Outlook 2015 muskogeephoenix.com
GOVERNMENT
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INDUSTRY
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TOURISM
Our city is fueled by industry. Tourism draws more visitors to Muskogee than ever. Our city government continues to seek to best serve its people and businesses.
Index Love-Hatbox • • • • • • • • • • Page 2
Advantage controls • • • Page 3 Davis Field • • • • • • • • • Page 4 AIM • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 5 Leggett’s Mobile Mart • • Page 6 Ward I • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 7
Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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Submitted
This map shows the draft concept plan for Love-Hatbox Sports Complex as the city prepares for a private company to run the facility.
City shifts management of complex By Mark Hughes Phoenix Staff Writer
Field improvements at Love-Hatbox Sports Complex will start and conclude this summer as the city prepares for a private company to run the facility. Sports Facilities Advisory, a Florida-based management firm, began operating the complex in October and has a five-year year-to-year contract, said Mark Wilkerson, parks and recreation director. In order to prepare for SFA to take over management of Love-Hatbox the city is prepared to spend $250,000 in a “facelift and overhaul,” Wilkerson said. Specifically, fields will be regraded, new turf and irrigation added and “by the end of summer I hope that the level of playing fields will be stepped up,” he said. The 60-acre site has 10 lighted baseball fields; eight lighted softball fields; two lighted football fields and 13 soccer fields. There’s also a 3.1-mile multipurpose activity trail and an outdoor skate park. “When we built our complex 10 years ago, we were in the forefront in the region and had a lot of big success,” Wilkerson said. “Now, they’re built all around us in Fort Gibson, Sallisaw, Stilwell and Tulsa has several.”
Love-Hatbox Sports Complex ADDRESS: North 34th and Arline streets. HOURS: Vary, but available upon request. SERVICES OFFERED: River Country Water Park, skate park, football, baseball, softball, soccer, multipurpose activity trail, picnic tables. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Three. KEY PERSONNEL: Mark Wilkerson, parks and recreation director. PHONE: (918) 6846302. WEBSITE: www.cityofmuskogee.com/shell.asp? pg=145
Wilkerson admits that competition for leagues and tournaments is pretty tough but likes the idea of having a professional management team run programs, tournaments, camps and clinics. “The exciting thing is that if they do what they say they’re going to do, there should be tons of traffic come through Love-Hatbox,” he said. FSA said Love-Hatbox would generate revenue exceeding $500,000 in the Phoenix file photo first year and break even after three years, WilkerJamal Listenber, 20, attempts a “fakey switch tail” at the Love-Hatbox Sports Complex skate park. Improvements to the complex are set for this summer. son said. Wilkerson looks forward two hard-floor indoor areto 2016 when Love-Hatbox homa Music Hall of Fame sporting complex,” Blair said. While Blair and city offi- nas, he said. will team up with the Okla- to stage an “eclectic” music said. festival featuring country, Since most musical festi- cials discuss the details for “The expertise of the derock, jazz, Americana, blue vals use portable lights and the 2016 music festival, sign firm that drew the exgrass and punk. staging, the only thing real- Wilkerson concentrates on po center’s concept plan is The brain child of this ly needed is water, electric- the draft “Hatbox Park and in the equestrian business,” event is the executive direc- ity and portable toilets for Sports Complex Master Wilkinson said. tor of OMHOF Jim Blair. tents and RV’s, he said. Plan.” The center will be big “The University of Blair isn’t talking about atThe biggest and most ex- enough to accommodate the Arkansas came here last tracting local talent but tal- pensive part of this expan- biggest of horse shows, year and spent all semes- ent from across the United sion is the $20 to $25 mil- which are a lucrative event, ter at the complex and their States that would draw up lion expo center, Wilkerson he said. The expo will acstudy concluded that the re- to 25,000 attendees. said. The center will have a commodate 2,000 people. turn on investment from “I want to make Musko- banquet and exhibit hall Next to the expo will be a music festivals was five gee a major internationally and one indoor dirt floor large expanse of open space times higher than the re- known music festival,” he arena adjacent to one of the which Wilkerson hopes turn on investments for a could accommodate the county fair again and even host kite flying and hot air balloon events. Part of the plan also includes a family-type entertainment center that would include go carts, miniature golf and possibly expanding the water park, which would cost about $1 million, he said. The master plan provides something for everyone, Wilkerson said. “If I’m a nature trail walker and I see all these trails, then I’ll take a walk. If I’m a fisherman I’ll see the 10-acre pond and go fishing. If I’m a music lover and like concerts, then I’ll attend the music festival. And if I show livestock, I’ll do it in a $25 million expo center. It will be all first class.” Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or mhughes @muskogeephoenix.com.
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Staff photo by Harrison Grimwood
Dick Morris, founder of Advantage Controls, shows the testing room for chemical control pumps at the Advantage Controls. The room is not environmentally controlled, so the pumps experience a wide range of temperatures, revealing what happens in high heat and low temperatures.
Local firm a state top exporter By Harrison Grimwood Phoenix Staff Writer
Advantage Controls, a specialist in water treatment controllers, stands out among its competitors with outstanding customer service. A long hallway in their main office is occupied by support offices, each office equipped with trained staff and working models of Advantage Controls’ products for customer support. Dick Morris, founder of the company, said the first thing a customer hears when they call is a person. He said he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I tell customers that if a computer ever answers the phone, send flowers,” Morris said. “Because Dick is dead.” Advantage Controls specializes in the manufacture of cooling tower boiler controllers and industrial water treatment chemical metering pumps. They were awarded the 2014 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Exporting. That award is just one that decorates one of several walls at their factory. “If they paid us for all the awards we’ve won, then we’d really be rich,” Morris said. Morris said he hopes to grow his businesses more during 2015. And he hopes to decorate the walls with more awards.
Morris’ company was Advantage Controls ranked in 2014 among the Top 20 best places to work ADDRESS: 4700 among companies in OklaHarold-Abitz Drive. homa that employee fewer HOURS: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. than 125 workers. SERVICES OFFERED: The company was foundCooling tower boiler coned in Muskogee in 1994. It trollers and industrial wastarted in a little garage ter treatment chemical downtown, putting togethmetering pumps. er analog controllers. NUMBER OF EMAdvantage Controls wasPLOYEES: 110. n’t Morris’ first business. KEY PERSONNEL: “I had this business Dan Morris, chief execucalled Morris Control,” he tive officer. Dick Morris, founder. said. “Then I did this little PHONE: (918) 743foolish thing, sold it in 7431. 1989 and ran for public ofWEBSITE: www.advanfice.” tagecontrols.com. Starting from a stuffy garage, Advantage Controls now exports to 55 different countries. They only Most of what they sell is do about 15 percent of their built to order, only prebusiness internationally, building the most common Morris said. of controllers that they sell.
They also manufacture analog controllers. “As long as people wanna buy it, I’ll build it,” Morris said. Morris’ business is a conglomerate of other ventures. There is MyTechReports and TerraFab in addition to Advantage Controls. MyTechReports is an advanced online reporting application designed for water treatment companies. TerraFab manufactures bridge parts and offers powder coating services. Morris credits much of his business’ success to Muskogee County Industrial Trust Authority. “I’ve borrowed from them eight times, mostly to build buildings,” he said. Morris also hides his al-
ter ego, displayed openly in his office. The walls of his office are lined with clown photos, figurines and coloring books. His alter ego is Hi-Bi the Shriner clown. He has lived this double life as a Shriner clown for 42 years now. “I love it,” he said. “Oth-
erwise I wouldn’t have done it for so long.” Morris said his first time in make-up and colorful clothes was the closest thing he’d had to a religious experience. Reach Harrison Grimwood at (918) 684-2926 or harrison.grimwood @muskogeephoenix.com.
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Staff photo by Mark Hughes
The pilot of a Piper Cherokee revs the engines while preparing to taxi to a runway for take off at Davis Field.
Airport board to craft strategic plan By Mark Hughes Phoenix Staff Writer
Members of the airport board have recently begun discussing the development of an Airport Strategic Development Plan for Davis Field that should be completed this year. In November 2014 the city council approved the City of Muskogee Strategic Plan which stated that the city should “realize the full potential for improving Davis Field, including runway improvements.” Funds in the amount of $800,000 have been allocated through 2016 for those improvements, said Garry Lynn, Davis Field airport manager. The plan also calls for creation of a flight school, as well as obtaining funding for hangar
expansion, a new terminal and tower. The strategic plan also said that in 2015 city officials would establish an Airport Strategic Development Plan that “should fully analyze feasibility of revitalizing industrial uses and establish an Airport/Industrial Trust Authority with borrowing authority.” While modernization to the airfield is in the works, there are no plans to expand Davis Field, Lynn said. “Diversity is the key to ensure its future,” he said. There is approximately 500 acres remaining at the airfield that can be developed for nonaviation purposes, Lynn said. “We need to maximize utilization of the airport property that we currently have to the extent
possible,” Lynn said. He imagines a long-term lease for a very large warehouse would be ideal or a hub for a FEDEX or UPS package operation at the 1,622-acre facility. “The airport and Muskogee Development staff are constantly meeting with and seeking companies to enhance the economic well-being and growth of the airport,” Lynn said. “There is a letter of agreement with the Oklahoma Army National Guard that allows the guard to train at Davis Field.” A 97,000-square-foot, $23 million Armed Forces Reserve Center was built in June 2011 on Davis Field Airport grounds, according to the Muskogee Development website. Davis Field has three run-
ways with the longest lighted runway measuring 7,202 feet and can accommodate airlinesize aircraft. Lynn estimates that of the 11,000 total aviation operations conducted last year at Davis Field about 75 percent were general aviation and 25 percent were military or other aviation. There are 96 aircraft registered at the airport with 41 being single engine, 54 multi-engine and one jet, Lynn said. However, that information may be misleading, he said. “Seventy percent of our fuel sales is comprised of jet fuel which would indicate a majority of turbine or jet aircraft activity at the airport,” Lynn said. Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or mhughes@muskogee phoenix.com.
Davis Field ADDRESS: 1200 Sabre St. HOURS: Open 24 hours. Attended 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with after hours service available upon request. SERVICES OFFERED: Aviation and jet fuel, airframe maintenance, line services, sales, avionics, parts and service repair, consulting, pilot training, rentals and flight planning. NUMBER OF ACRES: 1,622. NUMBER OF RUNWAYS: 3. NUMBER OF RUNWAYS LIGHTED: 1. LONGEST RUNWAY: 7,202 feet. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: One. KEY PERSONNEL: Mike Stewart, director of public works; Garry Lynn, airport manager. PHONE: (918) 684-6333. WEBSITE: www.cityofmuskogee.com/shell.asp?pg=175.
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Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
Two men chat outside Ms. Nellies on South Main Street. Sidewalk and landscape improvements along this row of shops and cafes are one of the goals of Action in Muskogee.
AIM prompts community plan of action By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
So many things in Muskogee are happening all at once. A new Martin Luther King Center is due to open in one year. A new home for Muskogee Little Theatre is to be located in a “cultural district.” Efforts are under way to build a better looking city and safer downtown sidewalks.
