Enid On The Move (Winter 2009-10)

city of enid qrtly Nov.2009 12/22/09 2:39 PM Page 1

CONTENTS

2009: City at a glancePositive changes applauded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .03

RIDING THE TECHNOLOGICAL WAVEEnid continues to move to a better future . . . .06

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTA very attractive picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .07

2010 CENSUSIt’s in our hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

WOODRING REGIONAL Our small airport, one big asset . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

IN THE LINE OF DUTYEPD keeping Enid safe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

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

ON THE COVER:Chief of Police Rick West and Capt. Brian O’Rourke, EPD

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:

Eagle Marketing Attn: Enid On The Move227 W. BroadwayEnid, OK 73701

Mayor - John CrinerCity Manager - Eric Bensonwww.enid.org(580) 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 photographer Bonnie Vculek. Managing Editor Eva Lightsey .

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WINTER 2009-10

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Applauding the work of the City departments and CityCommissioners to bring about changes in E nid’s appearance, cleanliness,and funding decisions; City Manager Eric Benson said Enid has madegreat strides towards reaching a better quality of life for all r esidents inthe last year.

“The citizens of Enid are entitled to a predictable future and the high-est standard of living possible,” Benson said. “We have to strive toachieve that.”

Passing the first bond issue in 68 y ears to replace or renovate severalbridges was a huge achievement, Benson said. The bond is an example ofhow the City staff and the City Council wor k in concert, keeping eachother informed in an integrated process through study sessions and feasi-bility studies.

Working together, they have been able to provide a long-term visionfor Enid’s economic future. Through strategies for water, wastewater

2009: THE CITY AT A

GLANCE

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTThe code department addressed over 900 code cases.The planning commission completed a con-ceptual plan for an enhanced downtown. The building department approved a new Dollar General, new cardiology center for Bass Hospital, issued permits for 41 new homes and townhouses, and approved a new 68-room nursing home. The planning commission considers approximately 50 such plans a year. In 2010, the community development

department plans to adopt the newest versionof the international construction codes, lookat new code software, and consider a trail toconnect downtown with NorthernOklahoma College and NorthwesternOklahoma State University on the east side ofEnid.

Community development also will postproperty zones on Enid’s City web site andcomplete feasibility studies for downtown toexamine the potential for Mark Price Arena, apossible hotel, housing, and identifyingstrengths and weaknesses of downtown. Thedepartment also will be involved with VanceAir Force Base, making sure land uses nearthe base are in line with noise ordinances andcompatible with base requirements.

FINANCE“The city is in good shape considering the

circumstances of the country right now,” saidinterim finance director Joan Riley, praisingthe city’s fiscal responsibility over the past sev-eral years.

Although Enid, like every other city inOklahoma, depends a great deal on sales taxand has experienced a reduction in sales taxreceipts, the city has not had to access therainy day fund or utilize layoffs, furloughs orcutbacks due to preparation.

“We’ll be able to weather this storm,” Rileysaid. The city :Incorporated a grants administrator to facilitate and leverage our resources with grant dollars. The last five years haveaveraged 2.5 to 3 million annually in grant dollars throughout the city.Utilized automation in the public works department, reducing the number of tasks employees needed to complete manually. The first four months of this fiscal y ear compared to the first four months of last year has shown a reduction in medical claims totaling $23,000 in the solid waste department. Used technology. Hand held computers

By Eva Lightsey

MIKE KLEMME PHOTOGRAPHY


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(Nomads) in public works’ service trucks have reduced trips back and forth to the service center allowing work orders to be created and received in the field. This effort has resulted in lowering fuel cost and the unnecessary printing of paper orders. Became more environmentally conscious and reduced paper waste by utilizing email, electronic data storage and retrieval; cutting the cost of postage, office supplies, and physical storage cost. Voted to increase the rate charged for consumption (price per 1,000 gallons used) of water for the first time in o ver 20 years, and provided an automatic mechanism to increase rates on an annual basis. This allows the city to begin looking to the futur eregarding a renewable water source for Enid residents.

LIBRARYLibrary Director Michelle Mears said thelibrary is changing from the traditional ultra-quiet environment to one more comfortable,interactive, and user-friendly. The library:Eliminated overdue fines.Obtained a grant for $94,500 from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, which the city matched with $40,000, to make cosmetic changes in paint, furniture and other materials to bring the library more up to date and comfortable. Increased and revamped programs to reflect current needs and lifestyles.Added more part-time staff to focus more on customer service.Changed policy so that patron records are saved indefinitely rather than disappearing after several years of non-use. This was geared towards trying to recover books that have not been returned. As in the previous policy, once an overdue book is returned or the cost of the book paid, the patr on is once again in good standing. Patrons may pay as little as one dollar towards their bill to continue using the library.

