City of Sand Springs Hires Jennifer Swezey as Assistant City Manager

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(Sand Springs, OK) - In a report to the City Council last night, City Manager Mike Carter announced his intention to hire Jennifer Swezey as the newest member of the administration team at the City of Sand Springs. He related that Ms. Swezey will start her duties with the City on October 9th, 2023 in her capacity as Assistant City Manager.

Ms. Swezey has worked since 2021 as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Muskogee. She held the positions of Communication & Media Relations Manager, Community Relations Liaison and Executive Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Broken Arrow.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma.

She holds leadership experience with the National League of Cities, City Manager’s Association of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Municipal League, as well as many other civic and business based groups.

City Manager Mike Carter stated, “Due to workload and time constraints, I have been looking for someone who can help deliver the quality of administrative services that our citizens, city council and employees deserve. After a couple of years in searching, I am confident that we now have that person in Jennifer Swezey.

He continued, “Our community deserves to have someone like her, and I know Jennifer will do great things in Sand Springs. I look forward to the opportunity to let her use her talents for the benefit of our citizens”.

Mayor James O. Spoon stated, “After meeting with Jennifer, I am confident that she will complement the excellence we have had in our city management and will specifically help with the community engagement that Mike Carter advocates for and our City Council desires”.

He further stated, “I know Jennifer has family ties to the Mannford and as such has spent time in an around our community”.

Ms. Swezey fills the position of Sand Springs Assistant City Manager which was last held by Daniel Bradley, who retired in 2021.

Attorney General Drummond Rebukes EPA's Proposed New Rule on Power Plants

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OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 14) – Attorney General Drummond has joined a coalition of 21 states opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed new rule on existing coal-, natural gas- and oil-fired power plants.

The proposal attempts to regulate those plants under the Clean Air Act by imposing more stringent emissions standards. The would-be rule ignores last year’s rebuke from the U.S. Supreme Court in West Virginia v. EPA, which warned that the EPA should not use a narrow regulatory provision to force coal-fired power plants into retirement en masse.

“In a flagrant dismissal of the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. EPA, the EPA is clearly stacking the deck here to force the closure of power plants,” Drummond said. “This rule, if allowed to stand, would cut jobs and raise energy costs for American families and businesses. The never-ending federal overreach of the Biden administration knows no bounds, particularly when it comes to America’s energy production.”

The coalition’s letter, led by West Virginia, explains how EPA’s proposal violates the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on West Virginia v. EPA because Congress still hasn’t given EPA clear statutory authorization to remake the electricity grids. As a result, the agency cannot sidestep Congress to exercise broad regulatory power that would radically transform the nation’s energy grids — and force states to fundamentally shift their energy portfolios away from fossil fuel-fired generation.

“The EPA’s anti-oil and gas agenda is a clear and present danger to the American economy,” Drummond said. “As Attorney General, the people of Oklahoma can count on me to fight against EPA’s radical climate agenda and protect our oil and gas industry.”

Read a copy of the letter here.

Sen. Cody Rogers Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Cody Rogers, R-Tulsa, announced Monday that he would not be seeking reelection to the Oklahoma Senate. Rogers was elected to the state’s upper chamber in 2020 and his current term is set to end in 2024.

Rogers said after much careful consideration, he has decided to pursue other options, but expressed his gratitude to his constituents for allowing him to represent them in the Senate.

“First and foremost, I’d like to thank my constituents for this opportunity, trusting me to serve as their voice, and for their input and support,” Rogers said. “It has been an honor to represent the people of Senate District 37, and I will continue to work with and serve them through the end of my term.”

Rogers added that he’d also like to thank his colleagues in the Senate for their guidance, support and friendship.

“I cannot thank Senate leadership and my fellow senators enough for their support and camaraderie over the past few years,” Rogers said. “I am very thankful for the connections and friendships I’ve made with my colleagues and hope to continue those relationships long after our tenures in the Legislature.”

