CUSHING CITIZEN WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7, 2013

LOCAL 3

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from workshops in photography, drawing, painting, printmaking, poetry, songwriting, music, dance, arts integration and more. Those who attend will spend days receiving instruction from nationally renowned artists from across the United States. In addition to learning about their chosen art form, participants can attend presentations by faculty artists in a variety of artistic disci-

Participants can choose

plines. In the evenings, participants can take advantage of open studio time, attend an elective activity or simply relax and enjoy the getaway. Quartz Mountain is an ideal location for arts immersion. The resort offers the amenities and comforts of a fine hotel inside a scenic state park. OFAI is an all-inclusive experience, with all meals and lodging in a shared room included. Those with questions can visit online or call Annina Collier at the Oklahoma Arts Institute, 405-6057500. about such a foundation. "We are wanting to increase our knowledge of those type of entities so we we can intelligently discuss with the school system if they ever approach the city." The board on Monday: Approved paying $92,145 to CenterPoint Energy for the construction of a metering station to provide gas service to the city power plant. The city's current supplier, Exoko, has lot its gas supply from Transoak and is receiving gas from Keystone Gas. "The gas composition does not meet specifications for the majority of our dual-fuel engines," City Manager Steve Spears said. CenterPoint agreed to sell gas to the city under specific conditions. City staff, Spears said, "believe the conditions are generally acceptable and better than our current arrangement." "Since we do not expect to use large quantities of gas, CenterPoint is not willing to make a large investment based on future payback from gas sales." The amount approved will pay CenterPoint's costs for a metering station and connecting to the Cushing power plant with six-inch lines. Agreed to install programs and actions to help clean up the city. A marketing campaign has begun for free dumping at the refuse transfer station from Aug. 15-29. Citations will be issued to renters for nuisance violations. Garage sale ordinances will be enforced and weed notice procedures and non-compliance of abatement will lead to citations. Agreed to pay $6,541.64 for emergency repairs on the heating and air conditioning system at Cushing Public Library. Voted to spend $17,474 with Quality Ford for a 2013 Ford F150 half-ton pickup for use by the utility office.

Program planned
The next social networking program is 10 a.m. Aug. 21 at the Cushing Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1301 E. Main St. It is called "Facebook Promotions." You have a Facebook page and you have developed your skill level. You have your strategic plan in place. Learn how to use your page to promote your business and its products. Those interested can call the chamber at 918-285-2400.

Four earn SWOSU diplomas

Four students from Cushing and two from Drumright were among the 161 who completed requirements for graduation at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The students earned either associate, bachelor's or master's degrees this summer on the school's Weather-

Site ...
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ford campus. Cushing residents Dustin Hancock, his wife Erikah Hancock, Patricia Seeburger and Jodie Shupe all earned master's degrees in education aministration. Jodie Shupe of Cushing Lori Cooksey and Sharen Smith of Drumright also earned master's.

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City
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ber to share in the costs." Monday's commission agenda item was not a promise of any sort, Jones said. "Nobody is saying we are going to build an assisted living center," he said. "This feasibility study may tell us Cushing cannot support one. "Even if it shows Cushing will support it, that does not necessarily mean it will be built by Baptists or at the future site of First Baptist Church." Baptist Villages, a separate entity, has assisted living centers throughout Oklahoma. Villages similar to the one proposed in Cushing exist in Owasso, Broken Arrow, Cleveland and other communities. Manning said the cornmission was hesitant to act without additional information. "Questions arose about whether or not the city should assist a business when there might be other similar businesses in the city," he said. "The questions are not about the church but rather about an assisted living facility. "Baptist Villages: Is that a business? Is that going to compete against other similar businesses in town? "Those are the questions everybody wanted to look into and think about further." The board on Monday heard discussion but took no action on the establishment of a Cushing Educational Facilities Authority. Cushing Public Schools proposed the authority with thoughts of the construction of the tax-approved construction of a new Cushing Middle School facility near Cushing High School. "That was just a background thing for us," Manning said. "We understand the school system may approach the city in the future