ENGINEERINGEnid residents saved 10 percent on their flood insurance due to the work of engineering permit specialists. Using the Inflow and Infiltration elimination program (I&I), the engineering department almost completely eliminated wet weather overflows of the sanitary sewer system. Reinstated the waste water treatment plant built in 1954 in order to protect streams and creeks until the new treatment plant is in place.

treatment, streets, and other city functions, City management canlook ahead 25-50 years in the future and plan accordingly.

“They’ve given the city a predictable economic future,” Bensonsaid. “We’ve gotten out of the dark shadow of ÔWe can’t pay ourbills,’ to being one of the most efficient and financially healthy citiesin the state.”

Being secure financially has allowed city leadership to focus onmore quality of life issues including a trail system, a do wntown ren-aissance, economic development, and attracting new retailers as wellas more vigorously attacking infrastructure issues such as extending aroad to Enid Woodring Regional Airport and street repairs.

“Our City is one of those to wns that you love, but you have to getto know it to love it. You don’t fall in love with this town when youfirst drive through it. There are communities that you fall in lovewith and there are facilities you fall in love with, but overall theimpression of our town is a little blasŽ,” Benson said. “We’ve beentold our city doesn’t greet strangers very well visually, but we couldbe a town that’s eye-popping.”

For Benson, it’s all about working together. Excited about commu-nity interest in cleaning up Enid and revitalizing downtown, Bensonsaid he is proud of the increased cooperation between Enid andGarfield County. The city has adjusted well to working with aunion, Benson said.

“We now have a very effective, very cohesive, very integrated man-agement style with our union,” Benson said.

City staffers and union representatives are able to communicatefreely and respect each other’s input, Benson said.

Input from all perspectives has been valuable this past year,Benson said. The City has used the contributions fr om varioussources to make adjustments. To become eye-popping, Benson saidthe city must continue to make upgrades and impr ovements.

“I want to continue to encourage the citiz ens of Enid to invest inthemselves,” Benson said. “I want them to gain confidence in theirelected and appointed city leaders and I want them to suppor t thethings that are going to make Enid a better city.”

Photo by EVA LIGHTSEY


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Worked with the public works department to inspect all city streets. With the data this effort accumulated, the city commissioners voted to enact a .25 percent sales tax for restoring the street system. Rehabilitated three bridges.In 2010, two additional bridges are to be constructed and a third in 2011. The city commission has adopted a sanitary sewer master plan that allows the city to look 40 years ahead to examine needs and plan for improvements. The commission also recognized the need for a master plan for future water supply and has begun one to look 50 years in the future. Engineering will conduct a study in 2010 to examine the feasibility and cost of a lake v ersus the cost of extending well fields or other options. There are plans to convert the intersection at Willow and Oakwood to five lanes that would be 75 percent funded by the state.

PUBLIC WORKSCompleted major storm water work by expanding Crossland Park Lake and channels and cleaning and grading smaller channels. Maintained 1,200 lane miles of mowed roadsides, storm water channels and parks.Completed total automation of solid waste removal, water well fields, and waste water treatment plant.Established a recycling drop-off center.Cleaned bar ditches and laid gravel and asphalt millings on 10 miles of unimproved roads. Maintained 400 miles of water lines and 6,000 valves.Completed a new landfill cell that should last up to five years. The landfill opened in 1986 with a 25-year life expectancy, but due to better compacting equipment, building cells higher, and recycling natural wood products, the landfill still has over 25 years of life left. Maintained 600 pieces of equipment and vehicles.The department plans to clean the bar

ditches and lay gravel and asphalt millings onbetween six and ten unimproved miles ofroad per year until the remaining 43 miles arecomplete. The public works department hasalready entered the final stages of bidding ona new waste water treatment plant to replacethe one built in 1954. The new facility willtreat up to 12 million gallons a day and put itinto a high quality discharge. The new plantrepresents a $52 million investment and willprovide for up to 40 years of waste waterneeds. A new splash pad is to open in HooverPark in 2010.

