEnid can be cleaner and greener . . . . . . . . . . . .06

STUDY SESSIONA Look Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .08

DREW RITCHIEWard 4 Commissioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

LEWIS BLACKBURNWard 3 Commissioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

THE HEART OF ENID“Boomer” has staked his claim . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

CITY DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

ON THE COVER:Lewis Blackburn and Drew Ritchie.

This magazine is an effort by the City of Enid to better communicate with Enid residents.

If you have suggestions or topics you’d like to see addressed infuture editions, please write:

Enid On The Move401 W. Owen K. GarriottEnid, OK 73701

Mayor - John CrinerCity Manager - Eric Bensonwww.enid.org580-234-0400

Produced by Eagle Marketing, 227 W. Broadway, Enid, OK.Information gathered and written by Eva Lightsey with contributionsby Trina Walker. Graphic designer Lynne Benkendorf and photogra-phers Bonnie Vculek and Cody Jensen. Managing Editor Eva Lightsey .

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SUMMER 2009

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What do you think the city should do if it had an extra

10 MILLION DOLLARS?

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Drew Ritchie“Since the city always seems to be trying to play catch up with the deteriorating streets, I would dedicate$7,000,000 for unbudgeted streetrepairs (unbudgeted meaning fundsweren't already set aside).

For the remaining $3,000,000, Iwould use it towards kicking off theEnid Trails System. The city needsmore quality of life amenities such as atrails system. The Enid Park Board isalready applying for grant money toassist in the payment of cr eating thetrail system. But their projected buildout time for the entire trail system is15 years. A boost of $3,000,000 couldhopefully speed up that process andbenefit the citizens sooner.”

Lewis Blackburn“The first three million dollars I

would want to spend getting the ADAcompliance issues up to date. We havethis judge’s order to get done. We haveten years to pay this, $300,000 a y ear,and you wouldn’t have that lingeringover you.

I’d get the bike and walking trailcompleted across town and what needsto be done on that. And then I’m notsure how much there is on the sewerplant rebuild, but we should put themoney on that.

I think that’s where I’d want to putthat money, so the city wouldn’t be sofar in debt. And if there’s anything leftover, I’d work with the chamber ofcommerce and use it to get ne w industry back in town.”

April Danahy“I would use the 10 million dollars

as seed money for matching grants forhousing and shoring up water rights. Iwould use the $10 million plus thematching grants to rebuild neighbor-hoods to include; continuing thereplacement of sewer lines in disrepairand to continue the resurfacing projects. Since I believe water will bethe issue most predominately facingEnid and communities across thenation, I would use a por tion of thefunding to shore up rights to availablewater supplies. Any remaining dollarswould be used to build continuitywithin our community for signage,landscaping, and marketing.”

by Eva Lightsey


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Dan Wolever“After living on James Street during

most of my youth and since thentravelling in older cities in Europe, ithas been a dream of mine to utilizethe property on James and Randolphstreets as an attractive recreational andshopping area. The architecture couldbe planned with fountains and asplash pad that would provide a high-er quality of life for local r esidentsand connect the east and west sides ofEnid with a beautiful and transitionalboulevard that I would name ‘TheCorridor.’ The streets could be com-bined into four lanes divided by alandscaped median, showcasing treesthat would provide shade for picnicbenches in the center. I think thiswould bring about a traditional andsophisticated feel with decorativestreetlamps, recreating communitystores and a local, friendly atmosphere.”

Wade Burleson“If we had ten million dollars to use

as a city, I would use it to build some -thing that would have a continual,regional, economic impact similar toDavid Allen Ballpark, Leonardo'sDiscovery Warehouse, and other projects.

I would suggest two possible con-

struction projects. First, a large multi-court, first class basketball facility thatwould double as Enid High's homecourt. If built and used properly, themultiple courts could have a huge eco-nomic impact with basketball tourna-ments every weekend.

Or, second, I would recommend theconstruction of a regional lake on parwith Lake Overholser or Canton Lake.Both of the above ideas would bringpeople to Enid and help with futureeconomic development.”

