Sand Springs Spirit Grant Workshop Set for July 30

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Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs recently announced a Spirit Grant workshop on July 30, at 7 p.m. at the Case Community Center (1050 W. Wekiwa Rd.) in Sand Springs. The workshop is free and open to the public. Following a brief overview of the City's new Spirit Grant program guests are invited to ask questions and learn more about for this new local economic development grant program.

Earlier this week, the City announced the Spirit Grant- a competitive grant program intended to boost economic development in Sand Springs. The program is looking for new events or projects and expansions of existing events or projects to primarily generate sales tax and tourism in the community. Community beautification and quality of life projects in Sand Springs are also eligible.

Spirit Grant projects can range from as little as $500 to projects costing $5,000 or more. With that range in mind, the grant amount will range from $400 to a maximum of $4,000 for any single grant award. Once the project has been completed, the applicant may submit original invoices for reimbursement from the City.

Examples of types of Spirit Grant awards include:

  • advertising and marketing expenses designed to attract and draw tourism to Sand Springs
  • group advertising campaign to support local merchants that results in more local sales
  • community cleanup efforts
  • special event designed to increase tourism to Sand Springs
  • exterior building facade upgrade (awning/painting/landscaping/lighting of business workplace to improve outward appearance)
  • group project to provide new community facilities or improvements to existing
  • public art (murals, statuary, etc.)
  • historical interpretation or other displays relating to Sand Springs

Grant applications will be reviewed by the City. Successful grant applications will be graded on many factors, with a focus on each grant's potential to add value to the community.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.sandspringsok.org or contact the Spirit Grant Team at (918) 246-2504 or spiritgrant@sandspringsok.org

Small Business Coalition brings singing competition to downtown Sand Springs

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Think you could be the best vocalist in the Sand Springs area? 

The Sand Springs Small Business Coalition resuscitated the popular First Tuesday on the Triangle concert series in June, and in August they're continuing the festivities with the first ever "Sand Springs Sings" competition.

Preliminary contests will be held on August 7th, September 4th, and October 2nd, and the finalists from each month will go head to head in the championship round on Saturday, November 24th. 

Contestants will perform outdoors in the heart of the historic downtown Triangle District. The competition is $10.00 to enter and free to watch. The winner will take home a trophy and a $500 cash prize. The contest is open to individuals, duos, and groups of any age or genre. 

The SSSBC hopes the series will attract both locals and visitors who don't typically spend much time in downtown. In addition to coalition businesses such as Yesterday To Now Antiques and Art Mall, The Harvest World Market, and Joni's on the Triangle Hair Salon, there will also be multiple food trucks and local vendors on hand. Those three businesses will have physical entry forms available at their shops.

Sand Springs has a long history of producing talented musicians. The Rogues Five saw regional acclaim in the 1960's and played alongside bands like Jim Morrison and The Doors. Sam Harris won Star Search in 1983 and has since recorded several albums and appeared on Broadway. Jake Tankersley appeared on American Idol and is currently producing his second album. Christian rock band Capitol Lights recorded two albums. 

Morgan Ganem recorded two albums with the band Sownds, had a song adopted as an unofficial anthem of the Kansas City Chiefs, has released two solo albums, and has a residency at Safari Joe's H2O water park in Tulsa. Darin Shipley, Jennifer Marriott, Shelby Eicher, Janet Rutland, and Hannah Rose have all released albums in recent years, and Jacob Dement has a residency at Margaritaville in Tulsa. 

City of Sand Springs announces Spirit Grant program

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Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs announces the creation of the Spirit Grant program, a competitive grant program intended to boost economic development in Sand Springs. Spirit Grants are designed to enhance local retail sales, tourism and strengthen community development and beautification in Sand Springs. There will be a Spirit Grant workshop later this month, with grant applications becoming available on the City of Sand Springs website (www.sandpspringsok.org) August 1.

"We're not giving money away, however this program comes close as long as we have strong projects to consider. These grants will be a strong incentive for local citizens, clubs and business to make a positive impact on our community in a short amount of time,"  stated Grant Gerondale, Community Development Director for the City of Sand Springs.

Grant applications may be submitted by individuals, businesses or groups to partially fund programs or projects designed to attract people to Sand Springs to shop, dine or recreate in the City of Sand Springs. Applications can also be submitted to enhance the outward appearance of buildings, businesses or other places in the greater Sand Springs community.

Applicants will need to commit to a 20% cash contribution in order to potentially receive an 80% Spirit Grant award from the City, which combined, will create the total grant award amount. Once the project has been completed, the applicant may submit original invoices for reimbursement from the City. Grant applications will be accepted on a quarterly basis and reviewed by city staff.

The program is looking for new events or projects and expansions of existing events or projects to primarily generate sales tax and tourism in our community. Community beautification and quality of life projects in Sand Springs are also eligible.  Projects should have a positive financial impact on the City. Ideally, projects should add value to the community in light of the cost of the grant.

"We're looking forward to seeing some great concepts and ideas from our citizens," stated Gerondale, who invites the public to attend a Spirit Grant workshop happening at 7 p.m. on July 30, at the Case Community Center. 

Successful grant applicants (upon written notice by the city) will have one year to complete the grant project and submit for reimbursement. Projects can be completed before the one year deadline, however projects not completed within the deadline risk reimbursement of funds.

Spirit Grant projects can range from as little as $500 to projects costing $5,000 or more. With that range in mind, the grant amount (80% of the total project which is reimbursable to applicants by the city) will range from $400 to a maximum of $4,000 for any single grant award. 

An applicant may receive more than one award per fiscal year, and may submit an application over multiple years.