Concept for the splash pad to open in Hoover Park in 2010.

city of enid qrtly Nov.2009 12/21/09 10:03 AM Page 5

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A fire blazes out of the windows of a two-storyhome. Fire trucks zoom into the street and peoplein heavy equipment and uniforms begin the pr ocessof taming the flames. When they get to the fir ehydrant, however, they realize there isn’t enoughwater and they need to turn on another v alve.

“Where is that valve?” asked City Manager EricBenson. “It’s buried somewhere and unless we’ve gotFred, who’s been working in that department forthe last 30 years, available nobody really knowswhere it is. But, when we get the GIS [GeographicalInformation System] deployed and the inter-cabaccess connected to that, we can call it up rightthere.”

The Geographical Information System (GIS) isonly one of several technological innovations theCity of Enid has employed this year. It allows Cityemployees to monitor the sanitary sewer system, thestorm sewer system, electrical data, major pipelinesand power lines, public safety maps such as z onessex offenders are required to stay away from, and ahost of other city functions. This makes it possibleto identify the location of manholes, fir e hydrants,and water valves, among other things. Now all of itis in a central location and accessible online.

In combination with the GIS, the public wor ksdepartment has utilized a computerized system tomonitor street conditions, according to PublicWorks Director Jim McClain. The City hired acompany to drive all the streets and photographthem, digitizing the photographs so that a computerprogram can register any potholes, cracking, orother damage and then give it a rating that reflectshow much repair the street needs.

“It’s not just somebody’s guess anymore. It’s actually

scientifically looked at to see what street gets what,”

McClain said.

“We have gotten away from just driving aroundlooking at them to actually getting a computer r ead-out on the conditions of the str eets and the ratings of the streets. Public works has also begun fully uti -lizing the supervisory control and data acquisition(SCADA) system that allows public works employ-ees to remotely turn on and off water w ells and

valves and adjust the waste water tr eatment plant. This becomes particularly significant when an alarmgoes off in the middle of the night. The person oncall can typically fix the problem from a laptopwithout ever going to the plant, dramatically r educ-ing response time and efficiency.

In trash collection, Enid is fully automated andpolycarts are now in use at every residence, which isincreasing efficiency and reducing workers compen-sation insurance claims.

In the community development department,planning administrator Chris Bauer said propertyand building inspectors can now use cell phonesand computers to conduct tasks since they hav eenacted mobile code enforcement. This allows themto move from an office-based situation to a mobile-based one.

“What that boils down to is that we’re in the fieldgiving better service to our citizens,” Bauer said.

It is important to note that the city paid for thesetechnological updates by identifying ways to savemoney internally, bringing in greater efficiencies,paying attention to the consumption of goods, andinstituting a safety department that has helped min-imize worker’s compensation claims.

In 2010, even more of the city’s day-to-day activi-ties will be automated. The city will move fromusing handwritten time sheets to an automatedclock-in system, saving an estimated $200,000 ayear in time and efficiency, according to InterimFinance Director Joan Riley. Robert Hitt, directorof the engineering department, said over 19,000water meters will be modified or r eplaced so thatthey can transmit data to collector stations, whichwill then send the information to computers do wn-town. This will allow employees to access up-to-the-minute information and help identify leaks andproblems, providing better customer service andreducing the manpower needed to manually checkmeters.

New technology and greater efficiency allows cityemployees to give better service, McClain said.

“We’re doing a lot more with the same number ofpeople,” McClain said. “That keeps the price to theconsumer at a manageable level. We’re always look-ing at ways to use technological adv ances to keepthose costs down. We’re not in this to make money.We’re in this to provide the services to the commu-nity... That is the only reason we have.”

ENID RIDINGTHE TECHNOLOGICALWAVE By Eva Lightsey


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A world-class airport, a four-lanehighway tied to the interstate highwaysystem, two hours from the largest,most inland port from the Gulf ofMexico, and an all-around inexpensiveplace to do business make Enid a primelocation for economic development,according to new EconomicDevelopment Director Brent Kisling.

“The first thing that we’ve got to do isassemble our assets and figure out whatit is that we have to sell versus the restof the nation,” Kisling said.

Relatively cheap utilities, land andlabor make Enid an attractive place fornew businesses. Close access to I-35, alocation only two hours by way of four-lane roads to the Port of Catoosa, andEnid Woodring Regional Airport are alladvantages “most communities woulddie to have,” Kisling said.

Add to that a friendly communitywell positioned to absorb risks and itmakes a very attractive picture, saidEnid and Garfield CountyDevelopment Alliance ChairpersonBrian Hayden.