Bob Berry“Spend all $10,000,000 quickly on 3

quality of life ("QOL") projects forimmediate improvement and a verifi-able 10% ‘new money’ return to thecity to perpetually fund future QOLprojects.

1. Recruiting a privately funded 60to 80 room boutique hotel connectedto the Cherokee Strip ConferenceCenter would put the ‘capstone’ ondowntown. Using $1,000,000 forinducements would make the cost of a


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downtown hotel equal to undevelopedland out west. Inducements wouldinclude: replacement parking; LEDCommunity Events reader board onGarriott; burying power lines on Grandand Independence; and creating greenspace in the flood plain south ofConvention Hall from Grand toWashington. The ground lease fromthe city to the hotel would r eturn$30,000+ per year.

2. Remove major dilapidation toinspire citizens and visitors: $600,000 tobuy and clear houses between James andRandolph and $1,400,000 to demolishall derelict buildings within two blocksof all schools, hospitals, parks, thedowntown square or within two blocksof Garriott, Van Buren, Grand and10th.

3. Stop ‘retail leakage’ by refillingempty “big boxes” to recapture $40 to$60 million now spent outside Enid.Spending $4,000,000 to attract anupscale discounter such as Costco orTarget, and $1,000,000 each for a full-service electrical store such as Best Buyand full-service sports store such asDick’s or Academy Sports, would recov-

er $1,400,000 a year of new sales tax.These three projects should give a

14.3% annual return ($1.4M to $2.1M)on the city’s $10M investment.”

Dr. Jim Strate“Being an educator, if Enid had $10

million, I would suggest they invest it inthe public school system. I know $10million could not cover the total needsfor the school system, but it could go along way at the elementary and middleschool buildings.

One of my passions is economicdevelopment and helping GarfieldCounty and north central Oklahoma togrow. In order to do that, we have tohave quality education at all lev els. Thepublic schools have very high-qualityinstructional programs in existence, butthe physical plants need lots of attention.

Schools are a vital recruiting tool forour community. So, if I had a wish orhad $10 million to spend in the city, itwould be on the Enid Public Schoolfacilities.”

CITY OF ENID PROJECTSA look at how far $10 Million can go


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ENID RECYCLING...is a realityby Eva Lightsey

Enid can become a cleaner, greener,and prettier city, but it takes citizenaction to help make it that way. Litter isobviously a problem compounded byflying plastic bags, but much of thedebris cluttering fences, dangling fromtrees, and otherwise blemishing thetown can be recycled.

After a summer storm in 2007destroyed the original recycling center, anew drop-off location for recyclablesopened in the southwest corner of theparking lot west of Mark Price Arena, atIndependence and Oklahoma inFebruary of 2008. The site has beengoing strong for over a year now,according to Jim McClain, City of Enidpublic works director.

The drop-off location accepts cleanaluminum and tin cans, plastics such asempty soft drink, milk and laundr y bot-tles, newspaper, cardboard, grass clip-pings, brush metals, clothes, shoes,

belts, purses, stuffed toys, leather goods,cell phones, and computers.

The center is manned by residents ofthe Northern Oklahoma ResourceCenter (NORCE). NORCE provides agate attendant and the manpower tounload and separate items. The recy-clables are then picked up and taken towhere they are actually processed.

“Unmanned drop off sites tend to col -lect everything in the world there is,”McClain said. “And they’re not verysuccessful. The manned sites are themost successful ones. It gives us anopportunity to partner up withNORCE and it gives the clients atNORCE a little bit of money, so it’skind of a win-win situation for us.

“It’s a lot easier for the general publicand a lot easier for them to operate [thebaling center] with an offsite placewhere they can pick recyclables up,”McClain said, citing safety concerns and

efficiency in keeping the general publicand traffic away from the baling center.Hope Outreach also partners with thecity as a vendor and bailer of plastic & cardboard.

The drop-off site has been very suc-cessful. People from as far away as Alvacome to unload their recyclables becausemany of the smaller communities haveno recycling facilities available.

