Tahlequah city officials will begin work in the next few weeks on a 2009-’10 budget.

That process will apparently feature more interaction with city councilors than in previous years. Ward 1 Councilor Jason Nichols brought up the issue for discussion, suggesting that the council be involved in some of the early meetings.

“I may be the only councilor who thinks this, but I’d like to be there so we can see where the figures you give us in May come from,” Nichols told Purdy.

“That’s fine,” Purdy said.

Nichols said steps could be taken so that no more than two councilors appear at a meeting with a department head. Otherwise, an Open Meeting Law issue could be created.

Purdy said councilors will be given a budget calendar before the process starts. He said the CEO of the city is required by law to provide a balanced budget to the council at least 30 days before the start of the fiscal year. The law, he said, also requires a public hearing 15 days prior to the start of the fiscal year, and notice of the hearing has to be given five days before the hearing.

“We’ll probably be getting started in March,” the mayor said. “We always try to have something to you by the first of May to mid-May.”

The council voted to allow Boy Scout Troop 794 to sponsor a Sam’s Amusements carnival May 12-17 on property between Fourth and Fifth streets and Basin and Muskogee Place.

Dr. Charles Carroll, Planning and Zoning Commission chairman, told the council about a request to rezone the 315 N. College property from R-2 to R-2 special use to allow for a psychologist’s office. The request was unanimously approved by Planning and Zoning and will be considered by the council at its next meeting.

New contracts were approved for Tahlequah Soccer, Cherokee County Girls Softball, Boys & Girls Club Baseball and American Legion Baseball.

The council approved the resignation of Chad Grauke from the IT Department. Human Resources Director Sue Stacy said Grauke accepted a full-time position with Tahlequah Public Works Authority and was in a part-time position with the IT Department.

Nichols, who headed the IT Department when he worked for the city before seeking the council seat, said Grauke was the last person there who worked with him when he was on the city payroll. “The city’s loss is TPWA’s gain,” he said.

A memorandum of understanding and related documents enabling Cherokee Nation to seek funding for road improvements under the Indian Reservation Roads program was also approved by the council.

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