Council Balks At Over $100,000 For Firm’s Inspection Services; Opts To Go Out For Bids Instead
For the second time in less than two weeks, Sulphur City council members failed to approve amendment #1 on the proposed street paving task order.
At the regular September meeting on September 8, the request failed in a vote by members and at a special meeting last Thursday, September 18, no action was taken on the request.
The amendment was to authorize Parkhill Engineering to perform inspection services on the paving project in a lump sum amount of $101,820.00 (for 60 days) with a supplemental inspection fee of $1,697.00 for each additional day. The cost per hour calculates to approximately $212.00 per hour.
After a lengthy discussion, council members agreed the project should be advertised for public bids and instructed City ManagerAndy Freeman to solicit bids for the inspection.
Freeman told members he didn’t know the language needed to use in the bid process but he would try to find out what needed to be included in the legal notice and how to word it.
Council members also asked if the fees would be paid from the restricted street fund even though the language in the original proclamation says the fund is to be used “exclusively for street repair, improvements and replacement.” The issue of exactly what the fund can be used for has come up several times in the past few years regarding things such as red lights, sidewalks, equipment, etc., which is not what the proclamation says that was voted into law by the citizens of Sulphur.
The one-cent sales that was first voted in by the citizens was in 1983 for a period of five-years. In 1987, before the tax was to expire, members again went to the citizens asking the tax be made permanent with the same requirements. One-half of the one cent tax would be restricted and only used for streets as stated above and the other one-half would be designated to the water and sewer department to be used “exclusively for sewer plant, water line and sewer line repairs, improvements and replacements”.
Freeman said he has talked to three former council members, Ray Halsell, Mitch Hull and Brian Hollis and each one told him their intentions were that it could be used for engineering fees even though that is not stated anywhere in the proclamation. Intentions cannot replace facts when it comes to the law.
The bids for a proposed street paving project (the first in at least the past seven years) are set to be received by the City of Sulphur and opened on September 25 at 2:00 p.m. at the city hall.
Members approved an agreement between the State of Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and the Sulphur Municipal Authority for the Disaster-Impacted Local Economies Revolving Fund Loan and authorized city staff to establish a separate bank account and purchase order system for the funds to be administered.
Approving the loan agreement allowed members to accept the contracts with MO Equipment for storm debris removal and MAPCO for storm debris monitoring services.
October 30, 2025 was approved as Trick or Treat night in Sulphur. The time is set for 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In other agenda action, members approved the following:
•payment of $34.40 to Sulphur Times Democrat for a publication;
•payment of $251.00 to JACs for springs, bolts and shackles;
•payment of $7,081.68 to Dell Technologies for seven computers;
•contract with BTXTERIORS for the replacement roof at the library with a 3-year warranty;
•emergency repairs to the 750-gallon per minute pump at the water plant in the amount not to exceed $7,000.00 based on a quote for $3,997.18 received from Haynes; and
•payment of $13,151.25 to Del Sol for storm debris consultant services.
Ward 4 Councilman Ryan Peters was absent at the meeting.