The drop-off center is located at 212West Oklahoma and is open Monday— Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p .m.and on Sundays from 1 p.m. until 4p.m.

RECYCLE CENTERHOURS:

MONDAY - SATURDAY10A.M. - 2P.M.

SUNDAY1P.M. - 4P.M.


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Enid’s Public Works Division isautomating, and fast. Jim McClain,City of Enid public works director, saidthe city hopes to be fully automated b ythe end of the year. Part of that automa-tion means new machines operated bycontrols similar to those found glued tothe hands of video gaming young peo-ple. Who knew that all those hours ofplaying computer and video gamescould actually be integrated into futurerecycling technology?

According to McClain, that is exactlywhat has happened, even in tasks suchas picking up trash and yard waste. Andthrough automation, the city can hope-fully become a little “greener.”

“We’re trying to get away from bagsperiod,” McClain said. “They cause atremendous amount of problems at thelandfill.”

In March and April, strong windscombined with a disposal cell near thetop row caused bags to blow 200-300feet in the air and land sev eral milesaway.

“It’s gotten to the point that ther e areso many bags being used that ther e arejust millions and millions and millionsof them and some of those ar e going toescape” McClain, said. “And when theydo they can create kind of a mess.”

Michael Anderson lives more thantwo miles away from Enid’s landfill, butthe plastic bags have been blowing allover his property, he said.

“We’ve got to do something,”Anderson said. “Because we’re wantingeverybody to clean up things and I r eal-ly do believe in that. We need to keep our city clean, but then we’ve got to doit ourselves too. I really don’t know what the answers are but the plasticbags — it’s like herding balloons.”

Since the problem has come home tothem, the Andersons have tried toswitch over to cloth bags. Anderson admits that it’s difficult.

“It’s quite a mindset to change,”Anderson said. “You’ve been doing this for all your life...getting the paper bagsand then converting over to the plasticbags, now. But they don’t go away andit’s just getting to be quite a pr oblem.”

Anderson said he had never been par-ticularly environmentally conscious.

“I’ve been a consumer and consumingand consuming and consuming andconsuming, and this has finally openedmy eyes,” Anderson said. “It’s finallytouched me or got into my world.”

Members of the city commission askedAnderson to speak about the litter pr ob-lem at a council meeting. One solutionthe city implemented involved a wind

row system and hiring a farmer to balethe bags with a hay baler.

Other cities such as San Francisco andcountries like China and Ireland havegone so far as to ban or tax plastic bags.

“I think that’s probably going to be amove eventually all over the countrybecause it’s causing quite a problem,”McClain said. “Plastic bags just don’t

break down. So, I think that in the r ela-tively near future everybody is going tostart going to a bag that will br eakdown and that won’t be a plastic bag.But until it does we just have to handleit the best way we can at the landfill.”

In the course of automation, the city islooking at using polycarts for yard wasterather than taking it in bags, McClainsaid. The polycarts would also stream-line yard waste disposal.

You’ve got to rip the bag apar t andput the grass with the grass,” McClainsaid. “So that means you’ve got a handlethe bag again, too. So we’re going to tryto get away from all that and just r eallybe totally automated.”

Trying to alleviate all manual opera-tions because of workman’s compensa-tion and time issues, McClain said thepublic works division just doesn’t havethe same labor force they once had.

But, new technology allows feweremployees to process more trash.

“The labor force we do have is able tooperate automated type equipment withhand controls,” McClain said. “Sothey’re constantly using those controlsjust like they did when they w ere grow-ing up playing [computer and video]games. The whole industry has switchedto those types of controls so that peoplewho are familiar with those controls canoperate them. It’s just the new laborforce that we have all over the country.”

Karen Leachman smiles as she shuffles boxes to the back of a recycling trailer at the Enid Residential Recycle Center .(Staff Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)

WHAT TO DO WITH PLASTIC BAGS

1. Reuse them. Keep a few in your car to reuse.2. Donate bags to food pantries,

used book stores, thriftshops, or other organizations.