Muskogee students are getting connected to wireless technology. City leaders credit the Action In Muskogee (AIM) initiative for getting things rolling on these projects. The AIM initiative was spearheaded by the economic development arm of the Muskogee City-County Port Authority. In 2012, nearly 370 residents participated in visioning sessions and set up goals and signature projects for the city. Initiatives included improv-
ing educational excellence, making Muskogee safer and more secure, and beautifying the city. Plans for improving downtown streetscapes, adding a cultural district and getting citywide Wi-Fi access also came out of AIM. “Without a doubt it has energized the public about possibilities for our city,” said Ann Ong, who cochairs AIM with Mayor Bob Coburn. “I think it is doing a lot to bring us together, getting a
lot of entities and factions to work together,” Ong said. “A lot of these things have been happening in Muskogee. AIM has supplied the momentum for helping things to happen faster.” Ong said many of the projects already had been considered before AIM came along. “It was a matter of organizing and uniting to make the things happen,” she said. “Not enough people
knew what everybody else was doing prior to AIM.” Two such projects were MLK and MLT. Coburn said ground was broken for the new MLK Center on Jan. 15, the Civil Rights leader’s birthday. The new center could open next January. He said dirt work has begun on MLT’s new home, adjacent to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Completion is estimated in
spring of 2016. Progress also is being made on making Muskogee’s downtown safer and more beautiful. “The first phase of the streetscape improvements, along Main Street from Okmulgee to Elgin, and along Elgin from Main to Fourth Street, have been identified and estimated,” Coburn said. “Going forward will in(See AIM, Page 7)
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Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
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Family-operated business continues 50-year growth By Harrison Grimwood Phoenix Staff Writer
Charles Leggett started his business 46 years ago with just a warehouse in Muskogee. Leggett’s Mobile Mart, also known as Leggett Supply, is a premier supplier of recreational vehicle and mobile home service in Oklahoma. “We supply and sell pretty much anything that would go into the manufacture of a mobile home or a recreation vehicle,” Leggett said. “My goal, for myself, is just to do more advertising so people know we’re here and what we have.” Leggett started in heaters and air conditioner sales for Coleman, selling floor furnaces in the late 1950s and early ’60s. He eventually moved to selling AC and heating units for RVs and mobile homes. But he decided to set out on his own and start his businesses. He started with a plumbing business in the mid-60s before he finally
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Leggett’s Mobile Mart ADDRESS: 1701 S. Cherokee St. HOURS: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. SERVICES OFFERED: Hardware, recreational vehicle and mobile home supplies. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 40. KEY PERSONNEL: Charles Leggett, president. PHONE: (918) 6812211. WEBSITE: www.mobilemart.com.
started Mobile Mart in 1969. His start in Muskogee was rocky. “Muskogee wasn’t quite big enough,” he said. “So I went to Tulsa and opened a store there, also.” Now, with three generations of Leggetts in the business, he has stores in Tulsa, Morris, Oklahoma City and Muskogee. His has sons, daughters
and even grandchildren working in some capacity for his business. His daughter, Karen Newell, manages the warehouse in Muskogee. “Ever since she got out of college, she came back to work here,” Leggett said. His granddaughter, Lace Conley, runs the store in Tulsa, he said. Leggett also has a wholesale plumbing supply business called Flair-it, providing fittings and pipes from the East Coast to the West Coast. “We sell a lot of things most hardware stores don’t carry,” Leggett said. Leggett’s 144,000-squarefoot warehouse holds anchors, jacks, skirting, sinks, faucets, toilets, tote tanks, mobile home doors, windows, patio furniture and tools for RVs and mobile homes. Leggett said one of his biggest challenges is competing with online stores like Amazon. He supplies mobile park (See FAMILY, 7)
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Ward I bustles with new business By D.E. Smoot Phoenix Staff Writer
Business activity in northwest Muskogee has been bustling this past year within the retail and manufacturing sectors. Ward I Councilors Lee Ann Langston and Janey Cagle Boydston cited several examples of renewed retail activity along East Shawnee Bypass. They pointed to the Port of Muskogee for evidence of increased activities in the local manufacturing sector. “They are just going great guns out there,” said Boydston, who was re-appointed to a post she left in 2008 after former Deputy Mayor David Jones resigned in January because of personal reasons. “I think the Port of Muskogee — and (Port Director) Scott Robinson in particular — are a jewel for Muskogee.” Boydston said McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System is an asset only a select few places can enjoy. She described the port as an asset “we all need to think about ... and take advantage of.” “We have a lot of assets that people just don’t realize we have,” Boydston said. “They may not be able to see them because they are right under their noses, but they are there.” With regard to activities at the inland port, which has access to the world through the Port of New Orleans and the Midwest via the Mississippi River, Langston cited a number of recent success stories. Those included the expansion of its marshaling yard for rail traffic and multimillion-dollar investments by at least one longtime tenant at the port. Vallourec Star pumped $11.8 million in to its Port of Muskogee-based plant
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more beautiful. “The first phase of the streetscape improvements, along Main Street from Okmulgee to Elgin, and along Elgin from Main to Fourth Street, have been identified and estimated,” Coburn said. “Going forward will include obtaining design professionals and funding required to construct these improvements.” Streetscape projects will include improving sidewalks and lighting, as well as adding landscaping and seating, said Greg Armstrong, chairman of the Downtown Muskogee Inc. design committee. Coburn and Ong also said they see progress on increasing community access to wireless, or Wi-Fi technology. For example, Coburn said, “Suddenlink has provided an opportunity for any household currently receiving free/reduced lunches — and that received a school device — to purchase Wi-Fi service for only $9.99 per month.” He said the city is meeting with AT&T about the possibility of adding the program through its service as well. Ong said officials also are looking at other cities that
Staff photo by D.E. Smoot
Tenants occupy almost all of the space at Curt’s Center on the city’s northeast side, where retail activity is returning after several years of decline after Walmart moved to West Shawnee Bypass.
after an August 2012 fire caused more than $6 million worth of property damage. The investment at Vallourec, a leading producer of seamless steel pipe used primarily in the oil and gas industry, included the addition of finishing and hot straightener equipment that resulted with “faster production and improved product performance.” One thing Langston said she would like to see at the port is something to bring greater attention to the U.S.S. Batfish War Memorial Park and Museum. She said efforts to make the facility more visible from the Muskogee Turnpike have
helped, but more can be done. “I would really like to see a huge flag at the Batfish that lighted at night,” Langston said. “I would like to have something people can see from afar and maybe bring them in — there are very few things that will entice people to pull off that turnpike and come into town.” With regard to retail development, both Langston and Boydston pointed to Curt’s Center, which continues to attract new tenants. A locally owned Sears Hometown store opened there late last year after Sears closed its big store
at Arrowhead Mall. Harbor Freight Tools, which sells discounted tools and accessories, is scheduled to open in late April. And Langston said the renovation and expansion of James Hodge Ford on North Main Street is further evidence of increased business activity in northeast Muskogee. With regard to activity along Chandler Road, Langston pointed to the addition of an Ace Hardware that set up shop inside the existing Homeland grocery store. Langston also pointed to improvements that promote leisure and healthy activities, such as those at
Action in Muskogee SERVICES OFFERED: A network of citizens and civic leaders dedicated to improving several areas of city life, including downtown beautification, a Cultural District, communitywide Wi-Fi access. KEY PERSONNEL: Co-chairs, Ann Ong and Mayor Bob Coburn. PHONE: Mayor Bob Coburn, (918) 684-6201. WEBSITE: AIM has a Facebook page and a presence on the Port of Muskogee website, www.muskogeeport.com.
offer community-wide WiFi, and what they have done. AIM is not finished. Future goals include improvements to Muskogee Public Staff photo by Harrison Grimwood Library and Love-Hatbox Charles Leggett reviews orders to be shipped out for Sports Complex, as well as his wholesale business. a Muskogee Arts & Science Museum. However, Ong said that, even with such big dreams, AIM’s biggest accomplishment has been getting people to work together. “For one thing, I think it has raised the expectations of the citizens and has raised their participation in the process of determining the city’s future,” Ong said. “I am extremely hopeful and optimistic for this city because so many more of our citizens are getting involved in making Muskogee a better place.”
two parks in northeast Muskogee: King Park at East Side Boulevard and Gibson Street and Civitan Park, which lies a little farther east. Langston said she would like to see more amenities at the smaller neighborhood park and is looking forward to “major renovations” planned at Civitan. Boydston, who emphasized the importance of the good of the whole depends upon what is good for its parts and vice versa. Toward that end, she pointed to progress made in the health care industry, with the expansion of EASTAR Health System to its cam-
pus on North Main Street and plans for a new urgent care center and other clinics. “I think Muskogee is a medical hub — I know people come here from all over the area because we get flower orders from them all the time,” said Boydston who has a floral shop on East Harris Road. “We’ve got the Veterans Affairs hospital, the facility built by the Cherokees, and the new hospital out here (on North Main Street) is getting busier all the time.” Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot@ muskogeephoenix.com.
Family
Leggett said by far the people he sees the most are maintenance workers for mobile parks. He also said the number one product they buy are replacement doors. “A bad storm will shatter the windows on some of these storm doors,” he said. “And sometimes the people living in these homes will just put their fist through the door.” Reach Harrison Grimwood at (918) 684-2926 or harrison.grimwood@ muskogeephoenix.com.
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maintenance men, big box stores, recreational users and people who live in their RV. “For some customers, the economy is so bad they have to live in it,” he said. “Or these oil guys will go to work in the fields but won’t have any place to live. So they take a trailer or RV with them.”
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Index Cultural District • • • • • • • Page 10 Boral Brick • • • • • • • • • • Page 10 OMHOF • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 13 Ward II • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 14 Chamber • • • • • • • • • • • Page 15 Dal Tile • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 15
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Brickmaker supplies building materials for state, region By Mark Hughes Phoenix Staff Writer
If you live in a brick house in this area or the south-central region of the United States, you can thank Boral Brick Inc., in Muskogee. Why? Because they produce up to eight million king-sized bricks per month in 13 different colors. They are sold primarily in Oklahoma and the south-central region of the United States, said Terry Skaggs, plant manger. Skaggs said it takes about 12,096 bricks to build a 2,000-square-foot home. The brick business is slow right now with the plant producing about 5 to 6 million bricks a month, Skaggs said. But when spring appears and the new housing market grows, the need for more bricks increases their production rate up to 9 million bricks a month, he said.
That’s 108 million bricks a year. Skaggs says that Boral’s sales have slowed because of the housing market slump but have shown signs of recovery in the last quarter of 2014. “We’re predicting to keep growing in 2015,” Skaggs said. The plant has 40 employees but “with the positive growth in the housing market we anticipate expanding our work force to a total of 50 by mid-year,” he said. Employees come from as far away as Vian, Porter, Coweta and Warner. There are no specialized skills necessary for their employment because “most of our process is unique to our business and has to be learned on the job,” he said. General labor wages start at $10 per hour, and the plant is working six days a week. Skaggs is aware that low(See BRICK, Page 12)
Staff photo by Mark Hughes
Terry Skaggs, Boral Brick Muskogee plant manager, explains how bricks are moved through the plant.
Submitted
An artist’s rendering shows the proposed downtown cultural district from the entrance at the new location for the Muskogee Little Theatre.
Cultural district born downtown 021500354302
Home
Improvement
By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Plans are moving forward to create an expanded entertainment and cultural district to allow the community to become even more engaged in arts and entertainment. Port of Muskogee Communications and Public Affairs Manager Kimbra Scott detailed exactly where the district will be located. “The cultural district perimeters will be from Main Street to Fourth Street and Elgin Street to Columbus Street,” Scott said. “It will also feature a gateway entry for the district and will sit at Third Street and Columbus Street.” Talks of the proposed district started when the Downtown Development initiative become a focus for the Action In Muskogee initiative. “One of the first phases of the streetscape improvements is along Main Street from Okmulgee Avenue to Elgin Street, and along Elgin Street from Main Street to Fourth Street,” Scott said. “Downtown Muskogee Inc., is currently working on identifying and naming districts in the downtown area. This will include meeting with the downtown stakeholders of each proposed district to discuss naming, themes and other ideas.” One venue set to make its big move is Muskogee Little Theatre. The new performing arts center will have two stages, an auditorium that will seat 260 people, as well as a smaller blackbox theater for smaller productions that will seat less than 100 people. Executive director of the theater, Coni Wetz, is excited about the other accom(See CULTURE, Page 12)
Staff photo by Kandice Lawson
Cook Consulting workers Jeremy Rowe, left, and William Dry work to install utilities for the new Muskogee Little Theatre location.
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Brick Continued from Page 10
er plant costs means lower prices for the consumer. He has been working with the Oklahoma Alliance and Oklahoma State University to lower their energy consumption. The kilns are powered by natural gas, and the rest of the plant is powered by electricity. OSU conducted an energy audit and suggested areas for improvements, he said. “We’ve already received rebates from OG&E for installation of energy efficient equipment,” Skaggs said. Future plans include working to lower their emissions by installing newer kiln equipment, he said. Boral Brick began as Oklahoma Brick, built in 1980, and was owned by the Merry Brothers. Boral Brick bought out the Merry Brothers in 1984. Sitting on 110 acres just south of Muskogee on U.S. 69, Boral Brick is self-sufficient. On its 110-acre property is about 95 acres that holds the right composition of material in just the right colors (yellow, blue and brown) that enables Boral Brick to create the 13 brick colors they are known for. All their colors are created in-house. Barely a hand touches the material as it moves through the automated line from mixing the three colors of clay together to
Staff photo by Mark Hughes
After the clay is mixed and texture and color added, the bricks are sent to a drying kiln to extract any liquids then ends up in the firing kiln for about 30 hours. The kiln is 400 feet long, and it takes around 30 hours for each group of bricks to travel the length of the kiln.
adding texture to forming the bricks in large rectangular-shaped forms. Then, it is cut into large-sized bricks and sent to special drying and firing kilns. Boral uses a tunnel kiln, which is a tunnel-like structure built above ground, with kiln cars pushed
through on rail track with a hydraulic pushing unit, Skaggs said. The automated drying and firing kiln process which makes the bricks marketable takes about five to six days. The drying kiln holds 28 cars and extrudes any moisture from the
bricks which remain there for 28 hours in 400 degree temperature. One-hundred and sixty kiln cars, 13 feet by 13 feet, are used 24 hours a day in the brick making process. Every 45 minutes a car is pushed into the 400-footlong kiln, and a car exits at the other end, Skaggs said. “When the car first goes into the kiln, a firing curve occurs that takes the tem-
perature up to 1,928 degrees Fahrenheit and then slowly lowers it to about 400 degrees when it exits the kiln,” he said. The car remains in the kiln for 30 hours. The bricks are then cooled, packed by hand into mobile carts, banded and sent to an outdoor inspection yard where, precisely at 10 a.m., when the lumens from the sun are just
right, the bricks are matched against a test set of the same color to ensure quality. Up to 40 trucks a day transport Boral’s products to such places as Houston, Dallas, Fayetteville, Austin, and Memphis. The company has shipped as far as Salt Lake City using rail. Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or mhughes @muskogeephoenix.com.
