SKIATOOK, Okla. — For the second time, voters will have the opportunity to vote on a one-cent sales tax that will fund crucial improvements to the Skiatook Police and Fire Departments.
This proposal would have a sunset after 15 years and put both departments in one centralized location. It first appeared on the ballot in August 2022 and struck down. Officials said it lost by about 60 votes.
Skiatook Fire Department's Deputy Chief of Operations Mike Thoendel said his department has simply outgrown the building.
"At the time it was built, Skiatook wasn't as big, so it was in the right spot at the time, but now we actually need to build two stations," Thoendel said. "That way, we can work on the ISO insurance rating for the homeowners out there to help lower their insurance, and the other one is when it floods here, we get kind of cut off by Bird Creek, and for a day or two, there's no leaving town.
Those two stations would be an existing Fire Station 2 and the new joint facility. Thoendel said the department is behind on staffing and equipment upgrades, so the funding from this tax would help remedy that.
"We're running almost 2,700 calls a year, and we have anywhere from four to six guys a shift, and they’re starting to get a little worn out," Thoendel said. "We’re kind of running out of room now. Nobody has any good ideas where to put stuff now. We're just obviously moving stuff outside into bays."
Some of the funding would also go towards new vehicles for the fire department, as the two fire trucks they have are 14 and 32 years old. Thoendel said most departments like to put their engines into reserve status after 10-12 years of service.
For the police department, the problems are much more inconvenient. The facility is over 80 years old, and not only are they running out of room, but the spaces they do have are not safely equipped for the staff to carry out a day's work.
A leaky roof caused water damage throughout the building, mold, no central HVAC, and unsafe jail conditions, leading the department to have to relocate prisoners after just one hour - these are just a few of the issues that concern Deputy Chief of Police Steve Haley. Additional office spaces are made out of old closets with barely enough room for one person, but four officers are expected to share it.
The roof is a major concern for the police department, as they have had to fully vacate areas of the building because leaks create too much of a risk for damage to records and equipment.
"Every time it rains, what we're worried about is, you know, we're catching water with trash cans because we're afraid it’s going to short out the 911 system," Haley said. "And like I said, without 911, you have no police or fire."
Haley said that he hopes that with an expiration of this sales tax, the community will recognize how dire this situation is.
"The first order of business is the new building, the next would be equipment upgrades we need, and the next would be adding personnel, so it's something that is going to benefit the city of Skiatook," Haley said. "We've cut the cost down from like $21 million to $15 million this time to save the city money."
The departments are hopeful the community will be more accepting of this tax because it has an expiration date. Through having improved facilities, both departments will be able to better serve those who need them.
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