STWOK News

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Aug. 26, 2010) — The City of Stillwater announced today that a broken oil pipeline causing an oil leak at Stillwater Creek, near 13th Avenue and Knoblock Street, has been shut off and the discharge has been stopped.

The leak, which caused a sheen and pools of oil, was reported to the Stillwater Fire Department after a resident noticed odor and oil deposits near her home late last night. The leak was identified by city staff and local oil company representatives.

To control the leak, a boom was placed downstream and a sand dike with an under-drain system was installed to collect oil and control the issue until clean-up can be completed by crews.

According to Cody Whittenburg, Stormwater Programs Manager, “The source of the leak has been found and stopped to prevent any additional volume of oil from being discharged into the creek. Clean-up and repairs are to follow.”

The owner of the pipeline is Heritage Petroleum, Inc.

City Manager Dan Galloway said all responsible parties are involved in correcting the problem.

Residents who notice poor air quality, oil in streams or odors in the vicinity of S. Duck St. between 12th and 19th should contact the City of Stillwater at (405) 742-8362 or news@stillwater.org.

Update: Due to rain, the City of Stillwater cancels the annual Boomer Blast fireworks show scheduled for July 4.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / July 4, 2010) — Due to the extensive rainfall yesterday, crews are unable to park cars safely in the rain-saturated grass lots at Boomer Lake Park. To do so would cause significant long term damage to the grass areas of Boomer Park and potential damage to vehicles. Given this situation, along with the high winds and significant chances of additional rain today, the City of Stillwater has made the difficult decision to postpone the 4th of July fireworks until Labor Day weekend.

Wakeboard competition to continue as weather permits.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / May 20, 2010) — The City of Stillwater is in a restoration and recovery mode for two major events from yesterday: One caused by the storm and one unrelated. First, a tornado caused tree and power line damage, and, second, a break in the 16-inch water transmission main that feeds the 19th and Range water tower.

Powerline
The city’s Electric Utilities Department had 30 employees working through the evening to restore power. All customers within the city, who did not have damage to their service drop were restored by midnight. The customers located outside of the city along McElroy west of the city were restored by approximately 2 a.m.

According to Stillwater Utilities Authority Director Dan Blankenship, “The west end of the tornado damage area within city limits started at Lincoln Street, and it followed a path from west to east along the approximate alignment of Eskridge Avenue. The east end of the damage area stops approximately at N. Star Street, one block west of Perkins Road. The damage area is approximately 2.5 to 3 blocks wide.” Read the rest of this entry →

Park it, Point it, Space it from City of Stillwater, OK on Vimeo.

Blue Carts being delivered for most of Stillwater during April; Phase 2 to be implemented in July

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / April 6, 2010) — Stillwater residents will begin receiving their Blue Carts this week.

David Higgins, head of Waste Management, said, “As soon as your Blue Cart is delivered, you may begin using it your next collection day, and we will collect yard waste on the same day.”

Residents’ new once-per-week collection day is printed on the brochure that is attached to the cart. Higgins pointed out that instructions for using the cart are printed on the brochure as well. “It’s really simple: Park It. Point It. Space It.”

• PARK IT with the wheels to the curb
• POINT IT with the lid’s arrow pointing to the center of the road
• SPACE IT with five feet from any obstacle including parked cars, mailboxes, poles, etc.

Higgins added, “There are residents who will receive their Blue Carts in July. This includes neighborhoods around the OSU campus and a few other areas. Phase 2 households may select their cart size until July 1.”

Forms are available at stillwater.org and at the following locations.

• In person: Customer Service Window at the Stillwater Municipal Building (723 S. Lewis)
• In person: Convenience Collection Center (807 S. Perkins Rd.)
• By phone: Waste Management Operations at (405) 742-8269.

For more information contact Waste Management Operations at (405) 742-8269 or e-mail at wastemanagement@stillwater.org.

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / March 1, 2010 / Analysis by Dan Galloway, Stillwater City Manager) — A recent paid advertisement in the NewsPress presented some information about Stillwater Utilities Authority (SUA) rates and City of Stillwater budget conditions that are not entirely accurate.

We feel that some Stillwater citizens may have developed some misconceptions about their city water and electric rates and about the financial condition of the City that should be corrected. It is important for people to know how water, sewer and electric rates compare to other communities or to the rest of the country.

• Water: In 2008-09 the average water and sewer bill in [Broken Arrow, Moore, Bartlesville, Muskogee, Edmond, and Shawnee] was $41.04.  [While] the average Stillwaterbill was $36.36, which was about 11 percent below the average.
• Electric: The national average residential rate in this report was 11.26 cents per kilowatt hour; Stillwater’s rate for the same period was 8.96 cents, which was more than 20 percent below the national average electric rate.

Read the rest of this entry →

Councilor recall demand statement validated

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Feb. 25, 2010) — Stillwater Deputy City Clerk Clara Welch released a statement Thursday that said, “A document titled ‘Demand for the Drawing and Circulation of a Recall Petition’ was filed with this office on Thursday, February 4, 2010. A second document making the same demand was filed with this office on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. The Payne County Election Board Secretary has verified the two documents are supported by a combined total of 114 valid signatures.

