In its regular meeting held on March 18, the Gore Board of Trustees addressed a variety of important issues, including the approval of the 2025 Police Pay Scale, the termination of a town employee, and the resignation of another.
The meeting, called to order by Mayor Robin Henry, saw the board pass a series of motions aimed at enhancing both public safety and community engagement. The trustees approved the purchase of six Axon-2 body cameras and two docking stations from the Webbers Falls Police Department for $3,500, marking a step forward in equipping the local police force with updated technology.
Another notable decision involved the approval of a concrete quote from Muskogee Ready Mix for $13,600, as well as the approval of Greg Shamblin Concrete Construction LLC’s bid for $5,687.50 for concrete finishing. These measures are part of ongoing infrastructure improvements within the town.
The board also authorized $500 in advertising for the upcoming Easter Egg hunt, set for Saturday, April 19. The board members also approved their 2025 event calendar.
In personnel matters, the trustees convened into executive session to discuss the employment status of Keenan Gibson. Following the closed session, the board voted to terminate Gibson’s employment. Additionally, the resignation of Colt Oliver was formally recognized.
The meeting concluded with updates from the town clerk and fire and police chiefs, including information on grant funding for street repairs and recent activity from the local fire and police departments.
Town clerk Lisa Settlemyre said the town received a $75,000 grant to chip and seal four miles of town streets.
“As more funding becomes available, we hope to chip and seal the other neighborhoods as well,” Settlemyre said. “The project is set to start in June.”
Police chief Tracy Christenberry reported 97 traffic stops for the previous month, as well as 27 service calls and 20 citations; while fire chief Justin Ohl had a total of 28 calls, with 26 of them being listed as medical, one for rescue, and one for service.
Ohl said for the month of March, the department has already received 37 calls with five of those being brush/ grass fire related.
During the public works authority meeting, all former meeting minutes were approved, along with purchasing $500 of advertising for the upcoming Easter egg hunt.
Administrator Jeremy Lane reported a 3% water loss for the previous month, along with two water leaks, 392 water locates, and 22 work orders.
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.