Rogers’ district includes a portion of Tulsa, as well as parts of Sand Springs, Glenpool and Jenks.

Op-Ed: Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell Appointed as Secretary of Workforce Development

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As your Lieutenant Governor, I have had the privilege of visiting with countless businesses in all 77 counties. Most of the time, I’m included in celebrations – welcoming a new company coming to town or breaking ground on an expansion. I’m grateful for the opportunity to celebrate those economic development wins, and I’m particularly excited when those happen in rural Oklahoma.

As I visit with business owners, there is one consistent woe they each share with me: available and qualified workforce. In smaller areas, recruiting workforce has become a vicious cycle of poaching workers from other local businesses, leaving their neighbor with the same challenging hole to fill.

A low unemployment rate is certainly something to celebrate. We recently hit a state record low of 2.7%. This tells us that Oklahomans are working and living our state motto, “Labor Omnia Vincit,” or “Work Conquers All.” But this coupled with the number of open jobs and the national and international demand to move to Oklahoma to take advantage of our pro-business environment leads to a workforce shortage that remains difficult to resolve.

Unprecedented growth in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and our continued dominance in energy have made Oklahoma in-high-demand for business relocation and expansion. The pipeline of companies considering Oklahoma is at an all-time high, and the list of wins over the past 18 months speaks for itself: Enel, Model 1, CymSTAR, Pratt & Whitney, and several others account for 7,548 new jobs and over $4 billion in investment, with 53% of those wins happening in rural areas.

But the workforce challenge remains, which is why I’m excited to make an impact as the Secretary of Workforce Development. Through this position, I’ll not only be able to continue the positive momentum of business recruitment and expansion, but I’ll also be able to help set our existing businesses up for success by helping to fill quality jobs with quality workers.

We will go about this in a few ways. First, we need to focus on increasing Oklahoma’s labor force participation rate, which is currently at 61.4%. This means that only 61.4% of available workers are currently employed. For comparison, Kansas is at 66.8%. Getting Oklahomans to work is going to be no small feat, but I’m looking forward to working with the HELP task force to understand barriers to workforce entry for mothers, particularly the cost of childcare. I’m also looking forward to connecting with the Department of Rehabilitation Services to understand opportunities for Oklahoma’s disabled citizens. Working with re-entry programs for incarcerated workers and veteran re-entry programs are also high on my list.

Our CareerTech system also provides an opportunity for low-cost training and education for the most in-demand jobs in our state. Working with them helps both existing and potential businesses create a workforce pipeline uniquely trained for their specific needs.

We also must invest in public education. In the 2021-2022 school year, 3,460 Oklahoma teachers were emergency certified. This totaled 7.7% of the total teacher population, a massive increase from the mere 0.2% we had in the 2012-2013 school year. That number is unacceptable. We need to work with teachers to ensure they’re getting the resources and support they need to stay. Oklahoma’s future workforce is sitting in our classrooms, and they deserve a high-quality education from professional educators.

While I wish that was enough, we must look outside the state to fill the workforce gap. Marketing our low cost of living, low tax rates, family values, and overall quality of life to recruit workers to Oklahoma is the last piece of the complicated workforce puzzle.

As the Secretary of Workforce Development, I certainly have my work cut out for me, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Championing Oklahoma businesses and showcasing Oklahoma to the world is my favorite thing to do. Imagine that.

Obituary: John Ray White

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John Ray White of Sand Springs, Oklahoma went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at the age of 73. Viewing will be held from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, 2023, followed by Rosary Service at 6:00 p.m. at Trout Funeral Home in Ponca City, Oklahoma. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, June 26, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Tonkawa, OK. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, 1206 Waverly, Ponca City, OK. following the mass. Pallbearers include: son Brian White, sons-in-law Michael Cabe and Ben Gislason, and nephews Reece Simpson, Owen Simpson, and Kort Davis.