“We have all the pieces of the puzzle,”Hayden said.

Enid is poised to enter a gr eat river ofeconomic opportunity, Kisling said. Thekey is to get everyone in Enid’s boat torow the same way. Naming a number ofnew and upcoming businesses and proj-ects, Kisling said keeping everyone’s oarsin sync is a full-time job .

The goal is to bring more people toEnid and to help the businesses that ar ealready in town to grow and develop.Having a separate staff to deal with eco-nomic development specifically is anenormous help, Hayden said.

“The last ten years Enid has been on aroll,” Hayden said, referring to develop-ments with the Farmers Market, theJames W. Strate Business DevelopmentCenter, and Enid’s focus on economicdevelopment and cleaning up the city.“The next five to seven years look like itwill be a great time.”

Fairly new in his tenure, Kislingentered the newly created position inMay. The position is evidence of thecooperation between the City of Enidand the Enid and Garfield CountyDevelopment Alliance to further Enid’seconomic development. Before Kisling,economic development was lumped intothe duties of the Greater Enid Chamberof Commerce. Four staff members han-dled chamber activities, the EnidConvention and Visitors Bureau, andeconomic development.

“It’s a much bigger job than just co l-lateral duties as we’ve treated it in thepast,” Kisling said.

Kisling listed four tasks the Alliancehas identified:Coordinate economic developmentefforts across different organizations Work with entrepreneurs to start newbusinessesWork with existing businesses toexpandRecruit businesses to move to Enid

COORDINATIONKisling said he is excited about the

new ideas and developments in Enid.Coordinating the efforts of organiza-tions like the Farmers Market with peo-ple involved in promoting an arts dis-trict and working that in tandem withthe Chamber of Commerce and thosepromoting a downtown renaissance isuniquely suited to the Alliance.

All the internal developments in Enidshould tie into new and existing busi-nesses, making Enid a friendlier placefor development, Kisling said.Everything adds up into a package hecan present to prospective companieswho could utilize Enid’s assets for theirbusiness and take advantage of Enid’sfamily-friendly environment for theiremployees.

LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSBut for people already in Enid,

Kisling said it is important to helpentrepreneurial visions develop. Locatedat the James W. Strate Business

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTComes to the Forefront By Eva Lightsey

Photo by EVA LIGHTSEY


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Development Center, one of the premier business incubators in the countr y,the economic development department is geared towards helping entrepre-neurs get organized, create a business plan, find capital, and other wise helpthem complete all the details of star ting a business.

EXISTING BUSINESSEnid is different from many communities around the country in that many

local companies have been able to expand considerably o ver the last severalyears, Kisling said. Advance Food Company has added 700 people in the lasttwo years, Continental Resources has hired around 100, and Vance Air ForceBase continues to bring more people into the city.

“The list goes on and on of gr eat corporate partners that have investedback here in Enid and so our responsibility also is to work with them and seewhat they need in order to expand,” Kisling said. “ That’s the bread and but-ter for economic development. You don’t have to convince somebody else tomove here and think that everybody’s great. All you have to do is convincelocal folks here that they can invest more money and hire more people.”

The Alliance can assist in differ ent ways; sometimes helping businesseslocate grants, sometimes finding a property, sometimes just helping themthrough city ordinances and zoning requirements.

RECRUIT BUSINESSMuch of what it takes to r ecruit new businesses has to do with pr esenta-

tion, Kisling said. Historically, Enid has not had much of a pr esence outsideof the region. However, Enid is uniquely positioned to take adv antage ofopportunities in several areas.

Wind farms being built between Woodward and Guymon offer an oppor-tunity for Enid to supply maintenance and r epair services and a place forassembling the turbines. While corporate jets are no longer a booming busi -ness, the use of light spor t aircraft is increasing. Enid is an untapped marketfor this kind of aircraft. Energy industries still offer opportunities, especiallywith businesses that provide support for the energy industr y. Enid also hashuge capabilities for agricultural businesses.

“We’ve got more grain storage than most states right her e in this town,”Kisling said.

Enid’s selling points are different for each potential business, Kisling said.Some may be attracted to the large wor kforce, others like that there are twomajor healthcare facilities, while some appreciate that there are two collegesin town.

“Another selling point that we have right now that people probably don’trealize is that we have a very forward-thinking, business-oriented city counciland they understand what it takes to gr ow,” Kisling said.

In marketing Enid to prospective businesses, Kisling said he’d like to beable to promote a more consistent city in looks and signage.