Culture
got a lot of different components, including a scene shop to build scenery. It’ll be a great venue to host regional touring groups to rent for special events.” The theater’s move to the district opens more opportunity for collaborations with other local businesses. “One of the reasons we wanted to be in the cultural district was the ability to collaborate with others in the district,” Wetz said.
“We’ll be able to work hand in hand with the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.” Adjacent to the district, a housing development planned, just south of the OMHOF. The development will feature 30 single-family dwellings, a community center, park area and possibly a splash pad. Reach Kandice Lawson at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson@muskogee phoenix.com.
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modations the theater will have. “It’ll have a very large lobby that could be a great rental space for meetings and things of that sort,” Wetz said. “We’ll have a classroom for ongoing theater education classes. Its
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
Submitted photo by Tracy Blair
Fans crowd a stage during the 2013 Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kan., a popular event that attracts bluegrass music enthusiasts from across the nation and beyond. Work is progressing here on several fronts in an effort to launch an annual three-day festival here that will feature an eclectic mix of music.
Music event takes shape By D.E. Smoot
Phoenix Staff Writer
Organizers hope it will be the biggest thing to happen here in decades, shape Muskogee’s identity and create an annual economic impact worth several million dollars. It has been in the works for more than a year. It won’t happen until June 2016. But work is progressing on several fronts in an effort to launch an annual three-day festival that will feature an eclectic mix of music. Jim Blair, executive director of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, expects the event to attract thousands of fans from a region that extends 250 miles from Muskogee. The target audience of people whose ages range from 18 to 54 and enjoy an outdoor experience that includes fun, food and, of course, music. “My goal on this: I want this to be the biggest thing to happen in Muskogee internationally since ‘Okie from Muskogee’ hit the radio waves,” Blair said about the festival project. “There are multiple benefits from this project. One would be the economic benefit. Two, it gives the city a strategic plan to fund development and re-use of Love-Hatbox. And three, it gives us that identity that we have been trying so long to figure out what that is.” The festival, which is tentatively scheduled for the first weekend in June 2016, would take place in undeveloped areas of Love-Hatbox Sports Complex. The “community festival,” Blair said, would be a boon for city coffers, benefit local businesses, and create a sustainable revenue stream the OMHOF needs to fulfill its mission of preserving and honoring Oklahoma’s rich and diverse musical heritage. Blair identified MerleFest in Wilkesboro, N.C., Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tenn., and the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kan., as examples of what he believes the as-of-yet unnamed festival here can be. With a slate of established national artists and regional up-and-comers, Blair projected an annual economic impact of up to $10 million from the festival alone once it is established. A business plan recently approved by OMHOF board members sets out a goal of creating a “viable and profitable” festival that features “an eclectic and diverse” mix of music. Organizers also hope to “create a camping experience ... that encourages early campers” and “an atmosphere that cultivates activities all over” town, establishing “Muskogee’s identity as a music destina-
tion.” Mayor Bob Coburn said he has seen firsthand the positive impacts a well-organized music festival can have on a community. He said arts and cultural events “create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases.” “Gwen and I have attended numerous music festivals, some of those mentioned by Jim Blair when (See MUSIC, Page 14)
Staff photo by D.E. Smoot
Jim Blair, executive director of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, looks over a business plan prepared for what he hopes will become an annual music festival.
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Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
Page 14
Staff photo by D.E. Smoot
Contractors completed work in 2014 on a drainage basin designed to collect and detain stormwater, protecting downstream neighborhoods from flooding.
Essential work reshapes Ward II By D.E. Smoot
Phoenix Staff Writer
A lot of it may not look pretty, but there has been a lot of work in Muskogee’s southeast quadrant that is expected to propel the city into the future. Muskogee’s elected representatives for Ward II cite a number of infrastructure projects that have been completed as evidence. And they pointed out there are other
public works projects that are ongoing or in the planning stage. “A lot of things that have happened are not pretty, but they are necessary,” Ward II Councilor Dan Hall said about progress the city has made in southeast Muskogee. “The drainage catch pond they just completed with the walking trail — that’s not pretty, but it is probably one of the best projects we have done to protect
some of our neighborhoods from future flooding.” Deputy Mayor James Gulley, who also was elected to represent the ward that consists primarily of the city’s southeast corner, also cited the Chandler Road detention basin as a step forward for the city. With a design that includes a walking path that follows the perimeter of the detention basin, Gulley sees the site just east of South York
Street as a recreational area for the children who live in the neighborhood. “We have a lot of pieces that are falling together, and I think we are doing really well in Ward II,” Gulley said.
“We’ve had some creative ideas, and with some financial help from the City of Muskogee Foundation a lot of those ideas are becoming a reality.” The $1.22 million Chan-
dler Road detention basin project is being built on an 11-acre site southeast of the York Street and Chandler Road intersection. It is one of
Music
life.” Blair said he has established a network of reputable people within the entertainment industry to help with marketing, talent buys and corporate sponsorships. He is working with another company that can provide the sound, stage and lighting required for an
event of the magnitude he envisions. There also are plans in place to create 26 episodes of a 30-minute television program that would be broadcast weekly in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City markets. The program would be used as a vehicle to market the 2016 festival and other events scheduled in Muskogee. “With those two stations reaching 1.2 million households, we are putting that information out across Oklahoma every week,” Blair said. “Plus, you have the YouTube channel and social media — it is a great marketing media to promote the festival.” Blair said efforts are under way to secure the funding needed to launch the first festival and future events. The plan is to borrow the money needed from public sources, and the money would be repaid from revenue generated by fees that are attached to ticket sales. “The next 60 days are crucial as we work out arrangements with the city and the City of Muskogee Foundation in borrowing these funds,” Blair said. “I am not asking them to give me the money, I am asking them to loan me the money, and I am bringing them something that will create significant economic impact for the community.” A financial statement prepared by Blair, who has more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and 35 years as a musician, projects the festival will turn a profit by the fourth year. He emphasized that even with projected operating losses for the first three years, the festival would have an annual economic impact locally that is projected to be $5 million to $8 million. “I’ve been involved with the (Oklahoma Music) Hall of Fame for 15 years, and the early visions which involved a museum and big induction ceremony were good ideas, but they didn’t get the statewide and regional support it needed,” Blair said. “I think putting a focus on a festival that creates an economic benefit will create an identity that will make Muskogee a music destination.” Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot@ muskogeephoenix.com.
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he addressed council a couple of weeks ago,” Coburn said. “These festivals bring communities together by improving the quality of
(See WARD II, Page 16)
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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Special photo by Mandy Lundy
Treasure McKenzie, the executive director of the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce, receives her certificate as a certified tourism executive from outgoing chamber Chairman Tom Turner at the recent chamber banquet.
Chamber: Things are happening Tourism director: There is always something to do in Muskogee
Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce ADDRESS: 310 W. Broadway. HOURS: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. SERVICES OFFERED: Promote business. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Four. KEY PERSONNEL: Treasure McKenzie, president and chief executive officer; Anita Bucciarelli, tourism and marketing director. PHONE: (918) 6822401. WEBSITE: www.visitmuskogee.com; www.muskogeecommunitycalendar.com
By Harrison Grimwood Phoenix Staff Writer
Anita Bucciarelli hopes to bring what’s happening in Muskogee to residents’ fingertips. Bucciarelli, tourism and marketing director for the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce, is spearheading a campaign to launch a community calendar for Muskogee happenings. Bucciarelli The community calendar will be a posting board for local bands, business owners or organizers to share their upcoming event with traffic on the website. “Oftentimes, locals miss out on a lot,” Bucciarelli said. “Oftentimes, you hear ‘there’s nothing to do in Muskogee.’” Bucciarelli said she hopes to change that nothing-to-do attitude with the community calendar. “There’s always something to do in Muskogee,” Bucciarelli said. The Chamber of Commerce has been operating the community calendar for about two years. Their goal is to make that calendar the one-stop shop for residents and tourists to see what’s happening. “If a visitor comes to town, stays at a hotel or eats at a restaurant, they will ask ‘What’s there to do in Muskogee?’” Bucciarelli said. “They get a negative answer, they hear ‘There’s nothing to do in Muskogee. Why would you even stop here?’” Bucciarelli said that kind of answer is what they hope to change. She said the more enthusiastic locals are, the more appealing Muskogee is to potential visitors. “We really want to educate people the best we can about what’s going on,” she
said. “That helps to overcome that negative answer.” The first several calendar months for 2015 are already peppered with events. The community calendar is peppered with regular affairs, small classes, big festivals and big events. Submitted photos One of the key events generating a lot of buzz is A group of Shriner motorcyclists ride in the Muskogee Azalea Festival parade. the Jefferson Highway Centennial Celebration. The Jefferson Highway was a lengthy road starting in New Orleans and stretching all the way to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Built in the 1910s, it was officially dedicated in 1915. The highway, since replaced by numbered highways, is marked with more than 2,000 metal signs and 20,000 pole markers. The centennial will be celebrated during the Jefferson Highway Association The River Country Family Water Park offers cool fun. Conference April 30 through May 2 in Muskogee. There will be numerous events around town to educate and entertain. There will be a classic car show with all kinds of makes and models from the last century of the automobile. Plans are in the works, but tours, exhibits and entertainment is expected. Reach Harrison Grimwood at (918) 684-2926 or harrison.grimwood@ A cardboard version of a Viking long boat competes in the River Rumba Cardboard Regatta. Shoppers visit the Muskogee Farmers’ Market. muskogeephoenix.com.
Tilemaker weighs opening additional production line By Mark Hughes Phoenix Staff Writer
One of Muskogee’s largest corporate taxpayers and employer is doing so well they are considering opening another production line. Dal-Tile, whose current economic impact is estimated by the company at approximately $10 million locally, is considering adding a fifth tile cutting line to produce their rectified tiles, said Joseph Fuller, company representative. Rectified tile is precisely finished on all sides to create uniform tiles that can be installed with narrow grout joints that create a seamless, continuous look on the
Dal-Tile ADDRESS: 3801 Dal-Tile Road. HOURS: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. SERVICES OFFERED: Rectified tiles. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 400. PHONE: (918) 683-4043. WEBSITE: www.daltile.com.
floor. So far this year, the Muskogee plant, which encompasses about 1.3 million square feet, has been operating near its full manufacturing capacity, Fuller said. Dal-Tile is optimistic about the demand
for their product. “As we continue to grow, so will our economic impact in Muskogee County,” Fuller said. However, the number of additional employees required for this potential expansion hasn’t been determined yet, Fuller said. Dal-Tile’s Muskogee plant operates around the clock, seven days a week using four 12-hour shifts, he said. They employ about 400 salaried and hourly employees. Employees come from Muskogee, Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Coweta and Fort Gibson. Built in 2002 and sitting on 200 acres, the manufacturing plant is one of the largest floor tile plants by capacity in the
United States, Fuller said. When it comes to starting salaries, DalTile determines the rate based on the specific job. They offer competitive wages and benefits commensurate with experience, Fuller said. Additionally, “we focus on delivering a value proposition that extends well beyond just wages,” he said. Tile products manufactured here are sold throughout the U.S. via Dal-Tile’s three different distribution channels, Fuller said. Those distribution channels are nearly 250 company-owned sales service centers, independent distributors and major retail home center stores, he said. Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or mhughes@muskogeephoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
Ward II Continued from Page 14
two flood control projects that are part of a comprehensive drainage plan designed to catch and regulate stormwater runoff. Both projects, one of which is located in Ward I, are being funded from revenues generated by impervious surface and stormwater fees. The impervious surface fee generates about $1.1 million annually and is assessed specifically for the purpose of addressing drainage problems and related issues. Southeast Muskogee also saw this past year the longawaited completion of the widening of South York Street between Hancock Street and Peak Boulevard. The $6 million project was the city’s first major street upgrade to be funded by a quarter-cent sales tax ap-
proved by voters in 2009. “I am really proud of the opening of South York Street,” Gulley said. “That project and the resurfacing of several streets funded by a City of Muskogee Foundation grant made a difference in Ward II and really for the whole city.” In addition to the street work and stormwater projects, Gulley said the city made some headway toward resolving some problems with old water lines in Grandview 7. He also gave high marks to ongoing efforts to upgrade the city’s aging sewer collection and transportation system, which right now involves the replacement of what is called the east-side interceptor line and upgrades for several lift stations. The east-side interceptor line originates on Beacon Street near Shawnee Bypass and extends about six miles before it ends near Peak Boulevard. The 24-inch sewage collection line pass-
es through several densely populated residential areas located between York Street and Country Club Road. Before work began on the $8.6 million project, Public Works Director Mike Stewart said several major failures had occurred. Those failures, he said, cost taxpayers “a considerable amount of money” for repairs and resulted in discharges of raw sewage. “We are making really good progress on the eastside sanitary interceptor,” Gulley said, acknowledging a consent order issued by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality that mandates much of the work undertaken. “And it is solving some of those issues with raw sewage being dumped in people’s yards.” Gulley also cited greater efforts to work with Hilldale Public School District officials. Those efforts have produced improvements to area streets, traffic control and an cooperative agreement
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with the Muskogee Police Department. With regard to economic development both Gulley and Hall were excited about the opening of a Casey’s General Store on Chandler Road. Hall also held out hope the South York Street widening project will spur additional development there and along Peak Boulevard, in the industrial parks and at Davis Field. “I would like to see in the future more things happening at our airport — bring in some kind of manufacturing or freight company and maybe get the military more involved,” Hall said about prospects for Davis Field. “We just need more jobs in our town — manufacturing jobs to support the retail sector — but I am sure (Port of Muskogee Director) Scott (Robinson) and his people are going to take care of that Staff photo by D.E. Smoot for us.” Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) Construction workers excavate a densely populated 684-2901 or dsmoot@ area in southeast Muskogee as part of a $12 million sewer line replacement project. muskogeephoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 muskogeephoenix.com
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • EDUCATION
•
GOVERNMENT • HEALTH CARE
Our city is growing and officials expect the pace of development to increase. Muskogee has an increasing number of health care options. Area colleges and schools are expanding and rising to meet challenges and opportunities.