John was born on August 22, 1949 to Fred White and Martina White in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He attended Washington Elementary School and graduated from Ponca City High School in 1967. He was active in American Legion baseball, and a member of the 3rd place team at State. John served a four-year tour of duty with the United States Navy at the Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida. He achieved AT3 rank status and was a member of the squadron softball league. When his service was complete, he attended Northern Oklahoma College where "Skeeter" played shortstop for the All-Conference NOC Varsity baseball team, and met his future bride. He married Susan Schiltz on August 15, 1975 in Ponca City, Oklahoma. They went on to Oklahoma State University where John graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1977. The couple moved to Tulsa and subsequently Sand Springs where they raised three children.

John had a long, successful career in the chemical distribution industry. He started out at Kimbell Chemical and then worked for Advance Chemical as Account Manager. He was promoted to Branch Manager at the Summit division of HCI which then became Brenntag, located at the Port of Catoosa where he found a love for AJ’s Heavenly Pizza. He retired as VP of Sales from Brainerd Chemical in 2016. John enjoyed softball league, golf, fishing, cooking his specialties, playing pool with his grandkids, and in former years he loved showing his 2007 Shelby GT Mustang and racing his Mazda Miata. John and Susan enjoyed attending OSU football games and wrestling duals, playing card games with friends and family, and attending concerts. His orneriness and sense of humor were two of his most endearing qualities. John was a faithful servant of the Lord and a member of Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa.

John was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Martina White. John is survived by his lifelong love, Susan; his treasured children, including daughter Tressa Gislason (Ben) of Charleston, SC, Megan Cabe (Michael) of Sand Springs, OK, and son Brian White of Denver, CO; his precious grandchildren, including Vera and Raef Gislason, and Macey Cabe; his beloved sister Karen Kay Long (Gary) of OKC, OK and cousins Steve Stewart (Donna), Jan Wilson (Jeff), Cindy Fein (Lowell), and Sheryl Lippert (Doyle); and many cherished sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and extended family; and finally, his faithful canine companion, Chip.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in John's honor to the Wounded Warrior Project, a cause which was very dear to his heart.

Senate Review by Senator Todd Gollihare

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(Oklahoma City) - This week, a historic education funding agreement was unveiled at the state Capitol by leaders of the Senate, House and Governor Kevin Stitt, which will provide $625 million in recurring total investment in public education.

This agreement places $500 million directly into the education funding formula and I believe these investments will be instrumental in helping us attract and keep the best and brightest education professionals in our public schools. That investment will cover teacher pay raises of $3,000 for teachers with zero to four years of experience; $4,000 for teachers with five to nine years of experience; $5,000 for teachers with 10 to 15 years of experience; and $6,000 for teachers with 15 or more years of experience.

The agreement, for the first time ever, includes funding for six weeks of paid maternity leave. Again, we want to provide funding that better supports our professional educators and makes Oklahoma schools more attractive for those considering teaching as a profession.

The agreement also includes putting an additional $10 million into a three-year literacy program to employ a literacy instructional team to support school districts. Reading at grade level is essential for success in school and throughout life.  This is an investment in the future of Oklahoma’s children. The agreement also includes $125 million to the Redbud Fund that largely benefits rural schools that don’t have the same ad valorem tax collections as districts. This package also includes an additional $150 million for a three-year pilot program for school safety and security. This will provide each district with a school resource officer, or security upgrades, depending on what is needed. For each year of the program, each public school district will receive approximately $96,000.

We’ll soon be hearing details on other areas of the state budget. As education makes up the lion’s share of state appropriated dollars, reaching consensus on that clears the way for final announcements on the rest of the budget.

Meanwhile, work continues on legislation and executive nominations. I expect floor votes soon giving final confirmation for John Longacre, of Kellyville and Jay Rotert, of Sand Springs. John is the principal of Crown Auto World, RAM , Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep in Bristow and Taft Motors in Sapulpa, and has been nominated by Governor Stitt to serve a fourth term as chair of the Oklahoma Used Motor Vehicle, Dismantler and Manufactured Housing Commission. Jay is a professional educator and spent 15 years in the classroom at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs.  He’s currently serving as the director of the Sand Springs Virtual Academy and as district state testing coordinator. Jay has been nominated to serve as a member of the State Textbook Committee. It is my pleasure to carry both of these nominations forward.