“In Enid all of our growth has been in all of these differ ent autonomousbubbles,” Kisling said. “My vision for Enid would be that we’re all in thesame canoe. Let’s make sure we all row in the same direction at the sametime.”

YOU PROBABLYDIDN’TKNOW...There are more PhillyCheese Steak sandwich-es made in Enid thananywhere else in theworld – includingPhiladelphia – atADVANCE FOODCOMPANY

Enid is home toOklahoma’soldest grain elevator company:WB JOHNSTON

CONTINENTALRESOURCESis the third largest oilproducer in the RockyMountain Region. Theycan drill a well so accu -rately it is like shooting abasket with a drill bitfour miles away. Theyproduced enough barrelsof oil last year to keep255,000 averageAmerican vehicles on theroad for one year andenough natural gas toheat 257,000 homes.

The AMESASTROBLEME 30 mileswest of Enid is theworld’s most prolific oil producing impact crater.

Furniture & Home Furnishings$18,618,857Electronics & Appliance Stores$24,859,025Other Building Materials Dealers$7,886,430

Non-traditional Grocery Items (such as organic foods)$67,843,556Beer, Wine & LiquorStores $10,289,636 Clothing Stores$27,023,867

Shoe Stores $5,535,436Sporting GoodsStores$4,741,749Full-ServiceRestaurants$40,436,411

Specialty Food Stores$4,553,768Drinking Places & Alcoholic Beverages $5,196,280Health & Personal Care$30,124,871

POTENTIAL RETAIL NICHES IN ENID


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NEW RETAILERS IN ENID’S FUTURE By Eva Lightsey

Committed to furthering economic development and making the city attractiv e to businesses and fami lies, Enid is lookingat ways to expand the city ’s retail sector.

Hiring Rickey Hayes with Retail Attractions as a consultant, Enid has identified the strengths and weaknesses of the city’smarket and is developing a plan to maximize the city’s potential as a shopping center.

Because of its location, Enid’s trade area is much larger than the city limits. E nid draws from a population of around129,000 people with an average household income of over $50,000. Of those households, nearly 69 per cent are families withan income of over $60,000.

According to Hayes, those statistics put Enid in the running for just about any r etail store in existence. Identifying opportunities to expand existing tenants or r ecruit new tenants, Hayes found people left Enid to shop for

non-traditional grocery items, electronics, clothing, especially women’s clothing, sporting goods, and sit-down, full-service restaurants.

“We are currently working on recruiting a number of new and existing retailers to fill the niches in E nid,” Hayes said.While Enid has a very attractive market, recruiting new retailers can be a painfully slow process, Hayes said. “The city is very proactive and we've had a great couple of months,” Hayes said. “Enid is a remarkable community because

you have a great deal of pride in your community and a great number of people who ar e actually working together andpulling together to get the same goal accomplished—which is rar e in a lot of Oklahoma communities.”

Existing retail in Enid thrives, and new businesses are building as they discover the unique draw characteristics of the area. More than this map shows, Enid may pull shoppers from as far away as W oodward to the west and the Kansas border to the north.


2010 CENSUSMAKES ADIFFERENCEBy Eva Lightsey

Much of Enid’s economic development rests onaccurate statistics, according to EconomicDevelopment Director Brent Kisling.

Federal funding formulas are based on population,retail outlets check on census data to determine whether ornot to open a store in a city, and it affects the numbers ofseats a state occupies in the U.S. H ouse of Representatives.

Census information determines how more than $400 bil-lion dollars of federal funding is spent each y ear on infra-structure and services like hospitals, job training centers,schools, senior centers, emergency ser vices, and publicworks projects such as bridges and tunnels.

“The census is more than just countingpeople,” Kisling said.

The census bureau asks for a list ofaddresses from every community across thenation. In March and April 2010, thebureau will send a ten-question sur vey to each address onthe list.

The survey is completely safe to fill out and only asksquestions regarding the residents’ name, sex, age, bir th date,race, household relationship, and whether they own or rent.If the bureau receives no response, a census taker will visitthe address some time between April and July and completethe form in person. The Census Bureau gives the data to thePresident in December.

For more information, go to www.census.gov or call 1-866-872-6868 between 8 a.m. and 9 p .m.

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WHAT’Syour story?