Index EASTAR • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 2
CONNORS • • • • • • • • • Page 3 BUSINESS BOOM • • • Page 4 CLINICS • • • • • • • • • • • Page 4 HOT CORNER • • • • • • Page 5 SHOPPING CENTER • Page 7
Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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Staff photos by Cathy Spaulding
EASTAR Health System Registered Nurse Jennifer Ray tends to Retha Workman at EASTAR’s main campus. Growth at EASTAR means RNs are in high demand.
EASTAR growth means need for nurses By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
As EASTAR Health System continues to grow, officials are seeking help — in a positive way. “We have a need for 80 RNs — 43 just to replace traveling or temporary nurses,” said EASTAR Chief Executive Officer Tony Young. Young said EASTAR is actively recruiting registered nurses through ads in newspapers, social media, and job banks. He said EASTAR conducts job fairs where candidates can interview and potentially be
hired on site. EASTAR, which operates two hospitals in Muskogee, has added 178 members to its staff since 2012, Young said, citing a 22.9 percent increase. “We’ve been adding, but we still have a need,” he said. “And we are exploring every opportunity to partner with educational institutions,” said EASTAR Chief Operating Officer Jim Davidson. “We’re moving against the industry norm right now,” Davidson said. He said the need for nurses is driven by the growth of
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Improvement
EASTAR Health System ADDRESS: EASTAR main campus, 300 Rockefeller Drive; EASTAR east campus, 2900 N. Main St. HOURS: Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. SERVICES OFFERED: Range of health services including cancer center; cardiac catheterization lab; senior care, cardiological electro-diagnostic services, emergency department; home health, rehabilitation and physical therapy, women’s services, labor and delivery, neonatal unit, wound care center. NUMBER OF EMPLOY-
the hospitals as well as “expansion of service lines and addition of service lines.” In the past 18 months, EASTAR has recruited 78 new providers — including physicians and nurse practitioners in a variety of areas. These new practitioners include a neurohospitalist, who specializes in treating patients admitted with nervous system disorders. “If a stroke patient arrives, he’ll meet with the patient,” Young said. EASTAR also added an interventional cardiologist, who meets with acute heart
EES: 927 total employees, including 265 providers, such as physicians or nurse practitioners. KEY PERSONNEL: Chief Executive Officer Tony Young; Chief Operating Officer Jim Davidson; Chief Medical Officer Jay Gregory; Chief Financial Officer Scott Bailey; Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Kifer; Chief Quality Officer Jim Wells. PHONE: EASTAR main campus, (918) 682-5501. East campus, (918) 6877777. WEBSITE: www.eastarhealth.com.
attack patients, Young said. A second cardiac catheterization lab soon will be installed at EASTAR’s main campus, 300 Rockefeller Drive. “This will increase our ability to do more procedures simultaneously,” Davidson said. Cardiac catheterization provides accurate and detailed information about the heart. The procedure is done when a thin, flexible plastic tube called a catheter is inserted into the artery. The doctor watches progress of the catheter as it moves through the arteries to the
RN Lance Maxwell adjusts a bed at EASTAR Health System’s cardiac catheterization lab. EASTAR is making space at its main campus for a second cath lab.
heart. EASTAR reports growth at both its hospitals. The labor and delivery department at the east campus, 2900 N. Main St., now offers a neonatal special care unit. “Now we are able to take care of a sicker baby, so now more women are coming to EASTAR,” Young said. For patients on the other end of the life cycle, EASTAR Senior Care offers support for older patients with chronic diseases. The hospital helps seniors with such issues as dementia, depression and chemical dependency. The system also is grow-
ing outside Muskogee. In November, ground was broken for a Fort Gibson clinic. The 4,800-square-foot clinic is set to open this summer. The clinic will have three to three and a half physicians and full lab services. Providers will include a family practitioner, OB/GYN and an internist. The clinic will be open extended hours. The providers currently are operating out of an EASTAR clinic at 3520 Chandler Road. Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee phoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Staff photos by Kandice Lawson
Construction workers work to finish the entry in to the new Connors State Nursing and Allied Health building.
More growth to come at Connors By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Ron Ramming says Connors State College is growing rapidly and has no plans to slow down. “The new construction at Muskogee and facility wise, we’re close to where we’re probably going to have to look at expanding in Muskogee to accommodate our students,” Ramming said. “That’s just in our planning process as we look at and study trends and try to make sure we’re staffed and have the facilities to accommodate students.” Connors State College, along with Indian Capital Technology Center, have partnered together for a new program to be offered to students. As the senior vice president of academic and student affairs at Connors State, Ramming was able to give more insight. “We’re starting a occupational therapy assistant program,” Ramming said. “It’s a year-long program that once the student has all the prerequisites they can start. It’s very handson, and once we get the occupational therapy program up and running we’re hoping to add a physical therapy program. If we can get this pulled off these are really exciting programs that can be life changing.” Connors’ Three Rivers Port campus in Muskogee plans to open doors to the
$9 million Nursing and Allied Health building this month. “Our faculty and students can’t wait to get over there,” Ramming said. “It’s going to be state of the art, there’s eight classrooms inside, there’s flexibility in the design of a lecture hall that has the capacity to seat about 180. We have facilities now to host different classes and seminars as well as having the teaching space and the lab space for our nursing program.” The main campus in Warner is nearing the completion of the $6 million renovation of their student union, something Ramming says was vital for the college. “With most campuses the student union serves as the hub of activity,” Ramming said. “Our student union has needed attention for some time now. It wasn’t a place that students wanted to go. With renovation, student activities will be officed over there; the cafeteria, from a student experience standpoint, it should serve as a gathering place for the students.” The newly renovated student union will also serve more purpose in the community. With a built-in ballroom it can seat up to 350 people. “That gives us a place in this part of the county where organizations can come and they can have banquets,” Ramming said.
“We have our dining services there, and we’ve already been contacted by a few high schools about having their proms in the ballroom, and that’s some of the reason we did what we did over there to make these facilities available to people even outside of the college, it’s for the community as well.” Through new facilities and programs, Connors hopes to increase enrollment and continue to increase the rapid numbers of student graduating from their institution. “We’ve put more emphasis on graduating and completing the programs,” Ramming said. “We encourage students to finish what they started. As far as to increase that rate, we’re looking at adding embedded certificate programs that are meaningful.” Ramming says Connors will continue to expand and better accommodate future students. “With any organization, if you’re not growing your going backwards,” Ramming said. “That’s not where we want to be, we want to continue to grow and expand. As we continue to grow and expand it allows us to offer more programs that are beneficial to the residents in this area.” Reach Kandice Lawson at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson@muskogee phoenix.com.
Ami Maddocks gives a tour of the new Nursing and Allied Health facility at Connors State College’s Three Rivers Port campus in Muskogee.
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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Staff photo by Kandice Lawson
Casey’s General Store is one of the newer businesses to find a home in Muskogee. This year citizens can expect even more growth here.
Business bustles, booms in Muskogee By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Business in Muskogee continues to bustle, and this year citizens can expect even more growth. Geographically located with excellent accessibility, Muskogee has access to highways, interstates, a local airport, rail service and the port, a powerful combination for trade. “Attracting new business is multi-faceted,” Howard Brown, city manager, said. “We improve the image of the community, to present
our best ‘look.’ We execute our short and long-range plans to deal with the maintenance of infrastructure systems including transportation, water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer. These allow the city to be able to accommodate potential development investments in an efficient and timely manner. And we develop strategies for incentives and public-private partnerships that are effective and make sense for our city.” New business permits are up 22 percent and con-
structions costs have increased 44 percent from 2013-2014, meaning larger investments have been put in to the community, but according to the most recent market analysis, Muskogee is losing opportunities in the grocery, general merchandise and fullservice restaurant areas. “The lost opportunities show in this study are around leakage,” Brown said. “Meaning citizens within a 20 mile radius of Muskogee are shopping elsewhere. Some of this is due to online retail and
some of it is due to people driving to Tulsa or other areas for purchases. We focus our retail business economic development in the areas the study shows where we have this leakage. We continue to push citizens to consider the local economic impact from shopping local versus online purchasing.” Some of the businesses being brought in to the city include two new convenience stores, Casey’s General Store and Quiktrip. Three Rivers Plaza, which may open just in
time for Christmas shopping will have an ULTA, Dick’s Sporting Goods, T.J. Maxx and AT&T. Other businesses being welcomed to the area Best Western, Grace Living Center, and MedNOW. Brown says citizens can easily get involved in bringing more businesses to town. “Everyone and anyone can help reach out to get new business,” Brown said. “If we are shopping in areas outside of Muskogee, we can ‘talk up’ our city and encourage those out-of-
town shop owners to consider opening in Muskogee. Through Action in Muskogee, we have engaged a cross-section of the entire community to build ownership and support for growing our community’s image and business environment. This reaching out is critical, which is why the city is actively working on filling positions that will be solely dedicated to reaching out to new retail business.” Reach Kandice Lawson at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson@muskogee phoenix.com.
Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
Radiologist Trenda Slape adjusts an X-ray machine at Xpress Wellness Urgent Care. The clinic sees patients on a walk-in basis.
Clinics help to meet health care demand By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
New small clinics are helping Muskogee meet an increasing demand for health care. The newest, Xpress Wellness, opened Jan. 29 at 2525 Chandler Road. The new walk-in clinic offers treatment for non lifethreatening illnesses or injuries — broken arms, stitches, sniffles, allergies and other ailments. Xpress Wellness President Brian Hayden said Muskogee was a prime place for a new clinic. The Enid-based company has clinics in Shawnee, Woodward and other communities.
“We looked around and saw a need for urgent care in Muskogee,” Hayden said. Dr. Scott Williams, chief medical officer for the chain, said the clinic seeks to reduce wait times with its online check-in option. “Patients can check in on our website, and one of our staff members will call them within 10 minutes of completing the registration to let them know when they should come in,” Williams said in a media release. “Patients can also walk in to the clinic and check in.” The center has six private exam rooms, a triage room and a procedure room. The center also of-
fers computerized radiology services, diagnostic testing and lab services. ReddyCare Walk-in Urgent Care Clinic, 932 W. Shawnee Bypass, also offers care for minor injuries and illnesses. ReddyCare office manager Michelle Graham said the clinic is locally owned and operated. She said providers saw a rising need for walk-in clinics. People would not have to wait as long at the clinic as they would at an emergency room, or even a primary care doctor, Graham said. The clinic opened in November 2013 at the River (See CLINICS, Page 7)
Outlook 2015 Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Staff photo by Harrison Grimwood
Construction workers prepare ground for another slab of cement for the QuikTrip being built at the intersection of U.S. 69 and Shawnee Bypass. The store, the biggest of its kind, is expected to open in April.