Examples of types of Spirit Grant awards include:

  • advertising and marketing expenses designed to attract and draw tourism to Sand Springs
  • group advertising campaign to support local merchants that results in more local sales
  • community cleanup efforts
  • special event designed to increase tourism to Sand Springs
  • exterior building facade upgrade (awning/painting/landscaping/lighting of business workplace to improve outward appearance)
  • group project to provide new community facilities or improvements to existing
  • public art (murals, statuary, etc.)
  • historical interpretation or other displays relating to Sand Springs

Grant applications will be reviewed by the City. Successful grant applications will be graded on many factors, with a focus on each grant's potential to add value to the community.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.sandspringsok.org or contact the Spirit Grant Team at (918) 246-2504 or spiritgrant@sandspringsok.org

Sand Springs City and Chamber of Commerce partner to create small business incubator in downtown

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The Sand Springs Municipal Authority unanimously voted Monday evening to move forward with plans for a partnership with the Sand Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. 

The City of Sand Springs will lease the old Public Works facility at 109 North Garfield to the Chamber of Commerce at an amount of $1.00 per year, giving the Chamber room to develop a business incubator in the heart of downtown.

The Chamber will sublet office space to upstart businesses at a rate lower than most downtown office space. They will also provide resources to help young businesses get to a point of profitability that they can eventually move into the large amount of vacant downtown storefronts.

The terms of the agreement allow for either party to cancel the lease with a 90-day written notice for any reason. The City will receive 25% of the sublease revenue, while the Chamber will keep 75% to help with their economic development projects. The City will also receive a quarterly financial report and monthly update on the occupant businesses. 

The Chamber will take possession of the building in "as-is" condition and will be doing a self-funded remodel to convert the building for their purposes. 

Chamber President Kristin Cepak says it will take the Chamber about nine to twelve months to get the incubator program off the ground. The Chamber is working with The Forge, a curriculum-based certified business incubator in Tulsa, and 36 Degrees North, to create a fully certified program through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

In Other News:

Council authorized City staff to apply for Programming of Tulsa Urbanized Area Transportation Alternative Funds. The City is working to construct a sidewalk along the western side of 81st West Avenue from Tenth Street to Park Road. 

Council unanimously passed Ordinance 1321 amending City zoning codes for the potential passage of State Question 788. Should medical or recreational marijuana ever be legalized in the State of Oklahoma, growers, processors, and retailers would have to apply for Specific Use Permits. 

Council unanimously passed Ordinance 1322, aligning the City with State statutes regarding underage access to tobacco. The ordinance prohibits possession or sale of vapor products to youth under age 18.

City Council approved a $165,096.00 contract renewal with Superion LLC for financial software. 

Council approved a $31,636.80 purchase order to upgrade all City employees to Microsoft Office 2016.

Council approved the purchase of 49 Dell PCs for Police, Fire, and Municipal Court departments in the amount of $37,240.

Council approved supplemental appropriations totaling $1,047,000.00 from the Municipal Authority Water Utility Fund to prefund building, golf course, museum, and park improvements. The water fund will be reimbursed when certain voter-approved bond packages are sold. 

Council approved a $29,662.27 service agreement with Motorola Solutions to upgrade Police Department communications systems.

Council approved $107,397.00 for the purchase of three 2018 Ford Police Interceptor SUV units and one 2019 Ford Taurus unmarked detective units.

Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding and $3,214.75 payment to the Indian Nations Council on Government for 9-1-1 mapping and MSAG services. 

Council approved $261,708.00 to subsidize EMSA services for the city. 

Council approved $47,485.00 to furnish the Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center and Fire Station No. 2. 

Council accepted a $29,635 bid from Candle Electric for electrical work in Case Community Park. Candle will work to replace buried electrical wiring feeding the roadway lights. They returned the lowest bid out of three companies.

Council approved a final payment of $6,860.00 to Lambert Construction for their work in building a hardened storm shelter at Case Community Center.

Council approved an agreement renewal with the Metropolitan Environmental Trust (M.e.t.) in the amount of $33,132.00 for operating the Sand Springs Recycling Program. 

Council unanimously appointed Merle Parsons to the Board of Adjustment.

Council unanimously appointed Sharon Weaver to the Sand Springs Development Authority.

Council unanimously appointed Thomas Askew and Paul Shindel to the Planning Commission. 

Council declared three residential lots as surplus, authorizing sale for residential development. The lots, located at 301 N Franklin Ave, 307 N Franklin Ave, and 505 W Broadway St, were donated in lieu of payment of liens.

Council approved $394,908.00 for the purpose of replacing Precision Approach Path Indicators and constructing a new Electrical Vault at Pogue Airport. 

Sandlot Sno-Balls opens new Prattville shaved ice stand with drive-through

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Sandlot Sno-Balls is bringing shaved ice back to south Sand Springs. 

Owned by Sand Springs native Brad Crain, the New Orleans-style snowball business unveiled their new location Tuesday morning in the Prattville Center on 41st Street. 

Sandlot first opened for business in the summer of 2015 at 250 South Highway 97 in the parking lot of Warehouse Market (now Cox Cash Saver). JwY's Tropical Ice had a stand in that location for more than a decade before Crain purchased the business and opened Sandlot. 

The new Prattville location is Sandlot's first expansion since incorporating three years ago, and will create six new part-time jobs. It is the only snow cone stand on the south side of Sand Springs.

The Sweet Pink Shack sold snow cones and pineapple whips in the parking lot of Cheezie's Pizza just across the street from the Prattville Center from 2014 to 2017, but decided not to reopen this summer. 

Snow cone connoisseurs will no longer have to cross the river to get their shaved ice fix. Nor will they need to exit their vehicle. Sandlot Prattville is the only Sand Springs snow cone stand with a drive-through. 

The stand has safety barricades to separate the drive-through from pedestrians, and there will be outdoor seating for customers to hang out. Crain asks customers to please be patient for the first week as they've never had to man both a drive-through and walk-up before. 