This magazine is an effor t by the City ofEnid to better communicate with

Enid residents. If you have suggestions or topics

you’d like to see addressed in future editions,

please write:

Eagle Marketing, Attn: Enid On The Move 227 W. Broadway Enid, OK 73701 or email [email protected]


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By Trina Walker

Living in Enid, the sight and sound of air craftoverhead is nothing new. The high visibility ofVance Air Force Base reminds people daily of itsimportance to their community. Most, however, areless aware of the impact Enid Woodring RegionalAirport has on the area.

Airport Director, Dan Ohnesorge, is a retired T-37flight instructor and vice commander at Vance andvery aware of the economic impact WoodringAirport has on Enid’s economy. Woodring is ownedby the City of Enid, but runs on a separate budget.The primary source of income for Woodring ishanger rental and fuel sales. However, the economicimpact Woodring has on Enid goes beyond thesetangible items.

“We are a life line for business,” O hnesorge said. Business-owned aircraft make up about 30 per cent

of the planes housed in hangers at Woodring. A

recent study by the Oklahoma AeronauticsCommission found that 10 percent of the popula-tion of Enid is directly or indirectly affected by theairport. This study looked at the number of emplo y-ees working for the companies maintaining businessaircraft at Woodring.

“If we didn’t have an airport here many of the big-ger businesses would not be in E nid,” Ohnesorgesaid.

Some see aircraft as a luxury, but for businesseswith locations across the country an airplane is alifeline.

“To be a good manager you have to walk

around…you need to

see first hand what is hap-pening in your company,”

Ohnesorge said.

Photo by TRINA WALKER

ENID WOODRINGREGIONAL AIRPORT:Our small airport is a big asset for local business


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The use of company aircraftmakes it possible for managers tovisit distant locations quickly andefficiently.

Continental Resources, WardPetroleum, Groendyke Transport,Johnston Enterprises andEnvirotech are just a few of thecompanies that rely on Woodringto conduct business on a day-to-day basis. The airport is alsoessential for companies with man-agers traveling from out-of-statelocations to visit their Enid stores.Ohnesorge refers to these visitingplanes as transient aircraft. Caringfor transient aircraft makes up alarge portion of the airport’s busi-ness.

Aviation-based companieslocated at Woodring also impactthe economic growth of Enid.Bill Blunk and Aviator’s Wingboth offer flight instruction forthose interested in acquiring theirpilot’s license. Don Air providesaircraft maintenance at the air -field and Aircraft Structuresrebuilds crashed airplanes.

Attracting business to Enid isvital for the further growth of the

community. The industrial parkat Woodring is a prime locationfor this growth. Ohnesorge saidhe hopes to bring in more com-panies who will build hangarsand set up their businesses inEnid.

The City of Enid, is workingwith Ohnesorge to create aForeign Trade Zone in the indus-trial park. The final draft for aForeign Trade Zone applicationhas been approved and will soonbe submitted for review. Theentire process will take around ayear to complete. Ohnesorge hashigh hopes for the applicationsapproval.

“A Foreign Trade Zone willbenefit the community across theboard,” Ohnesorge said.

A Foreign Trade Zone is prop-erty within the U.S. consideredby trade or duty status to be onforeign land, Ohnesorgeexplained. There are many advan-tages for companies importingitems into an FTZ. One is thereduction of duties to be paid andthe ability to defer or delay pay-ment of the duty until the goods

are removed from the zone. The opportunities provided by

Woodring are vast due to the air-port’s high-quality standards.Good runways and good instru-ment approaches make the air-port a benefit for pilots trainingat Vance as well as civilian pilots.Instrument approach is whatmakes it possible to land even inpoor weather.

“Those kids need to learn toread instruments,” Ohnesorgesaid. With Woodring here, Vancepilots don’t have to share all theirtime at the base runway.”

The use of Woodring for emer-gency services is vital to the well-being, health and safety of ar earesidents. According toOhnesorge the airport has beenused by Medivac flights trans-porting critical patients,Blackhawk Helicopters fightinggrass fires in western Oklahoma,and even by the OklahomaHighway Patrol transporting pris-oners.

Woodring has two runways.The main runway is large enoughto handle a 737-type civilian air-craft or a C-130 militar y craft.There are currently just over 100hangers with around 85 aircraftranging from light sport andexperimental aircraft to corporatejets. Ohnesorge is in the processof implementing simple solutionsto get several out-of-use hangerswith water drainage issuesrepaired to provide more hangarsfor a growing list of people wait-ing for them.

In 2009, Woodring Airport wasrepresented at the EAAAirVenture Oshkosh fly-in atOshkosh, Wisconsin. Around500,000 people attended thatyear. Many cities as well as gener-al aviation companies put boothstogether for this event.