Intersection is hot Mayor says Shawnee, US 69 corner ‘a gateway to our community’ By Harrison Grimwood Phoenix Staff Writer
QuikTrip building its new location at U.S. 69 and Shawnee Bypass is indicative of the intersection’s development potential, experts say. Local officials see the new QuikTrip as the first domino to fall in the commercial development at one of Muskogee’s busiest intersections. The QuikTrip being built is the largest the company has built yet, company and city officials said. “It’s a gateway to our community,” said Bob Coburn, Muskogee mayor. “There’s just a tremendous amount of interest in that corner.” Coburn The city of Muskogee is moving forward with the procurement of the remaining three corners at the intersection, City Attorney Roy Tucker said. Buzz about the new convenience store and truck stop at the southwest corner of the U.S. 69 and Shawnee Bypass intersection has been building for years. Rickey Hayes, founder of Retail Attractions, an economic development consulting firm, said right now, the intersection is one of the best for development in Oklahoma. “QuikTrip being there proves Muskogee has a dynamic market,” Hayes said. “That intersection is one of the best intersections for development.” There were multiple delays, objections from adjoining landowners, then later from Muskogee County Commissioners and finally concerns over what land the county actually owned on the northwest corner, Tucker said. “Of course, all of this is to further economic development in Shawnee retail corridor,” he said. The purchase price was a little over $4 million and will be paid from a loan approved by the City of Muskogee Foundation in late 2013, Tucker said. “Because of their investment, the other three corners are now being looked at by people who hadn’t looked before.” Hayes said. “Those are premium corners (See QUIKTRIP, Page 6)
Outlook 2015 Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Staff photo by Harrison Grimwood
Construction workers put the finishing touches on freshly poured cement at the QuikTrip on the U.S. 69 and Shawnee Bypass intersection. The store is to open in April.
QuikTrip Continued from Page 5
for the private sector.” Mike Thornbrugh, press relations for QuikTrip, said the city of Muskogee and Muskogee County will benefit greatly from the increased revenue. QuikTrip is expected to open mid April, Thornbrugh said. “One of the biggest reasons we chose Muskogee is the residents and city officials really pushed for it,”
Thornbrugh said. “It’s flattering to a company to know a community wants it to come.” Hayes said the intersection is busy with non-residents, leaving any sales tax revenue from them to the sole benefit of the county and city. “QuikTrip doesn’t do sites that won’t be fruitful,” he said. Without going into too many details, Hayes said other retailers are already in discussions for the remaining three corners at that intersection.
“It solidifies the northern 69 corridor,” Hayes said. “It will really push development in that area.” The intersection hasn’t seen development in more than 50 years, Coburn said. “Sometimes orange cones in the way is needed for development of a community,” he said. “Looking at the size of the station, the number of pumps, you can tell it’s going to be a big boost for our sales tax revenue.” Reach Harrison Grimwood at (918) 684-2926 or harrison.grimwood@ muskogeephoenix.com.
SHOP. LOCAL. “Keep it in Muskogee”
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Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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New shopping center on the way By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Provisions were approved for construction of a new retail center located southwest of the intersection of Sixth Street and Shawnee Bypass. Three Rivers Plaza will consist of a 102,537-squarefoot retail shopping center with a separate 6,700square-foot restaurant. A few of the confirmed tenants for Three Rivers
Plaza are ULTA, Dick’s Sporting Goods, T.J. Maxx and AT&T. City and county officials approved the provisions Jan. 26 during a series of meetings conducted throughout the day by four governmental entities. City Manager Howard Brown says the new shopping center coming to town will provide more than retail satisfaction and more opportunity for citizens, as well.
“There are nine other retail spaces available in the plaza,” Brown said. “With these quality anchor stores, 100 percent occupancy is a very real possibility. QuikTrip, Best Western, Grace Living Center, MedNOW will bring permanent, quality jobs to Muskogee. There are other businesses that are not new, but are expanding, building new buildings and growing new jobs.” The project represents an
$18.5 million investment that is expected to create 100 construction jobs and 216 retail-sector jobs. Citizens say an increase in variety when it comes to shopping in Muskogee would keep shoppers here. Many have ideas about what kinds of businesses they would like to see come to Muskogee. “Any kind of retail would be good,” said Tarrah Murdock of Muskogee. “Muskogee needs it. Any stores for
teens or outlets would be great.” James Young of Muskogee said he’d like to see improvements made to shopping areas that are already available. “I’d like to see the mall filled back up before anything,” Young said. “I’m worried about the mall, but I’d love to have a Kohl’s and a Target. They’re nice stores.” Melinda Jaynes of Muskogee says the city needs more restaurant se-
lections to choose from. “I’d like an Olive Garden or a nice restaurant,” Jaynes said. “A really nice sit-down restaurant or a steakhouse. Since Western Sizzlin’ is gone, we don’t have a really nice steakhouse anymore. It would be an advantage to have so we can keep our business here in Muskogee.” Reach Kandice Lawson at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson@muskogee phoenix.com.
Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
Registered Nurse Shawna Riley shows how she mixes chemotherapy treatment at Landmark Cancer Center. Riley said mixing chemo treatment on site helps patients get treatment faster.
Clinics Continued from Page 4
City Plaza shopping center. Physician Assistants Philip Watson and Sean Scearce see the patients. Muskogee Health Center, 619 N. Main St., came to Muskogee in 2012 after operating in Porter. The center offers primary care, immunizations, hypertension management, physicals and other services. “One of the big things we noticed in our patient demographics was that 25 percent of the patients were from Muskogee,” said Dr. James R. Turner, chief executive officer for Arkansas Verdigris Valley Health Centers Inc., which operates the Porter and Muskogee health centers. Specialized clinics also are coming to Muskogee. One example is Landmark Cancer Center, 301 N. 32nd St. It is one of several Landmark centers in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas. The center came to Muskogee almost by accident. Landmark business development director Brian McMurray said center officials had visited Muskogee to lure oncologist Dr. Ravikumar Vasireddy to its clinic in northwest Arkansas. However, Vasireddy was committed to staying in Muskogee, McMurray said. Landmark then saw a need for a Muskogee location, McMurray said, adding that the center opened in November, 2013. “And it’s been wonderful,” he said. “We are so glad to be in Muskogee. We are looking toward continuing to expand and bring more services to the community.” Landmark is a full-service cancer center that offers a wide array of advanced technology. They also approach care with a personal touch. For example, chemotherapy
ReddyCare Walk-in Urgent Care Clinic ADDRESS: 932 W. Shawnee Bypass. HOURS: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Closed Sundays. SERVICES OFFERED: Treat minor injuries, burns, bites, cuts; minor sport-related injuries; general illness care including ear infections, upper respiratory symptoms, infections; occupational, sports and camp physicals. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Eight. KEY PERSONNEL: Over-
treatment drugs are prepared at the clinic. “A lot of places have pharmacists do it,” said Registered Nurse Shawna Riley, adding that having the work done on site cuts down on waiting time. “When we have a new patient, we do the imaging, then we work up a plan for killing the cancer cells and saving the healthy cells,” McMurray said. “A medical physicist reviews the plan to make sure what we want to do.” Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee phoenix.com.
seeing physician, Dr. Schuyler Steelberg; Physician Assistant Sean Scearce, PA-C; Physician Assistant Philip Watson, PAC; office manager Michelle Graham. PHONE: (918) 684-9665. WEBSITE: www.reddycareclinic.com.
Landmark Cancer Center ADDRESS: 301 N. 32nd St. PET/CT, 3300 Chandler Road, room 106. HOURS: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Fri-
day. SERVICES OFFERED: Cancer care involving advanced technology, radiation therapy. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 10. KEY PERSONNEL: Dr. Ravikumar Vasireddy. PHONE: (918) 683-2000. WEBSITE: www.lmcancercenter.com
Muskogee Health Center ADDRESS: 619 N. Main St., Building D. HOURS: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SERVICES OFFERED: Family practice, preventative health care immunizations. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Five. KEY PERSONNEL: Executive Director Dr. James R. Turner; Medical Director Dr. Ashley Gourd; Physician Assistant Rocky Arrasmith. PHONE: (918) 682-0222. WEBSITE: porterhealthclinic.com.
Xpress Wellness Urgent Care ADDRESS: 2525 Chandler Road.
HOURS: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; 1 to 7 p.m. Sundays. SERVICES OFFERED: Walk-in urgent care and occupational medicine provider; treats non-life threatening illnesses and injuries; physical exams, drug testing, pulmonary function tests. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Eight. KEY PERSONNEL: Dr. Laurie McLemore; Physician Assistant Carrie Randall. PHONE: (918) 681-7533. WEBSITE: XpressWellnessUrgentCare.com.
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Index NSU • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 10 Fort Gibson Schools • • • • Page 10 Georgia-Pacific • • • • • • • Page 11 Hilldale Schools • • • • • • • Page 11 ICTC • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 14 Cherokee Health • • • • • • Page 15
Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Staff photos by Cathy Spaulding
Northeastern State University students Deona Wingo of Quinton, left, and Kylah Cauthon of Tahlequah study locations of tendons and muscles during occupational therapy class at NSU’s Muskogee campus. The campus is becoming a health care hub for NSU’s three-campus system.
NSU Muskogee trains health pros By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
Students can reach toward healthy careers at Northeastern State University’s Muskogee campus. “We started the process of making this a health care hub,” said Tim McElroy, Muskogee campus dean. Muskogee is where nearly 29 students from as far away as Fort Smith, Ark., are pursuing master’s degrees in occupational therapy. Four classrooms have been converted into labs where students can practice occupational therapy techniques, help patients with living skills, work with children and study anatomy.
The two-and-a-half-year program began in January 2014 and is expected to graduate its first class in August 2016, said occupational therapy program director, Dr. Judith A. Melvin. She said the first class has about 12 students, and the current class has 17. Lab work is just part of the occupational therapy program. Students will spend their last semester doing clinical rotations at different sites, she said. Sites include the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center, Green Country Behavioral Health and Grace Living Center, said Troy Lee, assistant professor in occupational therapy. “The students work with
the local community during research classes to include identifying local needs,” Lee said. “The Muskogee community has shown open-arm support for our occupational therapy program.” In 2017, NSU will offer a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at Muskogee. The first class is expected to have about 16 students. McElroy said classrooms would be converted to meet the needs of the new program. Health care isn’t the only option at Muskogee. The campus also offers upperlevel undergraduate and graduate programs in education, business, industri-
al management and other areas. McElroy said around 500 to 600 students come to classes each week. “Some are blended classes,” he said. NSU’s system-wide master plan, presented in 2014, calls for a new academic building and expanded parking lot at Muskogee. However, McElroy said the campus might not need the added space. For more than three years, NSU Muskogee has been home of Connors State College’s nursing program and other classes. Connors is expected to move into a new $9 million Nursing and Allied Health Building later this month.
Northeastern State University ADDRESSES: 2400 W. Shawnee Bypass, Muskogee; 600 N. Grand Ave., Tahlequah; 3100 E. New Orleans, Broken Arrow. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 1,566 faculty and support personnel. NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 8,332 fall enrollment. KEY PERSONNEL: Steve Turner, Ph.D., president; Mark Arant, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs; Laura Boren,
“With their nursing program moving out of our Synar Center, right now, I don’t know if space needs is as big an issue,” McElroy
Ph.D., vice president for student affairs; David Koehn, M.B.A., vice president for business and finance; Ben Hardcastle, executive director for public relations and marketing; Timothy McElroy, Ed.D, dean of NSU-Muskogee and director of Reach Higher program. PHONE: NSU Muskogee, (918) 683-0040; NSU Tahlequah, (918) 456-5511; Broken Arrow, (918) 449-6000. WEBSITE: www.nsuok.edu.
said. Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee phoenix.com.
Fort Gibson Schools seek to connect students to technology, literacy By Harrison Grimwood Glover said. Phoenix Staff Writer “Our reading levels are pretty high,” Glover said. FORT GIBSON — Staff “But literacy is more than and faculty at Fort Gibson that to us.” In fact, literacy involves Public Schools are setting out to draw tighter the reading, writing, speaking connections among stu- and reasoning, Glover dents, technology, and said. The teachers and those involved in the coaches at Fort Gibson schools are actively enprocess and literacy. There are three specific couraged to challenge their areas teachers and staff students in all of those arare aiming to strengthen eas. “Speaking is one a lot of in the coming year for students and parents. Those people ignore,” Glover said. areas are part of the “Our belief is if a child is given the opportunities to school’s strategic plan. Literacy, advocacy and speak from pre-k to grade full utilization of digital 12, that child will be more tools are the three areas comfortable speaking in that they will focus on, Su- front of an audience later perintendent Derald in life.”