3. Use them for crafts. A brief inter net search can provide instructions on how to make items

such as reusable shopping bags, floor mats, raincoats, and even sandals.

4. Recycle. Enid’s Recycle Center does not accept plastic bags at this time.

However, Walmart and Lowe’s have receptacles for recycling plastic bags.

by Eva Lightsey

AUTOMATION ISA WAY OF GOINGgreen


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Decisions and votes made at councilmeetings are not taken lightly. Theyare often the end result of hours ofthought, discussion and research bycity staff and commissioners amongothers.

“We don’t just vote out of the clearblue sky. We always, we always havetime to take and study [an issue],”said Ward 1 Commissioner, JamesCrabbs. “We go over it backwards andforwards.”

Study sessions before the regularmeetings provide a forum for discus-sion and an arena in which to air outpotential problems. Study sessions alsoserve as a convenient opportunity tohear updates on existing programs andpresentations for future ones.

“A lot of people think we just votetogether lockstep, but that’s becausewe’ve worked out the issues,” saidWard 5 Commissioner, Daron Rudy.“If you are in the public and you real-ly want to know what’s going on,come to the study sessions.”

Usually a potential issue is broughtto the study session table two w eeksprior to when it will be br ought up ina regular meeting for the vote, saidWard 2 Commissioner, Don Rose.This allows the commissioner toresearch, question any boards or com-missions involved, gather public feed-

back, and conduct their own investi-gations before coming to a votingdecision.

“I think the benefit for the studysession is for us to more openly, in alittle more informal setting, … askmore questions and get moreanswers,” said Rose.

The open forum of a study sessionis important to the decision-makingprocess, said Ward 6 Commissioner,Todd Ging. Keeping it separate fromthe televised regular meeting allowsthem to ask more questions and pro-motes an active dialogue.

“The decision making process isugly,” Ging said. “People can really getscared about throwing out too manywhat-ifs because basically you canlook stupid by saying, ‘What if we didthis?’ Some one else knows a veryobvious reason why you wouldn’t do itthat way and then you kind of lookfoolish for bringing it up.”

Although it may not be pretty,study sessions are effective, Ging said.And for those who attend them, itshows the depth of preparation thatgoes into a vote.

“It shows people that we didn’t justcome up with this idea on a spur ofthe moment,” Ging said. “We putsome thought to it; we had some dis-cussion; we had some back and for th;

Commissioners and city officials gather for a study session prior to the April 21st regular meeting. Studysessions are not televised, but the public is welcome toattend. Below Right: Rob Camp, assistant director ofpublic works, answers a commissioner’s question. StaffPhotos by CODY JENSEN

PREPARE FOR THE VOTE:

A LOOK INSIDE


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we played the what-if game, andthrough that process, we actuallycame up with the best decision w ecould.“

In the April 21 study session pic-tured on these pages, the $7 millionbridge project voters approved in2008 came under scrutiny, as did ahome/rental inspection proposal.

After much discussion about budg-et issues regarding the bridges, duringthe regular meeting the commission-ers approved a bid that tied three ofthe bridges together.

However, many commissionersexpressed concern over the functionof the home inspection in the studysession and rejected the proposalbefore it ever went to the regularmeeting.

Also during the session, theHistoric Preservation Commissiongave a presentation, the city’s directorof engineering updated the commis-sion on the capital improvement pro-gram, and commissioners were ableto ask questions about a ne w lawregarding identity theft preventionand discuss how the city can prepareand train employees to comply withthe new law and city ordinances.

Study sessions and council meetings are typically the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Top: City Manager Eric Benson and Mayor John Crinermoderate the study session, wading through the agenda. Middle: Human Resources Director Sonya Keyand City Planner Chris Bauer, listen to concerns regardingthe bridge project. Bottom Left: City Attor ney AndreaChism explains procedures needed to comply with ordi-nances related to identity theft protection. Bottom Right:Commissioner Todd Ging expresses concern over a proposal ultimately rejected before the study sessionended. Staff Photos by CODY JENSEN


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A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Drew Ritchie has a degree in broadcasting and journalism. Working in televisionand radio in western Nebraska, Ritchie reported on a city meeting every week between the two towns the station covered.Moving from Nebraska to Colorado to Enid gave Ritchie the opportunity to become more involved in shaping the future ofthe community rather than just r eporting on it.