The Prattville Center is jamming in recent years with Lee's Charburgers joining Minuteman Pizza and Terry's Classic Coneys to provide plenty of dining options for local Sandites. There are also multiple shopping locations and a live music venue. Now patrons of those establishments will have a dessert option in the same shopping center. 

The stand offers all the same flavors as their original location, with the exception of sugar free flavors and pineapple whip. It also features the "latest and greatest block-shaver on the market," says Crain. 

Sandlot is open from noon to 10:00 p.m. and can be reached at 918.813.1233.

Harper's Hut Berryhill snow cone stand vandalized, closed for repairs

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Just a week after opening for business, the Harper's Hut Shaved Ice stand in Berryhill was the victim of overnight vandalism. 

CEO William Nozak says that Berryhill branch owner Jeff Lyles arrived Saturday morning to find both windows smashed out with rocks. The stand plans to remain closed until repairs can be made. "Stuff like this happens, but it's tough to swallow, especially for a new business owner."

Lyles, also a Sand Springs Public Schools Assistant Band Director, says that the incident will cost around $400 for new windows and installation. A police report has been filed and authorities are investigating security footage from nearby Berryhill Public Schools and New Home Free Will Baptist Church.

The Hut is located at 3110 South 65th West Avenue in the unincorporated Tulsa community of Berryhill, immediately across the street from Berryhill Elementary South, and less than a quarter mile from Berryhill Elementary North and Berryhill High School. 

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice and Java opened its first stand in Sand Springs in 2014 and has since expanded to five locations in Sand Springs, Sapulpa, and Tulsa. 

 

 

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice celebrates Grand Opening of new Berryhill location

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Harper's Hut Shaved Ice & Java celebrated the grand opening of a new snow cone stand Thursday afternoon.

Fellow business owners and Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce members traveled to Berryhill to congratulate CEO William Nozak and Berryhill co-owner Jeff Lyles on their new venture at 3110 South 65th West Avenue. 

The new stand is located in the parking lot of New Home Free Will Baptist Church in the unincorporated community of Berryhill, immediately across the street from Berryhill Elementary South, and less than a quarter mile from Berryhill Elementary North and Berryhill High School. 

Harper's Hut opened its first stand at 1124 East Charles Page Boulevard in Sand Springs in 2014 and has been steadily growing ever since. 

Harper's unique flavors and image can be found at the Case Community Park concession stand in Sand Springs, the Sapulpa Aquatic Center, and Sungate Pool in Tulsa. Nozak owned a stand in Mannford for three seasons before the land they leased was sold for development, and that stand has now been relocated to the Sand Springs location. The Berryhill hut is the original building where the company got its start.

"We've been blessed," says Nozak. "The  community has stood behind us. Other stands have opened, Starbucks has come to town with cold drinks, and we still have a flourishing brand."

Part of Harper's success can be attributed to its family friendly environment, which includes far more than a simple snow cone. Patrons are welcome to hang out at the huts, host birthday parties, and more. 

The Sand Springs stand is fully stocked with corn hole, frisbees, footballs, soccer balls, hula hoops, and numerous other games and activities. In addition to colorful picnic tables, there are also unique hangouts for children like a dugout and a pirate ship. The Berryhill stand is just starting out but will soon include many activities of its own. 

Jeff Lyles, an Assistant Band Director at Sand Springs Public Schools and Berryhill graduate, will run the stand together with his wife, Amanda. Their stand kicked off with a bang and beat the Sand Springs location in sales on day one. 

To book Harper's Hut for a private party or to get information on opening your own stand, contact 918.671.6352. Harper's provides shaved ice, espresso, Italian sodas, smoothies, and more for birthday parties, festivals, weddings, corporate events, and more. 

First Tuesday on the Triangle concert draws crowds to downtown Sand Springs

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The "First Tuesday on the Triangle" concert series kicked off this week in downtown Sand Springs and organizers are calling the first event a success despite unseasonably high temperatures that may have kept some Sandites at home.

Let Slip The Dogs battled the heat with some cool tunes, performing a broad selection of covers ranging from The Cure to Stevie Wonder.

Local shop owner Stormy Miller opened up the show with guitarist Brian Parker. Though he didn't play any instruments, Miller was instrumental in getting the event organized. His store, The Harvest World Market, sponsored the concert stage and helped secure sound equipment.

Several local food trucks were on hand, including Mannford-based Kingdom Concessions with Mexidogs, elote, and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Jeremy and Tammy Myers served up Sonoran-style hot dogs, wrapped in bacon, and topped with refried beans, pico de gallo, and their secret Mexisauce. 

House District 66 candidate Rusty Rowe used the opportunity to meet local constituents, while his Democratic primary competitor, Angela Graham, took the evening off from campaigning and enjoyed the show with her son.

Several local businesses and organizations set up booths around the Triangle, including the Sand Springs Women's Chamber, who works to promote child literacy. The Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum was also on hand, taking donations and selling raffle tickets for the Blue Dog Art Exhibit. 

SEE RELATED: Blue Dog art takes Sand Springs by storm

The concert series has an off-and-on history in Sand Springs, being organized by different organizations throughout the years.

The current face of the downtown revitalization is the Sand Springs Small Business Coalition, founded in 2017 by Joni Sporleder (Joni's on the Triangle Hair Salon), Susan Whitley (Yesterday to Now Antique Mall), and Jennifer Barretto (Chinowth and Cohen Realtors). 

The Small Business Coalition worked together with the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce and the City of Sand Springs to host the inaugural Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony which drew over a thousand people in December. The Tuesday on the Triangle series is the first event that the Coalition has hosted entirely on its own.

While the Chamber of Commerce works hard to improve the overall economy of the city, the Coalition, which includes several Chamber members, aims to host several events throughout the year to try and increase foot traffic into local restaurants and retail shops. 

First Tuesday on the Triangle won't be held in the month of July, due to the Sertoma Fireworks Show on July 3rd at Case Community Park. The concert will return on August 7th, followed by September 4th, and October 2nd. 