I also wanted to update you on my legislation naming a section of Highway 66 the Army SPC Ryan J. Grady Memorial Highway. Ryan, formerly of Bristow, was a combat engineer in the Vermont National Guard’s Special Troops Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He was killed after his vehicle was hit in a roadside bombing near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The legislation honoring his life, service and sacrifice is now on its way to the governor for final consideration.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Oklahoma Senate. If you have any questions or concerns about legislation or other issues related to state government, please feel free to contact my office by calling 405-521-5528, or email Todd.Gollihare@oksenate.gov.

City of Sand Springs Announces New Planet Fitness at Riverwest Development

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The City of Sand Springs and League Capital, LLC announced on Tuesday the latest addition to the Riverwest Development.

A newly constructed 20,000 square foot Planet Fitness being developed by Tulsa-based League Capital, LLC, will be operated by Excel Fitness Holdings, a leading franchisee of Planet Fitness from Austin, TX.

The state-of-art fitness facility will be located at 100 W. Morrow Rd, within the Riverwest Development, in the heart of Sand Springs’ rapidly growing retail, commercial, and entertainment corridor.

“Sand Springs is excited to welcome Planet Fitness to our community and their inclusion puts an exclamation mark on the end of the Riverwest project that has been one of the most impactful projects funded by Vision 2025,” said Mayor James O. Spoon.

“When our City Manager approached us with the possibility of having a Planet Fitness in Sand Springs, I visited one of their locations in Tulsa,” said Councilman Mike Burdge. “I was very impressed with their dedication to being part of the community; especially to the health of our students.”

Construction on the approximately $8,000,000 project will commence this summer with hopes to achieve completion this calendar year. The facility will add another key quality of life component servicing Sand Springs and the surrounding communities by providing a high-quality fitness experience at an exceptional value, in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment.

The Sand Springs Planet Fitness will include brand new cardio machines and strength equipment, a 30-Minute Express Circuit, 60” HDTVs spanning the length of the gym, and fully equipped locker rooms with day lockers and showers, all geared toward promoting an active lifestyle.

“This marks the 12th location from our franchisee group in the state and, as one of the largest franchisees in Oklahoma, we’re excited to become a part of the Sand Springs community,” said Excel Fitness CEO CJ Bouchard.

“We are focused on each individual community where we have a club and thrilled to create a workout environment where everyone in Sand Springs feels accepted and respected.”

“Our Sand Springs club will have the best of the best when it comes to fitness, with plenty of cardio to make sure you can get in and out for a workout on any schedule,” said Bouchard.

Excel Fitness Holdings is a leading Planet Fitness franchise group based in the Austin area with over 125 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Utah. Excel Fitness has built a team culture that focuses on elevating the member experience by developing exceptional health clubs and delivering world-class customer service. The team is passionate about building communities through fitness and supporting their local markets through employment and memberships opportunities that positively impact lives.

League Capital, LLC is a private equity firm specializing in commercial real estate. Founded in 2009 in Tulsa, OK. Roy Brashears with Orion Real Estate represented the Seller (City of Sand Springs) and Paine & Associates, LLC represented the Buyer (League Capital, LLC).

“We are pleased to play a meaningful role in developing this project in conjunction with our long-standing and valued client -Excel Fitness Holdings,” said League Capital Managing Member Matthew C. Mardis.

“We would like to thank all of the representatives with the city of Sand Springs, as they have been a pleasure to work with throughout this process.”

“We would like to thank our design team - GS Helms, Cedar Creek Consultants, and Wallace Design Collective; our legal representatives Eller & Detrich, and our lending partner American Bank & Trust, for assisting us in bringing this project to fruition.”