Now working in his family’s real estate business, Ritchie is focused on keeping his priorities in or der; juggling time for God,family, work and volunteerism. Because of that strict priority list, he nearly didn ’t run for commissioner of Ward 4. After considering the possibility of being commissioner for six months, Richie felt G od was leading him to r un for the position. Relying on the support of his wife and parents, Ritchie made the decision to r un for commissioner the day before the filingperiod opened. Being a family man, a working man, and city father; Ritchie said he has a lot on his plate, jokingly r eferring tothe quote, “I can sleep when I’m dead.”

Desiring to serve the community through public office for many years, Ritchie said Enid is the right city at the right time forhim to be a par t of city leadership, but realizes that promoting a positive impact is a team effor t.

Drew RitchieWARD 4 COMMISSIONERby Eva Lightsey


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ON BEING A NEW COMMISSIONER

I come in and ask questions when I don’t understand and not necessarily lay low, but learnthe lay of the land certainly before you start pullinga six shooter and start waving it around.

The city commission is a team and everybody brings in different strengths, and everybody represents different areas, and obviously I’m going to have to go in and learn how the game is being played and how I best fitthat game. And then also at the same time see how I can contribute beyond just assisting what’ salready in place.

I’m here; I’m willing to help; but I’m also not wanting to shove my ideas and my opinions on top of people at this point in time... I guess I’m kind of the rookie and you’ve got to have respectfor the people who have been there.

ON PAST EXPERIENCESEverything in your life will prepare you for what comes

down the next section of your life if you’r e willing to learnfrom your mistakes. I most certainly think that what I’vedone previously in my life being in the media — I spentsome time as a radio DJ, I spent some time as a radio co-host of a morning show all at the same time I was thenews guy. So, it was like I wor e many hats. So, that rightthere teaches you how to think pr etty quickly on your feet.And I think that’s going to help me considerably. And asfar as real estate is concerned, you deal with every dif fer-ent type of person that there is out there. And you learnhow to work with them, otherwise you don’ t get paid. So I

think that absolutely those things have br ought me somequalifications that will be used and taken advantage of.

ON ENID’S CHALLENGESIssues for me are very much trying to see Enid fr om an

outsider’s eye. I think, quite frankly, when you live withsomething for a while you become numb to it. Y ou don’tnecessarily recognize it as possibly being a pr oblem.

I know this is overused and over talked about and pr ob-ably underserved, but our roads, our entrances, the basicstructures of a community are the first things people eitherremember or they don’t remember. And if they don’tremember, it’s usually good. If they remember, it’s usuallybad. If you come in and you’ve got to dodge a bunch ofdecaying roads and you’re being jarred every which waythat you go when you try to avoid the cracks, the cr evices,the bumps, the potholes, whatever it may be, you r emem-ber that and unfortunately it’s not a good thing.

It’s one of those things that I know that the commissionis already working on. I’m excited to get in ther e and assistthem. When we get together and we pr ocess ideas as ateam, we can think and contemplate and brainstorm.Ultimately, we’re all wanting to make Enid a better place.

ON IMPROVING ENID’S FIRST IMPRESSIONThe cleaning up of the trash along the highway com-

ing in is huge. Moving the entrance sign further in towhere we’re not seeing a ‘Welcome to Enid’ sign and thenwe just see highway and more highway and farms andetcetera. Move it closer in towards 30th street so whenthey see the ‘Welcome to Enid’ sign, they see Enid and notwonder where everything is.

I know we just planted a bunch of tr ees over there andhopefully those will grow and develop and make a lastingimpact. So very simple things and things the city is alr eadyworking on and stuff the chamber of commerce is alreadyworking on.