The Coalition is also working on festivities for various holidays as well as a poker run and car show in the near future. 

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice receives counterfeit twenty dollar bill

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Can you spot the fake?

Harper's Hut Shaved Ice and Java recently received their first counterfeit twenty dollar bill of the 2018 summer season.

Getting ripped off is a tradition for the Sand Springs snow cone stand. Since opening in 2014, the seasonal hangout starts every year with a hard lesson on how to spot fake twenty dollar bills. CEO William Nozak likes to take the opportunity to teach other small business owners. 

While counterfeit detector pens cost only a few dollars, sometimes they run out of ink or simply get misplaced. Here's a few simple indicators to check the authenticity of a bill.

Modern twenties have two watermarks. On the left side of the bill is a security thread repeating "USA Twenty" from bottom to top. On the right side of the bill is a silhouette of President Andrew Jackson's face. Both can best be seen when held up to a light. 

All bills $5 and larger have a facial silhouettes and security threads. On fives and tens the bands are on the right hand side, the fifty is near the middle, and the hundred is on the left.

In the summer of 2017 Harper's unveiled a new snow cone flavor named the "Fake $20." Harper's Hut has two Sand Springs locations. The original hut is at 1124 East Charles Page Boulevard and a limited menu is available at the Case Community Park concessions stand. 

VetIQ Petcare holds ribbon-cutting ceremony at Sand Springs Walmart

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VetIQ Petcare held a ribbon cutting ceremony at their new Sand Springs location Friday morning, and will hold a Grand Opening celebration on Saturday with adoptable animals from Sand Springs Animal Welfare.

Located on the front side of the Walmart Supercenter at 220 South Highway 97, the clinic is only accessible from the parking lot, and cannot be entered through the retail store. 

PetIQ has distributed its products through the retailer for years, and expanded to veterinary services in January with the acquisition of VIP Petcare. 

VetIQ has a landlord-tenant relationship with Walmart and plans to open more than 1,000 locations nationwide by 2023. The first twenty clinics are expected to open by the end of June, and Oklahoma is spearheading the launch with the first three locations opening last month in Bartlesville, Edmond, and Duncan. 

The clinic provides only routine petcare such as checkups, vaccinations, deworming, microchipping, and nail trimming, and does not offer surgical services or overnight boarding. They also work directly with the Walmart Pharmacy to offer on-site prescription services. Walk-in services are available and no appointment is required.

VetIQ is currently running several special discounts, including free rabies vaccines, $10.00 nail trimming, and $10.00 microchipping through the end of July.  

The Sand Springs location will be open seven days a week, 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Proposed golf course cell tower draws controversy at City Council

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Monday night's monthly Sand Springs City Council meeting focused heavily on a controversial cell tower in the works at the Canyons at Blackjack Ridge golf course.

The municipal golf course owned by the City has been approached by Branch Communications, who wants to build an 85-foot cellular tower for AT&T on golf course property. The "stealth tower" is designed to resemble a pine tree and would not obstruct fairways.

According to Branch VP Mark Kenser, AT&T previously had an antenna atop the McKinley Water Tower for twenty years, but was denied a lease renewal.

Kesner said the company has been looking for a location for a new tower for two years, but has been severely limited due to topography and zoning restrictions. 

According to Kesner, the tower needs to be within a half-mile of its current location, and very little of that area is usable. Multiple private land owners have been approached, but none were interested in leasing or selling property. 

Kesner says AT&T would prefer to build a 150 ft. tower but dropped to eighty due to Municipal and citizen aesthetic concerns. 150 feet would be necessary to maintain current coverage, and eighty feet will offer the poorest coverage allowed by federal regulations. 

Several citizens spoke in opposition to the tower due to the obstruction it would impose on the natural view. Bill Denton, a residential developer, was concerned about the impact the tower will have on his property value and ability to sell homes.

Realtor Diane Robbins said she owns enough land for a thirty-plot subdivision, which already has a preliminary plat. She was also concerned about the impact the tower would have on property value. Realtor Dana Box echoed Robbins' comments.

Former City Councilman Dean Nichols spoke on behalf of Councilwoman Patty Dixon, who was absent due to a family medical emergency. According to Nichols, Dixon was firmly against the tower but was unable to be present for the vote.

Nichols also asserted that the income the City will be receiving from AT&T is far less than it should be when compared to what other companies have been known to pay. If the agreement with Branch is approved, the City will lease the property for $1,200 per month.

According to City Attorney David Weatherford, the question on the agenda was specifically regarding whether or not the tower was an appropriate use of land, and did not actually affirm a contract with the company. 

City ordinances require Antenna and Supporting Structures go through a Specific Use Permit process to prevent objectionable uses of land where zoning wouldn't specifically prohibit the placement of said equipment. 

If the tower is built, it would also have room to hold up to three additional carriers.

In other news:

Municipal Judge Tom Askew administered the Oath of Office to three new police officers. Jerrod Raglin, William Paarmann, and Cody Ziegler were sworn in with the Sand Springs Police Department.

Council unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation of $207,250 from the Water Utility Fund to pave the parking lot at Jerry Adair Baseball Park in Case Community Park. Voters approved the project as part of a general obligation bond package in 2017, but the bonds have yet to be sold to fund it. 

Council unanimously passed an ordinance allowing the City Municipal Court to try misdemeanor drug offenses, rather than sending them to the County for prosecution. Police Chief Mike Carter believes offenders will get more contact and help at the local level.

Council unanimously voted to greenlight a pilot program for traffic signage in residential neighborhoods. The City will begin placing signs with parking restrictions at the entrances to housing additions rather than along the streets. 

Council unanimously approved $382,249 for the purchase of a new wastewater vacuum/jet rodder truck. Citizens voted to fund the purchase in a November 2017 general obligation bond issue.

