Rock snake to be placed in downtown park

The Town of Vian held a special meeting on June 27 in the Vian Town Hall council chambers/ courtroom to discuss and vote on various park projects and an agreement for impoundment of animals with the City of Sallisaw for fiscal year 2023-24.

The meeting commenced promptly at 6 p.m. with Mayor Dennis Fletcher presiding. Trustees present were Shane Kolbe, E.O. “Jr.” Smith and Emanuel Drew. Notably absent was Trustee Rick Peoples.

The first order of business was an agreement for impoundment of animals with the City of Sallisaw. After thorough discussions, Smith moved to approve the agreement, and Drew seconded the motion. With a unanimous decision, the motion carried and the agreement was approved. The agreement aims to ensure effective handling and control of stray animals within the town’s jurisdiction.

Next on the agenda were various park improvement projects. The council deliberated on the purchase of lights for the Vian Youth League fields, lights for Armstrong Park softball field #2, playground equipment at Armstrong Park, and sun shading for the softball fields. However, no action was taken on any of these projects as the trustees decided to explore different pricing options and gather more information before making a final decision.

A noteworthy decision was made concerning the reimbursement for the purchase of a mower for Armstrong Park by the Vian Community Foundation (VCF). The trustees unanimously approved the reimbursement in the amount of $12,414.50.

The board also discussed and tabled two projects related to Armstrong Park – the entrance project and a maintenance agreement with the VCF for maintaining mountain bike trails. While both projects hold significance for the community, further consideration and planning were deemed necessary before moving forward.

Another notable decision was reached concerning the VCF grant of funds for maintenance at Armstrong Park. Mayor Fletcher moved to approve the grant by splitting the dividends earned when the Foundation’s endowment matures in October 2023. Shane Kolbe seconded the motion, and the council unanimously carried the vote.

A creative addition to the town’s parks was also approved during the meeting. A motion to start a rock snake at Anna Belle Farmer Park, an art-inspired project where community members can contribute painted rocks to form a colorful snake-like structure, was unanimously approved by the board of trustees.

Vian resident Rachelle Johnson proposed the idea of the project at the park, stating she thought it would be a “great thing” for the kids in the community during the summer months. She said she and her grandchildren are willing to paint the head of the snake to start the project.

Johnson said hopefully others will catch on to the idea, and add more rocks to the snake to see how long it will become. The town of Gore recently did a similar project.

This news story is based on the unofficial minutes from the board meeting and could be in error if the minutes are changed prior to adoption.