14th Annual Farm Museum's Chili-Cook Off

Saturday, October 2, 2010
11:00AM -1:30PM
Sponsored By Western Oklahoma Historical Society
Chili Cookers call 225-4174(nights) or 243-8623(days) to Register

Cash Awards for Best Tasting Chili and Best Booth Display

All Tickets $5.00
Children under 8-FREE

City Hall's new location has made paying your water bill easier than ever. Inside access is still available with a more spacious lobby and two teller windows for your convenience. If you prefer the drive-through, you enter from Broadway Avenue on the southeast corner of the building from the parking lot, there is now a sign marking the entrance. You can access the pneumatic tube delivery system, with a camera view to the teller, and opportunity for a payment receipt. After hours you can use the drop box. You will exit out of the drive-through directly on Broadway Avenue at the west end of the building.

For your convenience you can also have your water bill taken directly out of your checking account or you can pay by credit card, for this feature you will need to call City Hall at 580-225-3230 to make these arrangements.

Just in case you are not aware City Hall has moved! City Hall is now located in a new building at 320 W 3rd Street, directly west of the Library and north of the Post Office. You will notice some differences when you pay your water bill, there is a totally updated drive through similar to what you would find at your local bank. The drive through entrance and exit are both located on Broadway Street, you enter from the east-end and exit out the west-end of the drive. Below is a picture of the tube system that is being utilized as well as a camera screen. There is still a payment drop box in the drive, pictured below, or you can come inside the beautiful lobby, also pictured below, to pay your bill. Hours of operation have not changed City Hall is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and the phone number is still the same 580-225-3230.
The brick parking lot, northeast of the building, is for customer parking and there are handicap parking spaces directly west of the building for your convenience. Sidewalks have been installed for easy access from all the parking areas. Grand Opening Coming Soon!

The Elk City Boy Scout Troop 144 and Cub Scout Pack 140 volunteered to help plant and care for 35 trees. Ackley Park will the be location where the trees will be planted or more specifically the area around the pond and the skate park. There were a variety of species including oak, maple, pine, cypress and pistachio. These trees were a part of 150 made available to Western Oklahoma by the Tree Bank Foundation, Apache Foundation, and the Last Frontier Council BSA.
Pictured is Cub Scout Pack 140 who helped plant part of these trees. Your next trip to the park, take a few minutes to appreciate their hard work.

Snapshot of America
What is the Census and why do we do it? The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States and is required by the Constitution to take place every 10 years. It was actually written into the Constitution in 1790 and there have been 22 censuses since. We have a U.S. Census for a number of reasons. The Census help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for hospitals, schools, senior centers, public works projects and the data collected also helps determine the number of seats your state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.
As February melts into March we will all soon be receiving our mailing package from the Census Bureau, actually you will receive a letter from the Census Bureau Director first then your package. The mailing package will consist of the 10-question census form and a postage-paid envelope to return it with. Census information from the Census Bureau is clearly identified as OFFICIAL BUSINESS of the United States.
The 10 questions on the 2010 Census Form are simple and it should only take 10 minutes to complete. You will not be asked your legal status or your Social Security number. A few of the questions are the same as questions that were on the 1790 census. You will be asked questions like name, sex, age, date of birth, race, household relationship, and if you own or rent your home. You will be asked your phone number but only to contact you if there is a problem with your form. The answers you provide are confidential and are used for statistical data only.
Important dates to remember:
March 2010 you will receive your Census mailing package.
April 1st, 2010 National Census Day, use this day as a reminder to send your completed census form back in the mail.
April-July 2010 Census Takers will be visiting homes that didn’t return their forms by mail.
Take the time to fill out your Census Form! Without each and every one of us it will not be a true Snapshot of America.

The Elk City Charter is being reviewed by a Charter Review Committee appointed by the Mayor and Commission. This committee consists of the following members: Dr. L.V. Baker, Bob Maine, Ed McComas, Dean Watkins, Basil Weatherly, and Sandy Werner. It had been determined that there were a number of provisions in the Charter that may be out of date since there have not been major amendments since 1950. The review committee is asking the citizens of Elk City for their input in the review process. On the following page, you will find a form to submit your suggestions for changes.
A charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city’s own charter document rather than by state, provincial, regional or national laws. In locations where city charters are allowed by law, a city can adopt or modify its organizing charter by a majority vote of its residents. A charter gives a city’s residents the flexibility to choose any kind of government structure allowed by law. Where is the Charter? City Hall or Carnegie Library has the charter on file, the library is located at 221 West Broadway.
Changes recommended by the Committee will be brought before the City Commission at the first Commission meeting in May of this year. These changes will be taken under advisement and then if approved by the Commission, they will be placed on a ballot during the next scheduled county election, if timing allows. Remember, any changes have to be approved by a majority vote of the residents of Elk City.
Please return your suggestion form to the following address:
Charter Review Committee
PO Box 849
Elk City, OK 73648
Your suggestions are important because this is your city and your government. Please put your return address and phone number on your suggestions so you may be contacted if there are questions.

The road to Vegas starts in Altus or at least it does for Elk City Fire Fighters TEAM GUARDIAN. Team Guardian consists of five Elk City Fire Fighters who competed in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge the first weekend of August in Altus, Oklahoma. They were able in their first time competing to qualify for the world championship competition in Las Vegas Nevada. Billy Bashaw, Mark Chester, Dustin Smith, Tyler Smith and Michael Poole competed in November, in Las Vegas, placing in the Top 50. They competed in the relay competition against over 650 competitors making up over 150 teams from around the world.
The relay competition starts with the first firefighter running up 6 flights of stairs carrying a 42 lb hose to the top of a 50 ft tower, he hands off the baton to the second firefighter who pulls up a 42 lb hose bag, after the bag is at the top he then runs back down the six flights of stairs, at the bottom he hands off the baton to the third firefighter who hits a 165lb Keyser sled with a 9lb sledge hammer and then runs through a slalom course, he then hands off the baton to the fourth firefighter who pulls a charged water hose 150 feet, then the last firefighter drags a 175 lb rescue dummy while running backwards 100 ft to the finish line. All of this while suited in their firefighter equipment. According to the Firefighter Combat Challenge website, the purpose of these events is “to encourage firefighter fitness and demonstrate the profession’s rigors to the public.” Team Guardian would like to take this opportunity to thank all their sponsors including major sponsor Red Bone Services. Way to Go Guys!!

Elk City's Fire Department promoted National Fire Prevention Week October 4-10th at Local schools and daycare's. Both full-time and volunteer firemen participated in the activities by dressing up and performing skits that help the kids understand what to do in case of a fire. The program this year was "Stay Fire Smart--Don't Get Burned" which teaches the importance of fire knowledge and safety.

Basically the firemen taught the kids some of the basic fire safety rules like don't play with matches, how they need to remind parents to check the batteries in the smoke detectors, and to Stop,Drop,and Roll should any part of their clothing catch on fire. These are but a few of the important lessons that were taught this week along with a lot of fun.

After the program, the children were taken outside to the Smoke House where they practice getting low and crawling through the smoke to safety. They also got to check out the big ladder truck and watch Sparky, Smokey, and friends climb high. Program sponsors furnish information on fire safety at home as well as coloring books and fire hats for the children.