I think another area and this is one that I tentatively say ,and tread lightly on, is the continued clean up and r edevel-opment of the east side of Enid.

ON WHAT ENID HAS TO OFFERComing from Loveland, Co., which is ten miles south of

Fort Collins, you weren’t going to be able to have theimpact as an individual as what you’r e going to be able tohave in Enid. And I think that’s one of the greateststrengths of the city of Enid as far as attracting businessesand individuals to come to the city, is the fact that you’renot just an everyday, average citizen.

That is the greatest thing the city offers: the friendlinessof the people that are here, the community that is ideal forraising children, and the community that is ideal for har-nessing and helping that entrepreneurial spirit of, ‘Hey I’vegot this idea what do you think?’.

Commissioner Richie’s THOUGHTS


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A former sailor, airman, reservist, policeman, fireman, and inspector for the city ’s engineering department, Lewis Blackburnis well versed in public service. Now retired, he’s a gun and knife collector who rides a H onda VT 750 Shadow motorcycle(leather saddlebags included) and attends B ible study at a cowboy church among a list of other activities.

Retiring in 1982 as the assistant chief of the C ushing Fire Department, he combined his years with the department with mil-itary time served as a firefighter on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War to make up the 20 y ears necessary to retire. Hethen went into the Air National Guard at the ripe old age of 42. Working with bombs, missiles, and flar es, Blackburn traveledthe world, spending his 55th bir thday in a combat zone in Turkey building smart bombs.

He and his wife, Mary, have lived in Enid more than 21 years, as do several of their children and grandchildren. Blackburnsaid that each year, the entire world celebrates their anniversary. They married on New Year’s Eve.

Focused on problems with the east side of E nid’s infrastructure, Blackburn hopes his voice can help draw business and dev el-opment to that area. Looking at the benefits of the industrial center , universities, and untapped potential for customers lookingfor restaurant and hotel options on the east side, B lackburn sees an opportunity for increased revenue and business growth.

Lewis BlackburnWARD 3 COMMISSIONERby Eva Lightsey


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Commissioner Blackburn’s THOUGHTSON BEING A COMMISSIONER

I’ve sat around and griped about things for years. Well, now maybe I can get in thereand do something about it. That’s what I’mexcited about. There’s some things I probablycan’t change, but there’s some things maybe I can make a difference on. That’s what mymain goal is right there. Trying to make a little difference on how things are accomplished and done.

ON WARD 3I decided to run for commissioner because the east side,

Ward 3, needs somebody to be a voice for them, andspeak up, and try to get the infrastructur e going a littlebetter.

We’ve got a lot of streets that are in bad shape and thatwe need to get done as money allows, of course. Thesewer system — it all dumps fr om the west side to theeast side so when we have big rain storms it gets infiltrat -ed and gets overloaded — supercharged they call it — andit starts running out of the manholes.

We have a lot of empty business locations in V arsitySquare there on 30th and I’d like to, as time goes alongand being in where things are said, I’ll be able maybe toput a plug in and get some new businesses on the eastside and maybe a nice restaurant. We’re building all of ourhotels and restaurants on the west side. I think we coulduse some on the east side, too, for people visiting the twouniversities we have over there.

ON MONEY AND IMPROVEMENTSI’ll be working with the city and other organizations to

do what we can do. When you do things it costs money ,and to get money you have to raise certain things to getthe money and that’s not a popular deal. So, it’s kind of acompromise deal. If you want this, it’s going to cost this.

That’s reality. That’s how I run my home too. You can’t buysomething you can’t afford. If you do, you’re going to bein the red.

ON ATTRACTING INDUSTRYA lot of different towns and states give them tax br eaks

when they come in. For the city tax, like we have water ,maybe give them a water break when they first come in.There’s different ways to attract. That’s where the chamberof commerce really goes out and works with them andattracts industry, too, as well as the city fathers.