Council unanimously approved a $50,000 contract with Crawford & Associates for accounting and consulting services. 

Council unanimously approved a $34,160 contract with Arledge and Associates, P.C. to audit the City finances. 

Council unanimously approved the 2018 Sand Springs Police Department Policing Plan. 

Council unanimously approved an increase of $32,835 to an existing $317,179 contract with Sapulpa Digging, Inc. for the 2018 Sanitary Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project. 

Council unanimously approved a $54,305 one-year extension to an existing agreement with the Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority for bus transit services in the Sand Springs area. 

Council unanimously approved the Final Plat for the Rivercrest Addition, a fourteen-lot 4.82-acre subdivision near East 31st Place and South 113th West Avenue.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Mike Burdge, Brian Jackson, and Patty Dixon to the the Council Appointment Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge, Dixon, and Jim Spoon to the Council Finance and Development Committee. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Dixon, Spoon, and Christine Hamner to the Council Legislative Committee. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Hamner, Beau Wilson, and Phil Nollan to the Council Public Works Advisory Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Arron Montross and Kathe Crapster to the Parks Advisory Board. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the Indian Nations Council on Governments (INCOG) Board of Directors with City Manager Elizabeth Gray as an alternate. 

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the INCOG General Assembly with Gray as an alternate.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Burdge to the INCOG Legislative Consortium with Gray as an alternate.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Jackson to the INCOG Tulsa Metropolitan Area Transportation Policy Committee.

Council unanimously voted to appoint Wilson to the Sand Springs Economic Development Authority Trust. 

Council unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2019 Master Fee Schedule. 

The Sand Springs Municipal Authority meeting was held after City Council.

Municipal Trustees unanimously approved a thirty-year ground-lease contract with Ullrich Aviation at $3,531.33 per year for fifteen T-Hangars at Pogue Airport.

Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Joe Stephenson and David Kvach to the Airport Advisory Board.

Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Elizabeth Gray and Derek Henley to the Sand Springs/Sapulpa Joint Board. 

Walmart celebrates Grand Re-Opening with donations to local charities

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The Walmart Supercenter department store located at 220 South Highway 97 in Sand Springs held a Grand Re-Opening ceremony Friday morning to celebrate a recent remodel.

The three-month renovation project updated the floors, paint, signage and layout of several departments. The store remained open throughout the project.

A non-emergency veterinary clinic will soon open inside the store, which also includes SmartStyle Hair Salon, Arvest Bank, McDonald's, Regal Nails Salon & Spa, and Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. 

Walmart presented donations to three local nonprofits as part of the celebration, namely $2,500 to DaySpring Villa, $2,000 to Light of Hope, and $2,500 to the Tulsa Boys' Home.

DaySpring Villa provides shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence or sex trafficking. Light of Hope assists families and individuals struggling with addiction. The Tulsa Boys' Home is a shelter and school for wards of the State and drug-addicted minors.

Walmart first opened at its current location in 2003, and was surrounded by a new shopping center, Charlie's Chicken, Rib Crib, and many other businesses within a few short years.

The area surrounding Walmart is seeing a boom in recent years with the development of the River West and Sheffield Crossing commercial sites nearby. The $10.7 million Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center is currently under construction just across the street from Wal-Mart.

POSTOAK Lodge & Retreat unveils new Disc Golf course

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POSTOAK Lodge & Retreat held a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil a new Disc Golf course Friday afternoon.

POSTOAK is located at 5323 West 31st Street North in Northwest Tulsa. 

The course is currently six holes long but three additional holes will be added by June 1st and will expand to a full eighteen holes by next summer. POSTOAK staff are working together with the Tulsa Disc Sports Association to design the course, which features rubber teepads, Innova DISCatcher baskets, and tightly wooded fairways. 

The course is the latest in a long list of outdoor amenities that includes volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, croquet, hiking, zip lines, fishing, a pool, hot tubs, and more. 

Disc golf course access is free for hotel guests, and is open to the public for $5.00. Guests can also borrow bags and discs from the hotel check-in station. 

POSTOAK will be hosting their Fourth Annual Wine & Jazz Festival Saturday, September 1st from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 and include access to food trucks, local wineries, and live jazz performances.

Deep Branch Winery, Fish Tales Winery & Vineyards, Woods and Waters Winery and Vineyard, Vernost Wine Co., and Tidwater Winery have all been announced thus far as participants in the festival, which will be headlined by Grady Nichols and Leigh Nash.

Tulsa restaurateur Rusty Rowe campaigns for Oklahoma House District 66

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On Monday, April 9th, nearly two hundred female attorneys descended on the Oklahoma State Capitol building to lobby on behalf of public educators. Among them was University of Tulsa student Colleen McCarty, whose trip to Oklahoma City inspired her husband, Rusty Rowe, to make the drive two days later. 

Rowe, 35, took the opportunity to file for candidacy in the race for State Representative of District 66. He will take on Angela Graham in the Democratic primary on June 26. Sandite Pride News recently sat down for an interview with Rowe.

Rowe and McCarty will celebrate their tenth anniversary in July. The two have a six-year-old daughter and an eighteen-month boy. The couple owned and operated Mod's Coffee and Crepes in downtown Tulsa for seven years before closing in December. During his time in the restaurant industry Rowe was Vice President on the Art Deco District Owners Association Board for six years. 

"I've been running other peoples' restaurants and my own restaurants for fifteen years and I never really had time to jump into the political realm. This is the first time everything really lined up and I felt a calling to do more than I've been doing."

Rowe identifies as a moderate, and has voted for both republicans and democrats in recent elections. "If it's a good idea, I don't care if there's an 'R' or a 'D' next to your name. It should be supported and fleshed out." 

"I don't think they did enough," said Rowe, regarding the most recent legislative session.

