Sand Springs City and Chamber of Commerce partner to create small business incubator in downtown

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The Sand Springs Municipal Authority unanimously voted Monday evening to move forward with plans for a partnership with the Sand Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. 

The City of Sand Springs will lease the old Public Works facility at 109 North Garfield to the Chamber of Commerce at an amount of $1.00 per year, giving the Chamber room to develop a business incubator in the heart of downtown.

The Chamber will sublet office space to upstart businesses at a rate lower than most downtown office space. They will also provide resources to help young businesses get to a point of profitability that they can eventually move into the large amount of vacant downtown storefronts.

The terms of the agreement allow for either party to cancel the lease with a 90-day written notice for any reason. The City will receive 25% of the sublease revenue, while the Chamber will keep 75% to help with their economic development projects. The City will also receive a quarterly financial report and monthly update on the occupant businesses. 

The Chamber will take possession of the building in "as-is" condition and will be doing a self-funded remodel to convert the building for their purposes. 

Chamber President Kristin Cepak says it will take the Chamber about nine to twelve months to get the incubator program off the ground. The Chamber is working with The Forge, a curriculum-based certified business incubator in Tulsa, and 36 Degrees North, to create a fully certified program through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

In Other News:

Council authorized City staff to apply for Programming of Tulsa Urbanized Area Transportation Alternative Funds. The City is working to construct a sidewalk along the western side of 81st West Avenue from Tenth Street to Park Road. 

Council unanimously passed Ordinance 1321 amending City zoning codes for the potential passage of State Question 788. Should medical or recreational marijuana ever be legalized in the State of Oklahoma, growers, processors, and retailers would have to apply for Specific Use Permits. 

Council unanimously passed Ordinance 1322, aligning the City with State statutes regarding underage access to tobacco. The ordinance prohibits possession or sale of vapor products to youth under age 18.

City Council approved a $165,096.00 contract renewal with Superion LLC for financial software. 

Council approved a $31,636.80 purchase order to upgrade all City employees to Microsoft Office 2016.

Council approved the purchase of 49 Dell PCs for Police, Fire, and Municipal Court departments in the amount of $37,240.

Council approved supplemental appropriations totaling $1,047,000.00 from the Municipal Authority Water Utility Fund to prefund building, golf course, museum, and park improvements. The water fund will be reimbursed when certain voter-approved bond packages are sold. 

Council approved a $29,662.27 service agreement with Motorola Solutions to upgrade Police Department communications systems.

Council approved $107,397.00 for the purchase of three 2018 Ford Police Interceptor SUV units and one 2019 Ford Taurus unmarked detective units.

Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding and $3,214.75 payment to the Indian Nations Council on Government for 9-1-1 mapping and MSAG services. 

Council approved $261,708.00 to subsidize EMSA services for the city. 

Council approved $47,485.00 to furnish the Billie A. Hall Public Safety Center and Fire Station No. 2. 

Council accepted a $29,635 bid from Candle Electric for electrical work in Case Community Park. Candle will work to replace buried electrical wiring feeding the roadway lights. They returned the lowest bid out of three companies.

Council approved a final payment of $6,860.00 to Lambert Construction for their work in building a hardened storm shelter at Case Community Center.

Council approved an agreement renewal with the Metropolitan Environmental Trust (M.e.t.) in the amount of $33,132.00 for operating the Sand Springs Recycling Program. 

Council unanimously appointed Merle Parsons to the Board of Adjustment.

Council unanimously appointed Sharon Weaver to the Sand Springs Development Authority.

Council unanimously appointed Thomas Askew and Paul Shindel to the Planning Commission. 

Council declared three residential lots as surplus, authorizing sale for residential development. The lots, located at 301 N Franklin Ave, 307 N Franklin Ave, and 505 W Broadway St, were donated in lieu of payment of liens.

Council approved $394,908.00 for the purpose of replacing Precision Approach Path Indicators and constructing a new Electrical Vault at Pogue Airport.