“The Oshkosh fly-in is anopportunity for us to showcasethe airport and Enid,” Ohnesorgesaid. “If we can get people to flyin here they may buy fuel, stop atthe restaurant or even look for alocation for a new business in theindustrial park out there.”

MIKE KLEMME PHOTOGRAPHY


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IN THE LINE OF DUTY: EPD keeps Enid safe, remodeled station

reflects quality of the force By Trina Walker

One of the benefits to living in E nid is the ability to enjoy a safe, family-friendly community. This safety is due in large par tto the outstanding performance of the Enid Police Department. With 95 officers on duty to pr otect and serve one can be atease knowing the EPD is doing their job .

Chief of Police Rick West is proud of his department and the officers he oversees. EPD’s narcotics division in particular, hasbeen very successful. A large drug raid netted 60 criminals and earned the EPD a shar e in $125,000 that was seiz ed.

“This is a full ser vice organization,” he said. “We don’t drop calls…an officer goes out to ev ery call.” In many departments calls are prioritized and can get taken off the call log completely. West said higher priority emergencies

will come first, but if you call in for any r eason an officer will come.Thanks to a public safety tax passed in 2001, EPD salaries ar e competitive with other similarly sized departments. One-third

of this money is used for capital impr ovement and equipment, while the r emaining two thirds is allotted for salaries and theaddition of new officers.

“The public safety tax was a godsend to the depar tment. We are blessed with unbelievable support,” West said.The highly visible renovation project of the police station is curr ently underway. Assistant to the Chief, Capt. Brian

O’Rourke has been instrumental in the renovation project.

Illustration by CURTIS TUCKER


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“We want to be able to pr ovide a better service to the com-munity,” O’Rourke said. “We have professional police offi-cers; unfortunately our facility was not as pr ofessional.”

For the past four years O’Rourke has carefully saved moneygenerated by the Public Safety Tax to pay for the entir e proj-ect in cash. Originally built in the 1950s as a hospital, thefacility was last renovated in 1977. Planning for current workbegan about four years ago and is expected to be complete b yMarch. O’Rourke’s goal is to create a user-friendly and profes-sional environment for the public.

“The officers are excited about the project,” he said.A brand new exterior gives the station a new, modern look.

More than just a face lift, the r enovation brings the facilityinto ADA compliance; rehabs old cells into office space, andadds on a new lobby and waiting area.

Organization and placement of depar tments within thebuilding has been restructured for better work efficiency.Consolidating the administration, investigation and uni-formed officers into their own sections will provide a moreorganized and structured work environment.

Originally budgeted at 2.9 million dollars, the pr oject actu-ally came in under budget at 1.47 million dollars. O’R ourkesaid this savings has allowed for the replacement of old furni-ture, file systems and the installation of ne w matching doorsthroughout the entire facility. A new energy efficient roof isexpected to alleviate high utility bills.

“It costs more to heat and cool this one building than whatthe fire department spends to operate five buildings,”O’Rourke said.

While this renovation project is what the public sees ev eryday, it is the work on the streets by officers that keeps thecommunity safe. Despite the hassle of working around theconstruction, the everyday job of protecting the citizens ofEnid must go on.

The fight against drugs is a top priority for the EPD. Westsaid narcotics criminals perform most of the crimes.Educating youth about the danger of dr ugs is one effectivemethod used to fight against them. The DARE program hasgained popularity nationwide as a tool to educate childr en.West said the Enid school system is very supportive of thisprogram, which brings a DARE officer into the middle andelementary schools to work with students.

Since becoming Chief in 2000, West has doubled the manpower of the EPD narcotics division.

“If I had to give credit to one division for keeping our com-munity safe, it is the nar cotics officers,” West said. “My patrolofficers are the visible ones; my detectiv es do a great job fol-lowing up on the crimes that occur; but my nar cotics guys arethe ones I can say prevent the crimes.”

The EPD’s narcotics division is successful for many r easons.One is the dedication of the officers to per form their duties.

“Narcotics criminals commit crimes to fulfill an addiction.My officers understand this and they do ev erything they canto make sure they hit all aspects of the dr ug trade,” West said.