Last month Governor Mary Fallin signed into law House Bill 1010xx, creating $447 million in new revenue and generating an average pay raise of $6,100 for public school teachers.

"The only reason it's historic that it got that much, is because of how much they've cut out of education," claims Rowe. "They lowered the budget 28%, and now they're bragging about raising it 19%. That's not an accomplishment."

Education isn't the only department to take a hit in Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, the Fiscal Year 2017 budget is 15% less across the board than the budget for 2007 when adjusted for inflation. In that stretch of time, Oklahoma public school enrollment has risen by 50,000.

"We don't have reliable revenue sources anymore. You need to be investing in things that bring in money. If you don't have a good education system, you don't have people getting good-paying jobs and buying things. That's our two biggest sources of revenue, income tax and sales tax."

Rowe was also wary of HB3375, legalizing craps and roulette at tribal casinos, and an increased cigarette tax included in HB1010xx. "I'm happy for any revenue streams, but we're counting on people's addictions to fund our state, while battling addiction. It doesn't seem sustainable."

Consolidation of school districts is a cost-saving solution often proposed by Oklahoma conservatives, and is something Rowe is at least willing to consider.

"I think we need to look at everything, every aspect of it. Look at what other states have done that have had success. Base it off proven policies, not just armchair quarterbacking."

"I'm not opposed to looking at how many superintendents we have over how many schools. There's probably consolidation that would help. I don't want to consolidate actual schools, because a lot of time schools are the identity of the town."

"But, if there's a superintendent that could be over multiple schools and the data proves that it would not hurt the schools and would save money to do that, I think that's worth looking into."

Criminal Justice Reform was another cornerstone of Rowe's concerns. 

"We need to up revenues everywhere we can, and a lot of the time that's not raising taxes. My father went to drug court for a DUI. He would get called in randomly for tests to see if he had anything to drink. It removes the danger he posed, but it kept him in his community. If he would have went to prison, when he got out he wouldn't have his apartment, he wouldn't have his job, and he'd be in poverty."

"Instead of making him a tax burden forever and making us pay to house him, he continued to work, continued to buy groceries, continued to generate income tax, continued to generate sales tax, and continued to pay into the system and into his community."

Regarding medical marijuana, Rowe believes it should legalized and regulated similarly to any other prescription medication. Not a recreational marijuana advocate, he is open to legalization with regulations similar to those leveled against cigarettes and alcohol.

Rowe is a big proponent of social services due to his own familial reliance on government assistance during his childhood.

"My parents got a divorce and my mom raised my brother and me. She had to use Emergency Infant Services to get me diapers and formula. She had to use Domestic Violence Intervention Services. She's an extremely strong person. She asked for help when she needed it, and she was able to work her way up to not needing it anymore."

Rowe wants to bring reform to government assistance programs and introduce sliding scales for assistance based on income, so recipients don't need to maintain low income to receive help. 

He splits with his party on minimum wage, believing that the "Fight for $15" campaign is unrealistic and should be somewhere closer to $10-12.

"I owned a small business. Mom and Pop shops can't afford to pay somebody $15 an hour. You're going to shut down small businesses, bigger businesses are going to automate half their workforce, so you've just had a big net loss of jobs."

Rowe believes in ending tax incentives for the wind energy industry now that farms have been built throughout the state. 

"When I owned a restaurant, I wouldn't put my best-selling menu item on sale. People are already buying that. You take the new one that you want people to get interested in, and you put that on sale. And that sale only lasts a certain amount of time."

He also wants to raise gross production tax on new oil wells to 7% and wants the government to avoid subsidizing dips in the oil industry. 

"It's not the government's job to bail out your company because you didn't do what other companies have to do and pivot. Take your welders that are used to building pipelines, have them build wind farms. Take your engineers that are used to building loops, have them start working on solar efficiency. A company needs to be smart and start investing in that other stuff."

"People are different, but there are some core things that we all share. We all want safety for ourselves and our family. We all want the opportunity to pursue our own happiness. These are common things that both sides want."

Of the 125 legislative seats up for election this year, nineteen candidates filed completely unopposed and 99 filed unopposed within their party. Three Republicans filed for the District 66 seat, including incumbent Jadine Nollan. 

All five candidates for District 66 will be speaking at the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce Open Forum on June 4th at Tulsa Tech's Sand Springs campus at 12:00 p.m. Rib Crib will be catered in and RSVP is required. Contact kristen@sandspringschamber.com to reserve your seat. 

Blue Dog art takes Sand Springs by storm

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Blue dogs have invaded Sand Springs, Oklahoma. No, nobody is dyeing their pets. Louisana artist George Rodrigue's interpretation of the Cajun werewolf has migrated northwest thanks to the efforts of a local art teacher and the Sand Springs Small Business Coalition.

The Blue Dog series catapulted Rodrigue to international acclaim in the 1990's when it was used in ad campaigns by Absolut Vodka and Xerox Corporation.

The dog's fame hasn't tapered off a bit in Sand Springs, where students at Northwoods Fine Arts Academy create their own Blue Dogs every year in Jennifer Barretto's class. 

Student paintings have been on display around Sand Springs this past year as the town has made increased efforts to patronize the arts and celebrate the efforts of the kids. The works have made their way into various businesses as well as the Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum.

The Sand Springs Small Business Coalition recently held an Art in the Park showcase on the downtown Triangle Park with vendors, food trucks, and live music. That event raised more than $1,000 to help bring an authentic Blue Dog exhibit to the Sand Springs Museum.

Barretto is working to raise $18,000 to bring original Blue Dog paintings to the museum from November through February. The money will cover transportation, insurance, new security for the museum, and a full time security guard for the length of the exhibit. 

Many local business owners believe that bringing Blue Dog to town could be a huge economic stimulant, attracting thousands of art connoisseurs who would also spend money at local shops, restaurants, convenience stores, etc. 

