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Ted Wright -- last update 7/28/2005 (GasIndex2.html) www.cvilleok.com
Copyright 2005 -- Collinsville, Oklahoma

City Gas Franchise Issue
 July 28, 2005 (Page 2)
Conflicting Meetings
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Vote Aug. 9th

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Those choosing to attend the gas issue meeting at the City Annex (left) were briefed on the City of Collinsville's appriaised system value and operational estimates. Those choosing to attend the Town Hall meeting at the Library (below) rehashed many of last week's topics and wondered when they would see the City's estimates.
I attended only portions of both meetings as they were held at the same time in two locations. Attempts were made to combine the meetings and I won't speculate why that was not possible. I missed most of the figures as they were initially presented at the City's meeting, but did hear the followup question and answer session. One of the charts presented is below and I hope to get a more complete set soon. -- Ted

The City's appraised value of the system in the chart shown is $1.5 million. ONG's Jim Stout stated (at the City's meeting) that ONG's appraisal had just been completed and a copy was "in the mail" to the City. Stout did not say what the ONG value was. Brad Ballard (also of ONG, but at the meeting held by "The Citizens for Reliable Gas Service" at the Library) said that he had not seen the numbers but had "heard they were in the range of $3 to 4 million".

I may add more later from my pages of notes and hopefully after receiving the briefing charts. -- Ted midnight Thursday ... please don't get eye strain trying to read these figures ... check back later

Link to "Citizens For Collinsville"

Posted City Agenda 7/28
(City's Presentation)
Posted City Agenda 8/1
(ONG Presentation)

7/29 Update: I have a request into the City Clerk for the official numbers presented Thursday night, but I don't have those in hand yet. In the mean time, I'll toss out a few topics from my notes that seem most interesting from 7/28:

  • The City's handling of the trash utility change over has left some citizens skeptical of the City's ability to take on another major "project". Kyle Smalygo said it seemed odd that the "local is better" approach wasn't used when the local trash contractor was dumped for a company based in Kansas and having it's nearest office in Bartlesville. He also stated rates went up and service went down.
  • It appears there is another conflict between the city charter and the (1980) franchise wording. According to the Mayor, the charter is the basis for the "paying only for hard assets" position of the city. ONG's Jim Stout says the 1980 franchise just speaks of "fair market value". Intrepretation of this difference will likely be key in the final appraiser's value
  • The city and ONG are still talking two different totals for the number of meters involved. Mayor Sallee uses 2200 meters and Jim Stout uses 1860 meters.
  • I don't know how big a cost (or training) driver it might be, but ONG's discussion of using only "operator qualified" workers anywhere on a gas system seemed to take the city off-guard.
-- Ted Fri 3pm
Ted's Take on TulsaToday.com Article

David Arnet,

I just had time to read the "Collinsville Electioneering" article on TulsaToday.com. I agree it is interesting and perhaps regulations were not followed to the letter, but I'm concerned that 4 individual Collinsville citizens are taking the heat for something that ONG/ONEOK should be taking heat for.

These and all my other Collinsville neighbors are customers and
potential customers for advertisements on my web site. I have
and will continue to keep my web site a reasonably neutral
place where both sides of an issue can have an opportunity
to voice their opinions.

Ted Wright -- Monday Aug. 1, 2005

More disclosure for cvilleok.com viewers: I have accepted payments for advertisements from both citizens groups and hope to receive payment form TulsaToday.com for the initial article on the Collinsville gas issue which I was commissioned to write. I did offer my personal endorsement on that Tulsa web site but have withheld it from cvilleok.com thus far. -- Ted 8/1/2005 4:25pm

Part of a followup conversation: I think everybody has had a change to present their side. I was just concerned 4 individuals were getting grilled for something that (other than rules ... which are extremely important in the greater scheme) has little real effect on what citizens here need to know to decide how to vote. -- Ted 11pm Monday 8/1

I now have the City's charts including one with ONG's $3.342 price plugged in (and one with the City's $1.5 million price). See the Aug. 1 City Commission page.
Aug 1 Note added below