Glover said writing is often neglected; it is vital to learning to read and vice versa. “Reasoning is interpreting,” Glover said. Teachers and coaches are using reason to teach kids how to comprehend what they have read or what they may see. A teacher may pass out a chart or graph with only bits of the accompanying article. Students will be asked to analyze it to determine what the data means. Glover gave this as one example. The next part of the strategic plan is advocacy. Teachers at Fort Gibson schools are trying to grow the relationship among themselves, the parents and the students. “Advocacy is the rela-
Fort Gibson Public Schools ADDRESS: Administrative office, 500 S. Ross St. HOURS: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 245. ENROLLMENT: 1,920. KEY PERSONNEL: Superintendent Derald Glover; Assistant Superintendent Tom Stiles. PHONE: (918) 4782474. WEBSITE: www.ftgibson.k12.ok.us.
tionship piece to learning,” Glover said. “We want students to take power of their learning.” Teachers are doing that by having students lead the parent-teacher confer-
ences. Teachers use the opportunity to measure the students’ communication, speaking skills. “It requires the student to know where they stand in the class and communicate that to the parent,” Glover said. Faculty and staff are trying to strengthen the relationship among the school, students and parents through email, social media, a planned-revamp of the school’s website and mentor programs. Glover stressed the need to empower students over their education. Part of that is the school’s BYOD program. The BYOD program is the “Bring your own device” program. It is part of the school’s one-to-one initiative. It allows the student to bring in their tablet or computer, what-
ever device they feel most comfortable learning on, Glover said. The third part of the strategic plan for the upcoming year is utilization of digital tools. “They have them, it’s reality,” Glover said. “It’s our job to teach them to use them effectively and responsibly.” Glover said the school is not looking at a 100 percent conversion. “There are still times when writing or lecturing are important,” he said. “Working in teams, students have to learn how to communicate, collaborate.” Glover emphasized that these digital devices are just tools; tools to enhance and not replace. Reach Harrison Grimwood at (918) 684-2926 or harrison.grimwood@ muskogeephoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Mill to invest almost $15M in new machine By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Georgia-Pacific’s Muskogee mill will invest almost $15 million in a new bath tissue machine that is scheduled for startup by mid-2015. Carrie A. Thompson, public affairs manager for Georgia-Pacific, says the investment will help the mill meet both the existing and projected customer demand for its away-from-home tissue products. “This bath tissue is used in office buildings, stadiums and restaurants,” Thompson said. “We provide customers with products they want when they need them. They perform in a way that meets their expectations. The new line is part of the mill’s ongoing efforts to improve safety, reliability, productivity and quality and to efficiently meet the demands of its customers. It also helps GP’s Muskogee mill remain a valued employer in the community and helps keep GP competitive in the away-from-home market.” GP’s Muskogee mill produces tissue, towel and napkin products designed primarily from recycled wastepaper. The Muskogee
Georgia-Pacific ADDRESS: 4901 Chandler Road PHONE: 918-683-7671 WEBSITE: www.gp.com
mill began operations in 1978. More than 950 people are employed at GP Muskogee and from 2006-2013, GP has invested approximately $165 million in capital investment for growth in the state of Oklahoma. Training efforts for operating the new machinery were done in-house and external training was at Indian Capital Technology Center. “Training on how to operate and maintain equipment will keep us competitive in the market place,” Thompson said. “Employees running the new line previously ran another line. The new line replaces older lines so we can operate more efficiently. Those improvements were made possible through use of new technology and the increased production capability, and that’s what keeps us competitive in our market.” Reach Kandice Lawson Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson@muskogee Georgia-Pacific officials are adding a new bath tissue machine to its Muskogee mill. The mill, a major area employer, produces tissue, paper towels and napkin products designed primarily from recycled newspaper. phoenix.com.
Community essential to Hilldale Schools’ progress By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
Community plays a big roll in Hilldale Public Schools’ progress. Parents support their kids at games, concerts and science fairs. Voters approved a $7.4 million bond issue in 2013 that funded new kitchens and cafeterias at all schools, middle school classrooms, a band room and safer parking at the elementary school.
The projects came in under budget. Taxpayers give input at community forums, including two held in January. “Our past year has been a busy one,” said Dr. Kaylin Coody, Hilldale superintendent. “We have completed $7.2 million in building projects. Meals are now being served in the new elementary, middle school and high school cafeterias, the band has been in its new space since August.”
Coody said the elementary and middle school cafeterias and the band room also serve as storm shelters. Middle School Principal Darren Riddle said two new classrooms and restrooms give the school much-needed space. He said some of the older restrooms were no larger than an office. “And we’ve needed a new band room for years,” Riddle said. An expanded parking lot and extra entrance at the el-
ementary schools helped streamline how parents pick up and drop off their kids. “We have continued to work on traffic safety around our sites, especially during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up,” Coody said. Hilldale has seen progress inside school buildings as well. “Instructionally, we have really focused on Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and using the ex-
pertise of our teachers to identify and intervene on academic needs for each child,” Coody said. The district seeks to help its students become better citizens. In May, the Character Education Partnership named Hilldale Middle School a National School of Character. Programs such as peer mediation and a “No Taunting” pledge helped the school earn the honor. (See HILLDALE, Page 16)
Hilldale Public Schools ADDRESS: Administrative office, 500 E. Smith Ferry Road. HOURS: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 200, including 132 certified employees. ENROLLMENT: 1,885. KEY PERSONNEL: Superintendent, Dr. Kaylin Coody; assistant superintendents, Erik Puckett and Dr. Deborah Tennison. PHONE: Superintendent’s office, (918) 6830273. WEBSITE: www.hilldale.k12.ok.us.
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S M A L L T O W N , I N P R O G R E S S ! F O R T G I B S O N , USA!
T HRIVING L OCAL B USINESS • S CHOOL S PIRIT • F AMILY , C HURCH & C OMMUNITY
The Fort Gibson Chamber of Commerce has long thought that our town was the best kept secret in Oklahoma. Known for its historic significance both statewide and nationwide, with the Historic Site and National Cemetery, it also claims one of the best school systems in the state, and likewise, even the nation. Nestled along the Arkansas River, between Tahlequah and Muskogee, and with the turnpike, only a half hour from Tulsa, many residents choose to live here, and commute, because of Fort Gibson’s schools and lifestyle. Many of the requests for relocation information the chamber gets, usually goes back to those two factors. It is also perfectly situated for the outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy fishing, hunting, rural living, or anything that pertains to an outdoor way of life. The many annual events that the town hosts, brings thousands of visitors from all around the region, namely our Annual Car Show, Corn Festival, various 5K and 10K runs, July 4th Fireworks Show, Annual “Smokin’ the Fort-BBQ & Bluegrass Festival”, and Starlight Christmas Parade, along with the many Historic Site activities, Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day ceremonies at the National Cemetery, and other local group events, we usually have something going on each month of the year. Our historic downtown area is well preserved and offers great growth potential, and it along with the Centennial Park, is one that is often visited by out-of-towners, and a favorite for photo-shoots. With new construction, growing neighborhoods, excellent schools, low crime rate, and easy access to more metropolitan areas, Fort Gibson offers the perfect “down-home” way of life. We truly believe in our motto, “Remembering the Past, Embracing the Future”. For additional information, contact the chamber at 918-478-4780 or email at: fortgibson@sbcglobal.net. Gary Perkins, Chamber Director
T HE R EAL S TORY I N P UBLIC E DUCATION
Many people are inundated with news that public schools are failing, when in actuality the 5% of schools deemed failing in Oklahoma are defining the other 95%. The truth is that far too many students are failing or dropping out of school and the state, community, and schools need to continue to reduce that number. What many people don’t realize is that in the last ten years the Oklahoma single-year dropout rates have dropped and high school graduation rates have increased. Fort Gibson Schools graduation rate is almost 97%! Many people do not realize that Oklahoma scores consistently at the top of the 18 southern region states that test over 50% of their students on the ACT. In 2012-2013, the gap between Oklahoma’s average ACT score (20.7) and the national average ACT score (21) was only one-tenth of a standard score deviation. This is the smallest gap in the Oklahoma and national ACT score in over 25 years! Fort Gibson Public School’s ACT average (22) has increased steadily for the last six years with the district goal being a lofty 23! Parental support of their public schools is consistently high on national surveys. Oklahoma students score slightly below the national average on the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) exam. The NAEP and PISA exams are the two exams used to compare US schools to other countries. The fact is that the United States has always lagged somewhat on the NAEP and PISA exams, but at the same time the US has consistently been a leader on the PISA projection of entrepreneurial capability and patents. In my opinion, this is proof of the power of public education’s emphasis on extra-curricular activities and the soft skills and creativity that are learned through participation in clubs and teams. The bottom line is that many Oklahoma public schools are continually improving, but the fact is that some are not improving as quickly as others. Let’s focus on turning around our underperforming schools, but let’s also be proud of what we have accomplished. Let’s all work together on the same plan for kids. The Cooperative Council of School Administrators and the Oklahoma State School Board’s Association spent two years developing an Oklahoma education plan called “For the People.” It can be viewed at http://forthepeopleok.com /. Miracles happen when people choose to go the “extra” mile for someone else. We have a GREAT school because our teachers and staff at Fort Gibson Schools go the extra mile for kids!
Just a few examples of excellence that make our school unique: • • • • • •
Consis tent area leader in State Test Scores. ACT has risen for the past six years. ␣ Current average of 22. Innovative Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) technology initiative at all grade levels. Leader in the use of digital resources for education. Only school in the state of Oklahoma that provides “virtual learning” on snow days. Possibly the only school in the state that requires a career graduation portfolio to graduate. • Innovative student advocacy program that involves student lead parent teacher conferences.
• One of the top Vocational Agriculture programs in the state. • A STEM education leader with “Making and Tinkering Labs” in the lower elementary, LEGO robotics in the upper elementary, middle school “Gateway to Technology Program including robotics, and high school robotics. • Multiple state championships in various sports. • Three time band sweepstakes winner and current state champion. • Top Notch Speech and Drama Department • Possibly the only school in the state with a 3 yr old day care program for student training.
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Phoenix file photo
Construction workers build a new structure at Indian Capital Technology Center.
ICTC will offer a number of new programs for 2015, beyond By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Indian Capital Technology Center has big plans in the near future and beyond, offering a number of new programs for students. “In the fall of 2015, ICTC will start our occupational therapy assistant program,” said ICTC’s superintendent Tony Pivec. “It’s an 11month associate degree program that trains in various skills to get clients from student-age children to people who’ve had strokes back on their feet to help these people function in society.” In addition to the occupational therapy program, in fall of 2016, Project Lead, a
hands-on program for students who want to be surgeons, physicians and work in other high-level health care fields, has potential plans for a laboratory gateway program that will focus on biomedical technology. Pivec says ICTC has done extensive research to bring programs to the school for jobs that are in high demand. “We've pulled data together from various sources including Workforce Oklahoma to determine what industries of growth exist in our service area,” Pivec said. “Health care is one of the areas that time and time again come up as a top performer with respected wages and
growth in the industry. Based on those statistics that’s why we chose those programs.” In addition to new programs, ICTC will also have new facilities for students. “Right now, three quarters of construction for a health sciences building is done,” Pivec said. “That’s where occupation therapy/physical therapy will be housed. Our nursing program will be relocated, and one program yet to be determined will be housed there, too.” Pivec hopes the new facilities will increase the number of students and strengthen relations with Connors State College. “We work closely with Dr.
Tim Faltyn, president of Connors State in co-developing career pathways in health care,” Pivec said. “Students won’t have to duplicate courses. In the end, they can move through the educational pipeline quicker.” ICTC also is looking for staff for their physical therapy assistant program set to begin in the fall of 2017. “We do anticipate our target start date,” Pivec said. “It’s about a year-long process to develop curriculum and apply for accreditation.” Reach Kandice Lawson at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson@muskogee phoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Submitted photos
Pharmacy residency program assistant director Sarah Watkins, left, and infection preventionist Dr. Jorge Mera work with Oklahoma State University medical residents at W.W. Hastings Hospital.
Cherokee Health Services expand By Harrison Grimwood Phoenix Staff Writer
An early childhood memory is what pushed Connie Davis into health care. Davis, diagnosed at 7 as an insulin-dependent diabetic, would be left alone in a Tulsa hospital for hours on end while her parents returned to work. She was playing jacks alone in her room when a nurse came in, sat down and played with her. “I don’t know if she played five minutes or two hours,” said Connie Davis,
director of Cherokee Health Services. “But it meant the world to me that she would take the time to do that.” That memory sparked her career. She spent most of it working for Cherokee Health Services. During that time, she has seen the pitfalls of Cherokee health care. “The big thing is access,” she said. “Most of our clinics don’t have enough office spaces for our doctors to see patients.” Davis is seeing that struggle unravel because
of Cherokee Nation’s health initiatives to expand their services. After being awarded Indian Health Service Joint Venture Construction Program project in January 2015, Cherokee Nation officials will build a 250,000square-foot facility on the hospital’s campus. Officials also took $100 million of casino profits in 2013 to invest in health services expansion to remedy the issue of limited access. W.W. Hastings Hospital received just over half (See CHEROKEE, Page 16)
Emergency department director Dr. Thomas Franklin works away on a tablet while registered nurses Dana Cash and Mark Westbrook discuss patient paperwork.