"in the middle of November." The middle of August 2013 is nearing. "It's frustrating to everybody but more to us than to anybody else," Spears said. "We want to get moved in." The city, Spears said, wants the project to be completed before moving day. As of now, he said, the problem lies in the flooring. "It is a polished, stained concrete floor," he said. "Once it is installed, it will be great for upkeep. You just put a wet mop on it and go. "But the contractor has fired a subcontractor who has hired a sub-contractor ..." The problem, Spears said, is in aesthetics. "There are some places where the finish on the flooring does not fully comply with the construction specifications, especially around some of the electrical outlets in the floor," he said. "Our people are interested in functionality, not aesthetics. But what we have now is something the public won't like and they are the ones footing the bill." Cushing voters in February 2009 approved the extension of an eighth-tenths-

of-one-cent sales tax. Revenues generated by the tax, among other things, are paying for public safety center. "There is no secret we have a problem with the flooring," Spears said. "But the money is bonded and protected. And we don't want to move in if it's not done right." Spears said no one involved wants to move into an unfinished facility and be faced with construction work crews invading their work space. "There is no point in moving in if it's not ready. We have waited this long already. "We don't want the public walking in and out when work is being done. That's not what they paid for." Secondary-level evaluators will approve the project before it is accepted by the city, Spears said. "Our architect hired a special evaluator to make sure it is done right. Probably, it will end up being done by somebody else." The city's contractor has hired a new sub-contractor who plans to redo the floors to fully comply with specifications, Spears said. The new sub-contractor this week will provide a sample area for inspection by the architect and the city. If acceptable, the new sub-contractor will immediately be instructed to complete the work.

Authority. "I expect the EPA will do its final inspection by the end of the year," Starns said. Most of the abatement was completed, he said, by November 2010. Contractors had to do some additional digging in the Oklahoma Department of Transportation right of way on each side of Main Street, which also is State Highway 33. The site of late had regained some of the overgrown look it had before the abatement began, City Manager Steve Spears said. Starns said through agreement with the city of Cushing, Land O'Lakes mows 3o feet inside the fences containing the site. They "hay" the rest of the land twice a year. During the last two years of extreme drought, he said, no problems existed. Record rainfall in 2013 has created problems. "We have not been able to do our part because of the wet weather," Starns said. "We do that just to keep the site looking nice. Twice a year we cut and bail the grass there." Land O'Lakes will cut the grass and weeds inside the fences as soon as possible, Starns said. "We will get to that shortly." Shortly proved to be Monday. Until final approval by the EPA, he said, almost no planning regarding the future of the site will be done. "It's kind of unnecessary until we get final approval from the EPA," Starns said. "They will do underground water monitoring for every five years for a couple of cycles. If they find something, they will ask us to clean it up. "We're still doing our best. We want that place to look great and be serviceable into the future." school administrators in Oklahoma who truly want to do what's best for their students, and they are willing to think outside the box when it comes to nutrition," Sanders said. "We are proud to partner with Cushing Public Schools and we are grateful to the school board and the administration for their willingness to try something new to benefit the kids they serve. "We are looking forward to getting in the kitchen and cooking up something great for the kids in Cushing."

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Keystone will offer our students," John Rhoten, child nutrition director for CPS, said. "Keystone focuses on making fresh meals with students' tastes in mind. "Their meats do not come pre-packaged and frozen. Instead, their burgers and chicken are prepared on a grill and everything is handseasoned." Keystone will begin serving students at all seven Cushing school sites the first day of classes. Breakfast will be available for $1.50 per student and $2.25 per plate for adults. Lunch prices have been set at $2 per plate for students in grades Pre K- 5 and $2.25 per plate students in grades 6-12. Lunch price for adults is $3.50. The lunch price includes a full salad bar stocked daily with fresh fruits and vegetables. Free and reduced prices

are available for students who qualify. "Our goal is to provide healthy meals that kids will actually eat," said Josh Sanders, owner and manger for Keystone Food Service. "We do that by listening to the kids and by continually introducing new foods. "When it comes to a healthy diet, kids and adults have this in common: variety is key." Keystone's menu offerings include homemade chicken enchiladas, baked tilapia, honey-baked ham and chargrilled hamburgers made from lean ground beef. Main courses are accompanied by offerings including freshly steamed vegetables and hand-cut sweet potato fries. "Study after study has shown that kids who eat a balanced diet perform better in school, so we take the work we do seriously," Sanders said. "We want the kids to leave the cafeteria full and ready to focus on the day.

"Our meals don't just taste good: They're designed to serve as fuel for kids in the classroom." Keystone got its start providing meal service at fraternity and sorority houses on college campuses in Norman and Stillwater. The company began serving its first public school at the request of one of its vendors. Today, Keystone serves more than a dozen public schools in Oklahoma and the company continues to grow. "There are some great

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