On Tuesday, May 15th, Barretto will be hosting a "Paint Your Own Blue Dog" event at Northwoods. She will provide canvas and supplies for $25 as a fundraiser for the exhibit. She plans to host another painting session as more of a date night in the near future with hors d'oeuvre and wine. 

The exhibit funding is closing in on $5,000, and an anonymous donor has pledged to match that amount which would bring the total to $10,000. The full amount must be raised by September.

Sand Springs City Councilman and House District 66 candidate Brian Jackson has called on his fellow Oklahoma Rotarians to support bringing Blue Dog to Oklahoma for the first time. 

In addition to a Go Fund Me account, Barretto is also selling raffle tickets for an original Blue Dog print, which will be given away during the grand opening of the exhibit. 

Barretto is heavily involved in the community, working as a realtor in addition to teaching. She serves on the Small Business Coalition, the Museum Association Board, and is helping to launch an Art Council in Sand Springs.

For more information on the Blue Dog exhibit, contact Barretto at jennifer.barretto@sandites.org or 918-850-1902.

Sam Childers presented Outstanding Citizenship Award, Burdge reelected as Mayor

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Sam Childers was posthumously recognized with the John M. Hess Award for Outstanding Citizenship at Monday evening's Sand Springs City Council meeting. Childers' daughter was on hand to receive the award.

Childers served on the Sand Springs City Council, Municipal Authority, Citizens' Water Study Committee, Planning Commission, and the Pogue Airport Advisory Board over several decades. He passed away in January of this year.

An early backer of the Keystone Ancient Forest campaign, Childers donated land to the conservation and has a trail named in his honor. The Childers family trust recently pledged to donate $7,500 for the naming rights to a visitors' center planned at the preserve. 

Municipal Judge Tom Askew administered the oath of office to Councilors Beau Wilson, Brian Jackson, and James Spoon, who were recently elected to three-year terms ending May 2021. 

Mike Burdge was unanimously reelected to a one-year term as Mayor for the thirteenth time since taking office in 1996. Phil Nollan was unanimously elected to his first one-year term as Vice Mayor. 

City Manager Elizabeth Gray presented each member of City Council with a small commemorative memento in recognition of their hard work. City Council is an elected volunteer position and members do not receive compensation. 

In other news:

Council unanimously approved $45,065.00 for the purchase and installation of a new Court Management software system at the Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center, funded by a 2017 public safety bond.

Council unanimously approved $49,512.00 for the purchase of fifteen Noptic NV3 cameras with LED spotlights for police patrol cars, funded by a 2017 public safety bond.

Council unanimously approved $25,420.70 of public safety bond funds for the purchase of an IRecord Universe IP Turnkey Recording System. The system will be installed at the Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center interview rooms.

Council unanimously approved $137,715.21 of general obligation bond funding for the purchase of new Network Infrastructure and Firewall hardware.

Council unanimously approved a $190,332.00 agreement with Craig and Keithline for services relating to infrastructure planning at the Sheffield Crossing Development. 

Board of Education approves new wrestling and girls' basketball coaches

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The Sand Springs Public School District Board of Education presented more than twenty awards during their Monday night regularly monthly meeting.

Remington Wagner was presented with a Sandite Spirit Award in recognition of her All-Region Cheer Team achievement. Wagner is signed to cheer at Southwestern Christian University next year and will study Kinesiology. 

Colt Savage was presented with a Sandite Spirit Award for his success with the boys' basketball team. Savage concluded his high school career as a four-time All Conference player and was named the 2017-2018 Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year for Region 7. He led his team in scoring for two seasons and averaged 20.58 points per game as a senior. He will play for the University of Central Oklahoma next season. 

Eric Savage was presented with a Pacesetter Award in recognition of his success with the Sandite Basketball Team. Savage wrapped up his fifth season as Head Coach with the first State Tournament appearance for Sand Springs since 1963 and was named the Frontier Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He holds a 65-62 record in Sand Springs and a career record of 370-155. After winning three 5A State Titles at Tulsa Memorial High School, he took over a Sandite program that had only won one game the year before. 

Jeff Cooper was presented with a Pacesetter Award. Cooper was awarded the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association "Friends of Basketball" award and was named the Region 7 Junior High Coach of the Year.

Barbie Jackson was presented with a Pacesetter Award for her work with the Sand Springs Education Association during the last legislative session and teacher walkout. "(Jackson) worked tirelessly to keep everyone informed," said Board member Krista Polanski. "Barbie has a big heart and she puts all of her heart into everything she does."

Shawn Beard, Sherry Durkee, Karen Biggs, Laura Hamilton, Ernie Kothe, Angelia Noel, Nancy Ogle, Sean Parker, Sherry Pearson, Renee Plant, Russell Ragland, Danese Tanner, Stan Trout, Kristin Arnold, Rob Miller, and Greg Morris were all presented with Sandite Coins of Excellence for their work during the teacher walkout. 

Superintendent Sherry Durkee spoke on the difficulty the schools are facing regarding the teacher pay raise package passed by the Oklahoma Legislature during the last session. 

The political action group Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite has filed a veto referendum petition to put House Bill 1010xx to a vote of the people. If the petition garners 41,000 signatures by July 18, Oklahoma voters will decide whether to approve or veto the bill, which provides funding for a $6,100 average pay raise for Oklahoma teachers. 

HB1010xx is expected to raise $447 million in revenue by increasing the gross production tax to 5% on all oil wells, increasing the cigarette tax by $1 per pack, increasing the gasoline tax by three cents, and increasing the diesel tax by six cents. 

If the petition succeeds, the question of whether to approve HB1010xx won't appear on ballots until the November election. With the school year beginning in August, schools are waiting on an Attorney General ruling on whether or not the districts should enact teacher raises for this school year.