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
Cherokee Continued from Page 15
of the investment, about $53 million. Davis said the hospital has about 12 dental chairs, but needs about 30 chairs. “Those numbers tell you how this expansion will impact access,” she said. Doctors at W.W. Hastings and the other Cherokee health centers are limited to one office, she said. Patients would dress, undress and redress in their office. Nurses would process the patients in that office. Then doctors would examine them in that office, slowing down how many patients a doctor can visit in a day. The tribe will fund the construction of a 250,000square-foot facility on the hospital’s campus. IHS will provide about $30 million
per year during the next several decades for staffing and operations, Davis said. “With this, there will be no more excuse for no access,” Davis said. The hospital, built in 1984, was constructed to serve 65,000 outpatient visits each year. The facility served more than 400,000 patient visits in 2014. The new $53.1 million hospital allows the current hospital to become an outpatient center. “I know firsthand the challenge of not having enough room, of not having enough money for your patients,” she said. In the late ’90s, Davis struggled to find beds as an ER nurse at W.W. Hastings Hospital. She had nine beds for more than 40,000 patient visits a year. “When I saw people needed help and they had no where to go, not enough staff to care of them, it made me feel helpless as a
provider,” Davis said. “It was just gut wrenching to go home sometimes when I knew people were suffering from the lack of access.” IHS is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Native Alaskans. The Cherokee Nation, the largest recognized tribe in the U.S., also has largest tribal health system in the U.S. The nation’s health services are also the largest tribal health system in the U.S. Cherokee health services include a network of eight health centers and a hospital and include ambulance services, diabetes services, cancer care, behavioral health services and more. Reach Harrison Grimwood at (918) 684-2926 or harrison.grimwood@ muskogeephoenix.com.
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Hilldale Continued from Page 11
Hilldale also worked with the city of Muskogee to provide two resource officers — one at the elementary schools, one at the high school and middle school. Coody said the officers are increasing security in many ways. She said she sees continued progress in the coming year. “We look forward to continuing to train and hear from our staff on how to meet the educational needs of each child,” Coody said. “Technology acquisition and integration will continue to be a focus. Safety is always a high priority and we will continue to evaluate and address those needs.” Parents and taxpayers play a role in such progress. About 45 people attended the community forums in January. Participants were
Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
Hilldale sixth-graders including Katie Dupont, right, and Baylee Bigby, review one another’s essays inside one of two new classrooms at Hilldale Middle School.
surveyed and gave their input on four goals: • Goal 1: “Provide quality curriculum and instruction that prepare all students for the future, using a variety of methods including technology.” Goals included electronic tablets for specific grades and enhanced elementary programs in music, band, art and math. • Goal 2: “Provide a safe learning environment for all students and members of the school community.” Desired goals included a bet-
ter check-in process and centrally-located office at the elementary schools. • Goal 3: “Attract and retain qualified, competent teachers and staff members.” • Goal 4: “Provide quality facilities.” Desired goals included wrestling and swimming teams, extra classrooms and a new elementary gym. Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee phoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 muskogeephoenix.com
Index Ward IV • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 18 Port • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 18 VAMC • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 19 Muskogee Schools • • • • • Page 21 Ward III • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 23 Bacone • • • • • • • • • • • • • Page 23
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Big things on horizon in Ward IV By D.E. Smoot Phoenix Staff Writer
Despite all the commercial development in northwest Muskogee, the two councilors elected from Ward IV cited citywide support for a new community center as a highlight of any progress. Both expounded the impact of commercial development and new housing opportunities that are just around the corner. But they were impressed even more with residents who rallied in support of the new Martin Luther King Community Center. “For the community to pass a bond overwhelmingly so that we can have a community center that appeals to everybody and is linked to a man whose legacy was to bring all people together, that is monumental,” Ward IV Councilor Marlon Coleman said. “For people to cross religious and racial lines and say we believe in this theory that we can build a place that is focused on bringing people together, that is historic in itself.” Ward IV Councilor Wayne Johnson, who is on the center’s building committee, said “the sky is the limit” when it comes to the impact the new facility will have on the community. The programs and services already provided — Night Hoops, an afterschool program, feeding programs and others — at “this little bitty building,” Johnson said, are simply amazing. “When you see all of the kids who are here and the programs provided here, it is just unbelievable,” Johnson said about the impact the King Center already has on the community. “And now, when we get a proper building here, the sky is the limit on what impact this center
Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
Shawnee Bypass between Sixth and Ninth streets is a targeted area for retail development in Ward IV.
will have on our community as a whole.” The need for a new King Center was identified by organizers and participants of the Action in Muskogee initiative as a priority project that will serve as the northernmost anchor of downtown revitalization plans. The project is being funded by a City of Muskogee Foundation grant worth $2.75 million, an additional $1.5 million from a five-year sales tax extension approved in June by voters, a $200,000 pledge from the Ruby Family Charitable Trust and private donations,. The existing King Center began showing significant signs of wear and tear after a series of small
earthquakes began rocking parts of Oklahoma. An engineer who surveyed the structure said the deterioration was due to the temblors and an extended period of extreme drought. The new King Center, which is expected to be open next January, will have classroom areas, space for an enhanced computer lab and a resource library. With the added space and resources, the King Center’s popular after-school program is expected to serve up to 120 students from kindergarten age through eighth-grade. While the King Center might be the tie that binds the entire community, Johnson and Coleman cited progress on a number
of other fronts within Ward IV. The most visible progress right now is the commercial development of the intersection at U.S. 69 and Shawnee Bypass, which began with the construction of QuikTrip’s first travel center in Oklahoma and its largest one to date. “It’s been a long time coming, but it is having a huge impact on that corner — it opens the door to Muskogee at that intersection and brings new opportunities along the Shawnee (Bypass) corridor all the way to the urban renewal area,” Johnson said, noting the addition of new hotels in that same area. “There is property being cleaned up, there are deals being done, there are
things happening along Shawnee because of that QuikTrip and the urban renewal projects that are beginning to take shape.” Three Rivers Plaza, the first retail project planned for the urban renewal project area, consists of a 102,537-square-foot retail shopping center with a separate 6,700-square-foot restaurant. The project represents an $18.5 million investment that is expected to create 100 construction jobs and 216 retail-sector jobs. The area designated for urban renewal is bounded by Chicago and 11th streets on the east and west and Shawnee Bypass and Talladega Street on the north and south. The area targeted for the first
retail development project is bounded on the east and west by Sixth and Ninth streets and on the north and south by Shawnee Bypass and Katy Street. At least as important as the retail development taking shape within Ward IV, and perhaps more important are opportunities of middle-income housing. Coleman said housing is key to Muskogee’s growth, and he cites the city’s massive demolition efforts, an incentive program for infill residential development, and a housing rehabilitation for income-qualified homeowners as critical components. “If we just focus on retail and lose site of our housing needs, we will never grow the population needed to support the retail and manufacturers we want to recruit,” Coleman said. “Right now we have a terrible housing shortage ..., and if we don’t take advantage of the opportunities we have now and turn that around we will lose our chance to grow.” The second project planned for the urban renewal area includes a multifamily residential project on 10 to 12 acres with 200 garden-style apartments. The 10-building complex proposed by RECO Development would feature amenities that include a fitness center, cyber cafe, family areas, walking paths, barbecue stations and a resort-style pool. Both Coleman and Jones cited the grassroots involvement of residents spurred by the AIM initiative for much of the progress that is taking shape. Johnson described it as “monumental,” and Coleman said the grassroots nature of the initiative is essential to future progress in Muskogee. Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot@ muskogeephoenix.com.
Business incentives through port a key element in city’s development toolkit By D.E. Smoot
Phoenix Staff Writer
Muskogee has in its development arsenal a resource that few, if any other, cities have at their disposal. That resource consists of local incentives available through the Muskogee CityCounty Port Authority’s business and economic development division. This year, the agency has $3 million available for its recruiting and retention efforts. The incentives are made possible through grants awarded by the City of Muskogee Foundation. The nonprofit, created in 2008 for the purpose of improving the quality of life of Muskogee residents, awarded a similar grant in 2014
worth $2 million. Eric Miller, director of the Muskogee City-County Port Authority’s business and economic development division, said the 2014 grant was instrumental in furthering the expansion plans of four existing companies. In a recent report presented to city councilors Miller said 2014 was a banner year for economic development within Muskogee’s manufacturing sectors. That success was made possible in a large part by the port authority’s strategic investment program funded by that first foundation grant. “That does not begin to talk about all of the expansion that took place in Muskogee — there were nine that the port facilitated
— but I am speaking directly to expansions that were facilitated in no small measure by the assistance rendered to us by the City of Muskogee Foundation,” Miller said. “The City of Muskogee Foundation provided us with a grant to fund competitive incentives that we can use to facilitate companies that wish to expand or relocate to Muskogee.” The port authority’s economic development arm awarded $700,000 worth of incentives this past year to four companies that announced various plans for expansion. Those plans are expected to result with more than $52.6 million in capital investments locally and add 54 new jobs that will have annual salaries of $41,700. The four companies approved this past year as beneficiaries of the strategic investment program include Owens-Illinois, an international glass-container maker that qualified for incentives worth $500,000, and Metals USA, which was approved for incentives totaling $115,600. The two other companies are Global Machine Co., which qualified for an incentive package worth $76,400, and Roughneck Supply Co., which was approved for $49,000 in local incentives. In addition to the four projects incentivized by foundation funds, Miller counted five other expansion projects in 2014. Miller said his office “helped facilitate some of those,” and he predicted there will be several new projects announced this year because of the foundation’s renewed support with the $3 million grant. Foundation Chairman Earnie Gilder said the grant gives Muskogee an edge when it comes to recruiting new business and retaining existing companies looking to expand their presence. He said the foundation’s investment arms the port authority with an advantage over other communities competing for those same jobs. (See PORT, Page 21)
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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VAMC to offer new programs, services By Mark Hughes Phoenix Staff Writer
Veterans who use the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center will see new programs and services implemented this year. The Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center will provide orthopedic surgeries within the next few months, orthotic services and eye care for cataracts, said Nita McClellan, spokeswoman. An ophthalmologist and support staff will be hired who will provide cataract, retina, glaucoma and blepharoplasty surgical procedures. Prior to this, veterans had to go to Oklahoma City or the private sector for these services. For in-patients, two initiatives, Voice of the Veteran and Headwall Project, will improve the quality of life during their stay. Voice of the Veteran will equip each room with either an 18-and-a-half inch touchscreen monitor or a 32-inch LCD screen mounted on the wall at the foot of the bed, McClellan said. “The interactive system will allow inpatients to
Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center ADDRESS: 1011 Honor Heights Drive. HOURS: Open 24 hours. SERVICES OFFERED: Primary and secondary levels of inpatient medical and surgical care, outpatient primary and consultative care in medicine, surgery and psychiatry. In addition to the main Muskogee facility, services are offered in three community-based outpatient clinics: Tulsa, Hartshorne and Vinita. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 1,267. KEY PERSONNEL: James R. Floyd, FACHE, medical center director; Thomas D. Schneider, D.O., FACOI, chief of staff; Richard L. Crockett, associate director and Bonnie Pierce, MSN, RN, CENP, associate director for Patient Care Services. PHONE: (918) 5773000. WEBSITE: www.muskogee.va.gov
watch on-demand movies, television shows, surf the Internet and obtain education about their care,” she said. Currently under renovation are the headwalls to 25 rooms that were originally installed 18 inches out from the wall. The project will relocate patient bed headwalls flush with the wall adding about 20 square feet of usable space in each room, McClellan said. “The renovation also increases the aesthetic look of each room by featuring a laminate wood design,” she said. A program designed speed medical service is the Veterans Choice Program, McClellan said. Specifically, the program provides primary care, inpatient and outpatient specialty care and mental health care for eligible veterans when the local VA
medical center cannot provide those services. However, those services are only available when there is a lack of available specialists, long wait times or extraordinary distance from the veteran’s home. To receive this card, veterans must be enrolled in VA health care on or before Aug. 1, 2014, or be a recently discharged combat veteran within five years of separation from service. A total of $10 billion has been allocated to this, divided among 152 medical centers nationwide. This is a temporary program that will be in effect until all funds are exhausted, she said. The medical center will see an increase in about 51 clinical positions as part of the Veterans Choice Program bringing total employment to 1,318. Recently, the medical cen-
ter extended clinic hours for primary care and mental health in Muskogee and Tulsa. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., McClellan said. Two community-based outpatient clinics will open in 2016 in Bartlesville and McCurtain County, McClellan said. Services offered there will be primary care Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding and mental health clinics. Renovated headwalls at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Reach Mark Hughes at (918) 684-2908 or mhughes Medical Center feature outlets to hook up patient oxygen and other supplies. @muskogeephoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
Port Continued from Page 18
“The recruitment for industry and bringing new companies to town is quite competitive, and this grant gives Muskogee extra leverage in being able to offer something most other towns can’t offer,” Gilder said. “This is in addition to other incentives that are available through the state — the state has a good program, but this is in addition to that and we believe it is a great tool.” Incentives through the port authority’s strategic investment program is available to companies that plan capital investments of at least $250,000 in local facilities within a 36-month period. Companies that plan to add at least 15 full-time jobs also are eligible for consideration if annual compen-
sation meets or exceeds 110 percent of the Muskogee County average wage and health benefits are provided. Port authority officials established an evaluation process that evaluates a recipient’s progress on an annual basis. Incentives are paid on a schedule based upon performance in most cases, but port authority officials acknowledge there are some instances when a company that qualifies for local incentives will receive funding in advance of performance. Program guidelines, however, provide for the execution of performance agreements that outline expectations. Protocols also include, with some discretion allowed, clawback provisions that obligate recipients that fail to perform in accordance to the agreement. Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot@ muskogeephoenix.com.
