Published: December 16, 2009 09:33 am      

Council oks social host ordinance

The Tuttle City Council unanimously approved a social host ordinance on Monday, making Tuttle the fourth city in Grady County to do so. Chickasha was the first to pass such an ordinance, with Blanchard and Verden following suit.

Representatives from Red Rock Behavioral Health Services, Director Ashley Cline and Prevention Educator Lauren Greenfield spoke to the council about the benefits of a social host law.

Cline gave an overview of a social host ordinance and explained that the ordiinance can reduce teen drinking and holds teens and adults accountable for their actions.

“I was really thrilled that they passed it,” Cline said. “I am really excited.”

Next, a discussion on fire department response brought heated discussion.

City Manager Tim Young told the council the town’s department heads are working together to deal with issues regarding county responsibility versus town responsibility for the EMS and the number of volunteers who respond to an emergency call.

Tuttle Fire Chief Gerald Cook said his department has averaged 3.3 volunteers responding to calls for the last two years.

“Occasionally, six or seven people respond,” Cook said. “You never know how many are going to respond. When we get on-scene, we can see what’s going on and start canceling. Four responders are usually sufficient, but it depends on the type of call it is. It’s hard to day ‘this is going to happen when we get this call.’ It’s not always like they say it should be. I’d rather have too many than not enough, but we’ll do whatever the city deems necessary.”

Every responder who responds to a call is paid a reimbursement stipend of $12.

“Responders are paid whether they are turned around or not because they responded,” Cook said.

“It’s a nickel and dime issue,” Young said.

Young requested information showing him what other communities do in the same situation.

Cook said it is best to have medically-trained people respond to medical calls, but the department only has eight responders who are trained, including five EMTs and three certified first responders.

Financing public safety is also an issue of concern to the community.

Despite $200,000 going to public safety from the Utility Authority in next year’s budget, about half of Tuttle’s ambulance calls are in the county, and fees charged are not enough to cover the deficit, Young said.

Because public safety is funded with revenue from water and garbage bills, those living outside Tuttle city limits do not contribute to the fund, yet they expect EMS to respond in an emergency.

“It has a huge impact on the community,” Young said. “It’s a huge problem.”

“People are wondering if they’re being protected or not,” Mayor Bobby Williams said. “Money is a big issue, but we’re not putting money over life.”

Then the council voted on several community development issues, the first being a request for land use change in rezoning for Joel and Anita Hoppis at the intersection of State Highway 37 and Sara Road. The request was approved, with a vote of 4-1. Councilman Taylor Henderson cast the only no vote.

The council also approved a zoning change for Hills Land Construction for property located west of the southwest corner of the intersection of State Highway 37 and County Line Road and a use on review permit for Willis R. and Tonja S. Shandy for a warehouse for equipment sales and rental located at 3702 E. State Highway 37. Both votes were unanimous.

Several items were removed from the consent docket for further discussion, including Christmas bonuses for city employees and the new budget for fiscal year 2010. The council voted to allow bonuses to city employees who work at least 16 hours per week and the budget was approved, with Councilman Brian Routh saying it was the best organized budget he has seen.

The council also approved submitting an application to the District Attorney’s Council’s Local Law-Enforcement Justice Assistance Grant program to establish MobileCop service for the police department.

Next, the council voted to approve the submission of an application to ACOG’s Clean Cities Public Fleet Conversion grants program to purchase two CNG vehicles and a CNG refueling point.

The city submitted an application last year, but was turned down.

“The odds are we’re not going to get it, but the worst they can do is tell us no,” Young said.

The council then voted to approve the nomination of Vicky Hildebrand as the Board of Adjustments Member to Ward 4, with a term to expire June 30, 2012.

The council also approved budget amendments to allow for several unplanned items, including miscalculation of salaries and $7,000 for repairs to an EMS truck with a cracked head. They also voted to approve a contract with Hornbeek Blatt Architects for architectural services to design the new city hall and public storm shelter.

Finally, the council voted to approve a Memorandum of Understanding between the city of Tuttle and TASA regarding funding of improvements to the lighting at the baseball fields in Schrock Park as well as authorization to bid the purchase of and financing of said lighting.

The city was awarded a $50,000 grant toward the installation of a splash park at Schrock Park, but requested to transfer the funds toward another project after learning the splash park would require a $250,000 sewer line.

Only two baseball fields will receive new lighting, because it is not financially feasible to replace lighting at all four baseball fields Young said.