And people look at your availability of good homes andthe price. We have some of the best prices for homes inthe United States in Enid. We’re not nearly as expensive asthey are in other places. And that attracts people too.There’s a lot of people I know who served at V ance at onetime and when they retired they came back and boughtproperty and live in Enid now because they have the baseright here and they like it.

ENID’S PROS AND CONSWe set out away from other neighboring towns. We’ve

got little towns around us, but nothing major. But, alsothat’s an asset because we’re the hospitals and the doctorsand the shopping centers for this part of northwestOklahoma. People come in here even from Kansas to shopin Enid and go to the doctors and hospitals and even buytheir groceries a lot of times. So, it’s got its pluses andminuses being a town of about 45,000-50,000 sitting outin the plains. The air force base is our biggest asset rightnow. It really puts some money into the economy of Enid.Just figure this person sells to this person sells to the base.These people work at the base and they spend theirmoney out in the town and it just all makes a pr etty bal-anced scale. We want to do everything we can to keep thebase going on base alignments when it comes up.

ON HIS EXPERIENCEI worked 25 years with the city of Cushing and r etired

there, and I worked 13 years with the city of Enid. That’ s38 years. And I retired out of the city engineering as aninspector. I worked out of the engineering department. SoI’m familiar with a lot of things: how the infrastructur eruns, sewer lines and water lines, str eets. I was an inspec-tor over all of that so I’m pr etty familiar with how con-struction goes and working with the city on that maybe Ican add some knowledge to it. Maybe I’ll be an asset.

I started in about as low as you can start with the city .When I first moved to Enid, I was a deputy for two and ahalf years for Garfield County so I’ve got that experience,too, in police work as well as the fir e department, navy, airforce, and engineering. So I’m a well-versed person. AndI’m still learning. Every day I learn something new. I learnthere’s a better technique to do something, a better wayto roll a rock around.

I’ll try to stay on top of everything and be r eally knowl-edgeable You’re only as smart as you study and lear nthings. And if you go to meetings you ought to beinformed on what’s going on so you can make the bestdecisions.


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“Boomer” The Heart of Enidby Trina Walker

With his cowboy hat pushedback by the wind, riding a horsegalloping full speed across theplains, ‘Boomer’ is a symbol rep-resenting the spirit of Enid andour founding fathers.

Local artist Harold Holden,simply known as “H”, createdthis life-sized monument. Today,‘Boomer’ stands proudly in frontof the Cherokee StripConference Center in downtownEnid.

Commissioned by NBC in1987 for the CentennialCelebration, ‘Boomer’ has stakeda claim on the heart of Enid.

Todd Earl, President of NBC,is proud of their part in making‘Boomer,’ a reality.

While NBC holds the rightsto ‘Boomer’ it was never com-missioned to be a logo or adv er-tising tool for the bank, Earlsaid.

“NBC Chairman of the Board,Ken Fergeson is a huge advocatefor public art in the community,” Earlsaid.

“He (Ken Fergeson) has been a par tof commissioning several other publicmonuments in Enid.” Earl continued.

“‘Boomer’ sits in a showcase area atthe Convention Center…it is a uniqueicon for our community,” Earl said.

Our community’s love of art is evi-dent when driving around Enid. “H”Holden has created many othernotable works in Enid, including“Holding the Claim” in GovernmentSprings Park.

Born and raised in Enid, “H’s” lovefor horses and Western life is expressedin his work. Today “H” creates in hisstudio north of Enid, near Kremlin.

“I probably did my first bronze castin 1970 but ‘Boomer’ was my firstlarge life-sized piece,” “H” said.

“I was originally approached by StanStoner about creating a symbol for theConference Center and theCentennial.”

Stan Stoner was handling the mar-keting for the Conference Center atthe time. NBC became inv olved and‘Boomer’ came to life.

But the actual creation of ‘Boomer’was all “H”.

“I thought about the land run” It’s abig part of history around here,” hesaid. “I wanted something that would

be impressive, beautify the conferencecenter and have action”

“H” made several other drawingsincluding a settler staking the claimbut they just did not hav e the impactof ‘Boomer.’