“The documents list two (2) grounds for the recall of Council Darrell Dougherty. After consultation with the City Attorney, I have determined the document alleges sufficient grounds for drafting and circulation of a petition calling for an election to recall the Councilor.

“Accordingly, drafting of a recall petition will commence upon receipt of the Councilor’s written reply or expiration of the ten (10) day period as set forth in the Stillwater City Charter.”

Mayor recall petition certified

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Feb. 25, 2010) — Stillwater Deputy City Clerk Clara Welch released a statement Thursday that said, “A circulated petition calling for a special election on the question of whether Nathan Bates should be recalled from the office of Mayor was filed with this office on Monday, February 22, 2010. We have verified the petition bears the signatures of seven hundred five (705) qualified registered voters of the City of Stillwater. Accordingly, the petition was certified by this office today. The City Charter requires the certified petition be presented to the Stillwater City Council at its next regularly scheduled meeting.”

Thanks to Dennis Whiteman (@fastpipe) on Twitter for sending me this fascinating article of our City’s efforts to provide a fiber optic network for the city. The article tells of a group of computer ” techies” forming the Alliance. Shortened from The Stillwater Fiber Optic Alliance.

The most alarming bit or me was that this effort was started back in 1994! The internet as we know it was a mere infant.

The following paragraphs contain a summary of occurrences which lead to the construction of the fiberoptic system within the city of Stillwater. During the process, the design went from a “to the house” full-fiber system back to a bare bones design and then to state of the art system constructed with a partner building it with capacities beyond anything originally dreamed at the time the project was a glimmer in a crystal ball.

Read the whole article for yourself over at stillwater.org.

Ultimately Chickasaw got the contract to provide the fiber system.

The real difference between these efforts in the late 90′s and Google’s plan today are what the main priorities. Now of course Google hasn’t given details of how everything will go down and they probably only have a rough idea at best.

Google has stated that their goal is to get ultra high speed internet access in the homes. The priorities of the Alliance were initially similar but fiber only made it to a few select homes. The system was being multi-purposed for automated meter reading, CATV, and telephone.

I hope that Google keeps the focus on the homes because all the other business uses will still be possible. I’d imagine that Google would offer their PowerMeter system. A great way to monitor your homes power consumption. The possibilities of this Google backed fiber system are endless.

Of course our first goal is getting Google to pick Stillwater for this fiber system. If you have’t nominated Stillwater do it now. http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Jan. 26, 2010) — With the potential for ice storms in the forecast, Stillwater Electric Utility would like to review basic steps that our customers should follow if their electric lines are affected by icy weather.

• If you have overhead electric lines, they may be damaged from ice accumulation and/or falling tree limbs.  After the storm passes, visually inspect the wire from the house back to the power pole.  Look at the meter and equipment mounted on the house.  DO NOT TOUCH ANY LOW HANGING WIRES OR THE SERVICE!
• If the electric meter, or equipment connected to it, is pulled from your house, bent, or damaged, then it will need to be checked by an electrician.  Please call your landlord and/or electrician and have it checked as soon as possible.
• If there are branches hanging from the power line between your house and the pole, you are responsible for having a tree trimming company remove them. Please contact your landlord and/or a tree trimmer as soon as possible to have them cleared.
• If the service wire is hanging low or on the ground, or you are without power, call Stillwater Electric Utility at 372-3292 to report your problem.

Please be aware that due to safety code requirements, and to insure safety of your home, if the service equipment is damaged or the electric line is low (or on the ground), Stillwater Electric Utility may have to disconnect electric service to the residence until an electrician makes repairs.

We hope the ice storm predicted passes us by. Should an ice storm occur this week or later on this winter, we hope that any damage or resulting power outages are minimal.  Thank you. — Jeff Tullis, Director, City of Stillwater Electric Utility

For more information contact:
JEFF TULLIS jtullis@stillwater.org
Director, Electric Utility

Beginning January 25, 2010, the Transportation Department will be restricting the following roadway:

Jardot Road:  Brooke Avenue to Sunrise Avenue

Beginning January 25, 2010, the Transportation Department will be restricting southbound traffic along Jardot Road from Brooke Avenue to Sunrise Avenue.  The restriction is necessary for drainage improvements. The restriction is scheduled to be open by January 28, 2010. Read the rest of this entry →

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / Jan. 22, 2010) — Step Afrika! is the first professional company in the world dedicated to the tradition of stepping and they will be stepping into Stillwater Thursday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. at City of Stillwater Community Center, 315 W. 8th Ave.

Step Afrika! celebrates stepping, an art form born at African-American fraternities and based in African traditions. As the first professional company dedicated to stepping, Step Afrika!’s intricate kicks, stomps and rhythms mixed with spoken word pound the floor and fill the air.

Tickets are on sale for $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $12 for students (applies to anyone with a valid high school, college or university I.D.). Read the rest of this entry →