Another reason for their success is their cooperation with allagencies, including the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics andDangerous Drugs (OBN), the Oklahoma State Bureau ofInvestigation (OSBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

“We do not stop at the boundaries of our city limits on ourdrug enforcement,” he said. “In order to make a properimpact on drug problems in our community, I allow my offi-cers to swear off as federal officers; I allo w them to go toother states to work with other organizations as long as theconnection to the drug trade is showing it is coming intoEnid from those locations.”

The key to drug enforcement is to shut off the flo w, Westsaid. If you can do that you can drastically decrease the drugsin the community. Cooperation between the OklahomaBureau of Narcotics and the EPD led to a large dr ug raid inthe fall of 2009 in which E nid narcotics officers took 60criminals off the street.

“We seized around $125,000 dollars. The money was foundin Oklahoma City but we get to share in that since it was par tof our investigation,” West said.

While many of the details in police wor k happen out of thepublic eye, West argues that this kind of under cover work isapparent every day a citizen walks safely down a city street orjogs through a local park. Whether it is the undercover workof narcotics officers or the presence of uniformed officers outon the street, Enid is safer because of the wor k these officersdo every day.

Construction of the new Enid Police Department. Photos by BONNIE VCULEK


15

CITY HALL580-234-0400ADMINISTRATIONCity ManagerEric BensonExt. [email protected]. City ManagerJoan RileyExt. [email protected]. AssistantMegan WrightExt. [email protected] DEPARTMENTChief of Police: Rick [email protected] Emergency Dial 911FIRE DEPARTMENTFire Chief: Phil CloverExt. [email protected] Emergency Dial 911LEGAL DEPARTMENTCourt, TicketsCity Attorney: Andrea ChismExt. [email protected] City Attorney: Jennifer O’SteenExt. 7263josteen@@enid.orgCity Clerk: Linda ParksExt. [email protected] RESOURCE MANAGERAndrie WintersExt. [email protected] MANAGEMENTSevere Weather / Disaster PreparednessMike [email protected]

HUMAN RESOURCESEmploymentDirector: Sonya KeyExt. [email protected] DEVELOPMENTPlanning, building permits, codesPlanning AdministratorChris BauerExt. [email protected] Pritchett: Ext. 7216Frank Haley : Ext. 7219Angela Rasmuson: Ext. 7221Crystal Valdez: Ext. 7220Jimmy Davis: Ext. 7223FINANCEDirector: Jerald GilbertExt. [email protected] SERVICESScott MorrisWater bill, new residentsExt. [email protected] SERVICESPublic Services DirectorWater, Streets, Sewers, ParksJim McClainExt. [email protected] DirectorRob [email protected]. 7304Parks & Storm Water SpvsrMelvin KeyExt. [email protected] Mgmt. SupervisorBen PainterExt. [email protected] Waste SupervisorKim LetteerExt. [email protected] & Traffic Spvsr.Jerry CrawfordExt. [email protected]

Safety DirectorBilly McBrideExt. [email protected] PendergraftExt. [email protected] CoordinatorChris SteinExt. [email protected] Services Sprvs.Bill HoleExt. 7336Water Dist. SupervisorRon OsmosExt. [email protected] Prod. Services Sup.Bruce BoydExt. [email protected] Mgmt. Sup.Jerry Long249-4919Landfill ManagerDon CornellExt. [email protected] PUBLIC LIBRARYDirector: Michelle MearsExt. [email protected] GOLF COURSEPublic golf courseGolf Pro: Cody [email protected] access televisionDirector: Wendy [email protected] AIRPORTDirector: Dan [email protected] busesKim Watkins233-7433 or [email protected]

CITY DIRECTORCITY DIRECTORYY

15Please note that any extension can be dialed dir ect when using the 616 prefix.


“Celebrating Enid” The Photographic Journey of Mike KlemmeBy Trina Walker

When it comes to capturing the beauty and character of Oklahoma no one has done it as well as pho-tographer and Enid native, Mike Klemme. In the 2007 release of “Celebrating Oklahoma,” Klemme tookus on a photographic journey across our great state. His unique perspective captured our land, architec-ture and the people of Oklahoma.

Continuing this journey, Klemme is now working on his next book “Celebrating Enid.” The success of“Celebrating Oklahoma” led Klemme to repeat this business model and apply it to the Enid community .

“It is time to rally people to what a great place Enid is to live,” Klemme said.Klemme has worked as a commercial photographer for 26 years. He spent much of that time traveling

around the world photographing golf courses and resorts. The expected release date for “CelebratingEnid” is September of 2010, with pre-sales beginning in the spring.


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Enid On The Move (Winter 2009-10)

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