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Muskogee schools offer inspiration By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
Muskogee Public Schools students can find inspiration in almost any place they look. Names of famous artists, musicians and performers — as well as profound quotations — are found through halls, auditorium, classrooms at Sadler Arts Academy. Passage of a $47.5 million bond election enabled Sadler to convert an old gym into a media center, dance studio, computer lab and classroom for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. “Our old library was very small,” Sadler media specialist Amanda Cumbey said. “Now we have a classroom for computers, and now we have a STEM room, where we can go and do science
projects.” Sadler is one example of how Muskogee Public Schools help students find inspiration, said Superintendent Mike Garde. “Sadler is a fantastic arts academy, which incorporates all facets of the arts in with science, social studies, language arts, really all their curriculum,” Garde said. “The dance studio was especially needed as our students were using a foyer for dance class previously, and we know that the arts are extremely conducive to learning. We plan to continue encouraging our students across the district to participate in our many arts opportunities - including band, which saw a large surge of participants in 2014, choir, theater, dance and art.” New buildings and inspirational programs are pop-
H
ping up all over the district. academy, to open next school A modern, slope-roofed year, will enable selected New Tech Academy is going students to study math, enup beside 75-year-old Alice Robertson Junior High. The (See SCHOOLS, Page 22)
y p ap
Birthday CELEBRATING
YEARS On February 15, 1888, a cold Winter day after a great fire destroyed the original Indian Journal, the Phoenix ‘rose from the ashes’. The world has changed immensely but the mission of the
Muskogee Phoenix remains the same. We continue to be passionately dedicated to exceeding customer expectations in providing our community with local
news and information vital to our lives. More people than ever are staying engaged in the community and reading the Muskogee Phoenix newspaper, website, app or on multiple platfoms.
We’re celebrating our 127th anniversary all month and offering digital only access for only $127/year - that’s less than $.34 per day for 24/7 access to news you can use. Call 918-684-2888 *For only $75.35 more per year, we will add our Print Product, E-Edition & Magazines. *New customers only
Outlook 2015 Muskogee Phoenix
Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
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The focus will be on projectoriented learning. Muskogee High School is bursting with new buildings, Continued from Page 21 including an industrial arts building with more space for gineering, environmental welding, carpentry and agrisciences with exposed solar culture. “One of our goals is to enand wind turbine system.
Schools
Muskogee Public Schools
Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
Sadler Arts Academy fourth-grader Ebony Oakley has plenty of room to check out a book in her school’s new media center. The center is in the former school gym.
able more of our students who may be interested in and more adept at industry to start working toward certifications in certain areas, and prepare them for vocational school, so they are jobready for our area employers when they graduate,” Garde said. A new MHS athletic facility, to open later this school
year, will include an indoor practice field, weight room and training room. Existing MHS classroom space will be converted into a Fab Lab, where students design and create objects using precision machines, and a biomedical lab/classroom The MHS Biomedical Sciences program recently received a holographic tool.
The tool enables students to do such tasks as “dissect” a virtual human heart. Muskogee Public Schools also sees important progress inside the school buildings. The Character Education Partnership, which encourages good citizenship in young people, has recognized three MPS schools as National Schools of Charac-
ADDRESS: Board of Education Service and Technology Center, 202 W. Broadway. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Approximately 460 certified employees, 345 support and 125 other employees such as substitutes, lay coaches and interns. ENROLLMENT: 6,273. KEY PERSONNEL: Superintendent, Mike Garde; director of secondary education, Melony Carey; director of elementary education, Clevetta Gray; chief financial officer John Little; assistant superintendent of personnel and support services, Jim Wilson. PHONE: (918) 684-3700 WEBSITE: www.mpsi20.org.
ter: Sadler, MHS and Rougher Alternative Academy. Earlier this year, the Partnership gave the Early Childhood Center an honorary citation. Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogee phoenix.com.
Outlook 2015 Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015
Muskogee Phoenix
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Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
A new concrete skate pad at Robison Park offers ample opportunities for skateboards, scooters and bikes.
Growth in rec, fitness opportunities By D.E. Smoot Phoenix Staff Writer
Southwest Muskogee has experienced a flurry of activity during the past year when it comes to parks, recreation and fitness, and similar projects are in the works throughout Ward III. Those are issues for which both councilors elected to represent that part of the city have been strong advocates. The ward is the home of Robison Park, which has become a destination for many with walking trails and extreme skating facilities, and a number of neighborhood parks. “One of the major campaign visions I had as far as helping our youth was park improvements,” Ward III Councilor Derrick Reed said. “I am especially proud of improvements at Maxey Park — I played on that old equipment there when I was a kid, so I can see the
change there with the new modern-day equipment — and the same thing with Rotary Park.” His Ward III colleague, Councilor Ivory Vann, has been a longtime advocate for improvements at Robison Park, which has seen significant improvements worth hundreds of thousands of dollars during the past decade. Vann said the recent completion of a skate park is attracting users from across the city, and he is pushing now for a community center and rest rooms with running water. “This benefits the kids from every side of town — we always say your ward or our ward, but it’s beneficial to all of Muskogee’s residents,” Vann said about Robison Park, its new skate park and other amenities. “I am passionate about Robison Park ..., it is a well used park, and I guarantee if you go by there you will see
more kids at that park than Honor Heights, or Civitan or Spaulding Park.” Both Ward III councilors also cited as progress bicycle lanes designated along some city streets that provide access to the southern portions of Centennial Trail. They both cited progress on the planned Coody Creek Trail, which will extend to U.S. 64 and terminate at a site that will become Muskogee’s first dog park. “Our trails, that’s another thing that promotes health and wellness, and Centennial Trail is another great asset that comes through Ward III,” Reed said. “I remember seeing trains going up and down where tracks used to be, but now we have bikers, joggers and a lot of people using that trail.” Vann pointed to plans for $250,000 in capital improvements planned for Love-
Hatbox Sports Complex in an effort to market the facility for regional sporting events. The improvements were backed by voters, who approved in June a five-year sales tax extension to fund Love-Hatbox projects and several other capital improvements. “That company that has taken over (facility management and marketing) is going to be a good thing,” Vann said. “That is going to be a home run, and when they get those agricultural facilities out there, that is going to be a really good thing out there.” With regard to other types of development, Reed and Vann pointed to the construction of the new home for Muskogee Little Theatre. The new facility will anchor Muskogee’s burgeoning arts and entertainment district, which is home to Three Rivers Museum and the Oklahoma Music
Hall of Fame. To complement the southernmost section of downtown are plans to construct new houses that will become known as Muskogee Arts District Homes. The single-family, three-bedroom houses will be built on lots idled years ago when the structures once there were razed. “I remember when homes used to be there, and for most of my life I’ve seen bushes and grass grow up and those homes condemned,” Reed said about the area where the incomequalified houses will be built. “Seeing life come back to that area with these new homes, I think, will be a great asset — it will be good to see neighbors moving back to the neighborhood.” Reed said Mayor Bob Coburn was on the right track when he said during his State of the City address that “our city is under con-
struction.” Reed said he believes the arts district development, coupled with a massive demolition program of dilapidated structures and incentives available for infill development, will spur other projects within Ward III and other parts of Muskogee. Both Ward III councilors credited the Action in Muskogee initiative for the development that has begun to take off throughout the city. They said a deliberate effort to engage residents at the grassroots level was critical to AIM’s success. “I think AIM aimed us in the right direction — that is really what got us to where we are today,” Reed said. “I think we are headed in the right direction, and that (grassroots involvement) was a key factor in that.” Reach D.E. Smoot at (918) 684-2901 or dsmoot@ muskogeephoenix.com.
Bacone College adds new programs, student housing By Kandice Lawson Phoenix Staff Writer
Bacone College is making major strides into the future by adding new programs to their roster and new housing quarters for students. One of the new programs to be offered at Bacone is a hands-on communications degree that faculty says is innovative and will give students a head start in their careers. Kimberlie Gilliland, executive director of development at Bacone, described how the program will give students a jump start. “The way a liberal arts college typical works is that you take your general education classes your first two years and move in to classes for your major,” Gilliland said. “The difference is because we want our students to be 100 percent career ready, when they come in as freshmen they will be learning skills they can apply to the workplace.” Andrew Sikora, executive director of Bacone’s media center and assistant professor, said the program will differ from other multimedia communication degrees offered by other institutions. “It’s called the 21st Century Communication degree,” Sikora said. “It offers a new opportunity to students who will attend Bacone because we are focusing on hands-on activities and we will prepare them for the job market.” Bacone has a very vibrant athletic department, and the college will offer a sports broadcasting minor within the multimedia program they will have. “What we are envisioning is collaborations with various departments,” Sikora said. “Media is becoming so prevalent in every industry, so no matter what business you are in you have to use media to some degree. We are working closely with professionals in our market and outside of our market, even with major television production houses who
Staff photo by Kandice Lawson
Andrew Sikora, Bacone’s executive director of Bacone’s media center and assistant professor, works on editing footage for an upcoming project.
will offer internship opportunities to our students, in state and outside of the state. We can offer something very unique in the ocean of other colleges that probably can not change so fast.” The communications department has plans to include a digital studio with bluescreen, a studio for students and faculty, two editing suites attached and several other editing suites in a separated space attached to the online lab. The college also plans to use other locations and will collaborate with outside production houses. Instead of focusing on traditional media Bacone plans to concentrate on blogging, social media, podcasting and learning how to start your own radio station online while crossing over into journalism. “Bacone is the oldest college
here in Oklahoma,” Gilliland said. “As we progress and we age and the community grows around us, this is a skill the city of Muskogee, Cherokee Nation, Creek Nation and the other tribal nations needs. It’s a skill that is a wonderful niche that no one has really filled yet and this is absolutely Bacone’s opportunity.” Sikora said Bacone is very fortunate to have a very experienced media staff and staff and faculty that have worked extensively in the media industry and watched it change over the years. “So students will have the opportunity to interact with professionals and not just theory,” he said. “So its very hands on and practical and career ready. That’s how Bacone is emerging as a school as well.” The college also is hoping to launch full online course for pro-
grams to be offered to students. They have filed the application, and the first accreditation visit was very favorable, Gilliland said. “We already heard back, and it looks like our application for this is going to go forward and hopefully by next week Bacone will be able to offer a four-year business degree online,” Gilliland said. “It’s an exciting time for us. We are positively moving in that direction hopefully we’ll be able to say next week that we’re launching this will allow us to launch additional degrees. All of our other programs will eventually be available online.” Gilliland says the college has plans to collaborate with Sac and Fox Nation, to implement a new program to train students how to teach in their native tribal communities.
“We are in the process of developing with the Sac and Fox Nation an indigenous language center,” Gilliland said. “This will allow us to train teachers in the English language to be primary and secondary school educators. Once they leave us they will go in to their native tribal communities to learn in an immersed environment. After they have completed our program and their tribal emergence program they will be able to teach in the tribal emergence school teach their language in their community centers as accredited teachers.” The college is trying to implement that program in the fall, she said. As far as new facilities, the college wants to open new dormitories on campus, but have no plans to expand outside of the college. The focus is now to condense the campus so students can be together. “In January, we were listed on the National Historic Registry,” Gilliland said. “We are going to do renovation and restorations to support our standing as a national historical designation. The only major campaign we have for new facilities is we’re looking to sell Bacone Inn, the dormitory across the street, and build new dormitories and cafeterias here. We’re about a year away from doing that. We want to condense the campus so our libraries, our cafeteria and our dormitories are all closer together.” The college hopes to sell Bacone Inn in the spring so proceeds will go towards a new 400bed dorm. “This is the heart of Bacone,” Gilliland said. “This is where we started. The essence of what Bacone is up here on the hill. We want everyone together. College is a joint experience. It’s exciting for Bacone as such an old institution; it’s kind of our rebirth in to the next millennium.” Reach Kandice Lawson at (918) 684-2914 or kandice.lawson @muskogephoenix.com.
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