‘Boomer’ was a unique life-siz edpiece to start on…having all four feetup in the air was a cr eative challenge,he said.

Today “H” Holden is a respectedand well-know creator of western art.He has created monuments for com-munities across Oklahoma as well asKansas and Texas.

“H’s” work has even been repro-duced for the covers of WesternHorsemen Magazine.

You may recognize some of his moreprominent monuments at the WillRodger’s World Airport, the OKCStockyard and The Oklahoma HistoryCenter in Oklahoma City just to namea few.

“H” also created “We WillRemember” as part of the OklahomaState University plane crash memorialin Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater.

One thing is certain…“H” under-stands the heart of Western life andthe heart of Enid. The beautiful publicart of “H” Holden may be seen incommunities across the country, butEnid can always claim ‘Boomer’ as hisfirst.

Todd Earl and Harold T. Holden pose next to "Boomer"at the Cherokee Strip Conference Center. Holden artisticpiece was commission and donated to the City of Enidin 1987. (Staff Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)


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CITY HALL580-234-0400ADMINISTRATIONCity ManagerEric BensonExt. [email protected] DEPARTMENTChief of Police: Rick [email protected] Emergency Dial 911FIRE DEPARTMENTFire Chief: Phil [email protected] Emergency Dial 911LEGAL DEPARTMENTCourt, TicketsCity Attorney: Andrea ChismExt. [email protected] Clerk: Linda ParksExt. [email protected] RESOURCE MANAGERAndrie WintersExt. [email protected] MANAGEMENTSevere Weather / Disaster Preparedness

Mike [email protected] RESOURCESEmploymentDirector: Sonya KeyExt. [email protected] DEVELOPMENTPlanning, building permits, codes

Planning Administrator

Chris BauerExt. [email protected] Pritchett: 249-4917Frank Haley : 231-0156Angela Rasmuson: 231-0099Crystal Valdez: 541-6478FINANCEDirector: Joan RileyExt. [email protected] SERVICESWater bill, new residentsExt. 1600PUBLIC SERVICESPublic Services DirectorWater, Streets, Sewers, ParksJim McClainExt. [email protected] DirectorRob [email protected] & Storm Water SpvsrMelvin KeyExt. [email protected] Mgmt. SupervisorBen PainterExt. [email protected] Waste SupervisorKim LetteerExt. [email protected] & Traffic Spvsr.Jerry CrawfordExt. [email protected] DirectorBilly McBrideExt. [email protected] PendergraftExt. [email protected]

ADA CoordinatorChris SteinExt. [email protected] Services Sprvs.Bill HoleExt. 4500Water Dist. SupervisorExt. 4200Water Prod. Services Sup.Bruce [email protected] Mgmt. [email protected] ManagerDon [email protected] PUBLIC LIBRARYDirector: Michelle [email protected] GOLF COURSEPublic golf course

Golf Pro: Cody [email protected] access television

Director: Wendy [email protected] AIRPORTDirector: Dan [email protected] buses

Kim Watkins

233-7433 or [email protected]

CITY DIRECTORCITY DIRECTORYY

15


In 2008, Enid sold

approximately

2,144 pet tags?

There were 98,000

tons of trash dumped

at the landfill in

the year

2008?

Enid’s city song is “Enid

The City Beautiful,”

formally adopted

by the City

Commission on

January 25,1966?

An average of

2,482 people go

to the public

library

each week?

Enid Woodring Regional

Airport is named for Lt. I. A.

(Bert) Woodring, a test pilot

in the 20s and 30s before

he died testing a

new aircraft?The Enid Fire

Department was created

as a professional

fire-rescue service by

city ordinance in

1902?

Enid’s police

department was

organized in

1896?

Enid goes through

more than

2 billion gallons of

water in a

12-month cycle?

Commercial signs

can be no taller

than 35 feet?It costs the city

$85,000 a year to

mail utility

bills?


Documents

Enid on the Move (Summer 2009)