If schools enact raises in August and voters reject HB1010xx in November, it would create a massive revenue shortage for districts across the state. Teacher pay raises will cost the Sand Springs district nearly $3 million in the next school year.

In other news:

Charles Page High School will host a new interior design program in partnership with Tulsa Tech during the next school year. 

Superintendent Durkee said she's pleased with the applicant pool the district recently had for several high profile positions. The District recently began accepting applications for Head Girls' Basketball Coach, Head Wrestling Coach, Head Volleyball Coach, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum. 

The Board approved the hiring of new Head Coaches for Wrestling and Girls' Basketball.

Tobey Nightingale will take over the Lady Sandite Basketball team after coaching Hennessey High School to a 9-16 record at the 3A level last season. The Lady Sandites are coming off an 18-8 season and back-to-back State Tournament appearances. 

Jarrod Patterson will take over a Sandite Wrestling program that placed third in the State Tournament in 2018 and won State and Dual State titles in 2017. The Sandites finished last season with a 13-4 dual record and won 25-straight duals over two seasons. 

Ryan Skaggs, owner/operator of Precision Outdoor Services, spoke regarding the bidding process for lawncare services in the school district. According to Skaggs, his company underbid the existing provider by $6,000, but his competitor was allowed to rebid to undercut Precision. Skaggs called on the district to go to a sealed bidding process in the future. 

The district is in the process of implementing "Crisis Go," an emergency system that alerts staff, students, parents, and law enforcement of any potential threat on campus. Durkee expects to have the system fully online by the next school year. 

Assistant Superintendent Rob Miller is in his last month with the Sand Springs district and will be taking over as Superintendent of Bixby Public Schools on June 1st. 

The Charles Page Class of 2018 graduation ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 12th at 7:30 p.m. at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center.

Myers Marketing celebrates Grand Opening of new downtown location

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Myers Marketing Management and We Are Sand Springs magazine celebrated the grand opening of their new location Saturday morning during Herbal Affair.

Myers Marketing is owned by Sand Springs locals Danielle and D.A. Myers. The company offers Social Media Management, Website Design, Search Engine Optimization, Brand Development, Video Production, Logo Design, and many other forms of traditional and modern marketing.

Myers' bimonthly magazine We Are Sand Springs provides 32 pages of full color stories, articles, and special features highlighting life in Sand Springs. They promote the aspects of Sand Springs that make the town unique, such as its history and founding by Charles Page, its beautiful parks, generous businesses, and successful schools. Copies of the magazine are mailed directly to Sand Springs homes free of charge, and can be found at businesses throughout town. 

We Are Sand Springs also publishes a calendar each year filled with coupons and important dates such as festivals, holidays, and the Sand Springs Public Schools and Chamber of Commerce calendars. 

The new office space for the company is located at 118 North Main Street and offers a place for locals to hang out and rest their feet while shopping downtown Sand Springs. They offer Dip 'n' Dots ice cream, games, and showcase local art. Sand Springs artist Jade Crawford is currently showcasing her work and sales of the art will go towards a summer mission trip to Tanzania with Asking For the Nations.

Prattville QuikTrip reopens after five months of rebuilding

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The QuikTrip convenience store located at 2 West 41st Street in South Sand Springs reopened at 6:00 a.m. Thursday after being closed for nearly half a year. 

The store's expansion project began more than a year ago with major groundwork and the existing store was closed and demolished in the fall.

The new building is approximately 6,000 square feet, an expansion of nearly 1,800 over the previous facility. The store is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and boasts a large selection of hot foods from their QuikTrip Kitchens.

QuikTrip is a privately-owned company founded in Tulsa in 1958. It first expanded to Sand Springs with its 300th store in 1992. The company operates more than seven hundred stores in eleven states with more than 22,500 employees.

The company ranks 33rd on Forbe's list of largest privately held companies with a $9.7 billion value in 2017. It is the second-largest private company in Oklahoma. QuikTrip is number 22 in the nation on the Fortune list of Best Workplaces for Millennials. 

2018 puts the "chill" in Chillin & Grillin Festival

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The Seventh Annual Chillin & Grillin Festival didn't exactly go down without a hitch, but it was still one for the history books.

A frigid wave of winter weather brought the festivities to an early end, but the event also got started a day early. The Chamber of Commerce festival expanded to three days this year and added a carnival to the already busy schedule of activities.

Great Plains Amusement brought out classic carnival rides like the Tilt-A-Whirl, the Zipper, the Musik Express, a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round and many other rides for both kids and adults.

Non-competition food vendors were on hand for the first time, feeding carnival-goers for the two days prior to the barbecue contest. Lee's Charburgers, 3 Feathers BBQ, Raphael's Southern BBQ, and Not Your Grandma's Cupcakes were all available, as were carnival classics like funnel cake, shaved ice, and chocolate-dipped cheesecake.

Student jazz bands from Mannford, Berryhill, and Charles Page High School provided the entertainment Thursday evening. Sand Springs local Jennifer Marriott headlined Friday and Midlife Crisis entertained on Saturday. 

The Third Annual Harper's Hut Classic Car Show partnered with Chillin & Grillin for the second year and was a crowd favorite. Richard Blair's Ford pickup won Green Country Federal Credit Union Best In Show. Robert Chesney won the Women's Pick with a Ford Galaxy 500, Nicholas Hancock won the Men's Pick with a Chevy Nomad, and Robin Riley won the overall Chillin & Grillin Best in Show title with a 1958 Chevy Corvette. 

The Kansas City Barbecue Society portion of the grilling competition was canceled this year, but the People's Choice Awards went unhindered. Keystone Chevrolet's "Smoking on the Line" team dethroned the defending champs from the Sand Springs Parks Department, who settled for runners-up.

2018 saw the festival's return to the newly renovated Case Community Park. Chillin was held at River City Park for its first five years, then moved to Pogue Airport last year while the park underwent a $6 million renovation and was renamed.