Collinsville, Oklahoma
March 12, 2009
VCO Still Without Electricity

City Has No Path To Run Electrical Lines To New Victory Cherokee Community Center
Land Purchase / Easement Agreements Pending


This web site is brought to you by the Newspaper Museum In Collinsville and the other advertisers appearing on these pages. If you would like to provide news content or advertisements ... call Ted Wright (918) 371-1901 or
send email to wrightted@aol.com.
1110 W. Main, Collinsville, OK 74021
Home
(email questions/comments to wrightted@aol.com).
Ted Wright -- last update 3/12/2009 (VCOPowerShortage.html) www.cvilleok.com

Copyright 2009 -- Collinsville, Oklahoma
Google
Web www.cvilleok.com

2009 CHS Senior Pages Preview:

In Less Than 2 Months ...
Alexa Grisham will be one of about 180 CHS Seniors who will each have their own page on cvilleok.com. Those pages are to be completed by May 1st, 2009. Each student or parent is invited to submit a few favorite photos to be included on their page. Contact Ted Wright (wrightted@aol.com) for additional information on photos or advertising on those pages.

Pre-Paid 2009 Graduate Page Sponsors:







This page sponsored in part by:

Schultheiss Insurance

Bart Schultheiss
Email: bart@schultheissinsurance.com


923 W. Main, Collinsville, OK -- 371-2222

www.schultheissinsurance.com

Coverages We Write:
Personal Auto
Homeowners
Umbrella
Boats/Yachts
Motorcycles
RV's
Renters
Business Auto
Business
Property
General Liability
Workers Comp
Bonds
Inland Marine
Life
Health
Disability
Annuities
IRA's
Employee Benefits
Medicare Supp.

We invite your inquiries. Should you need information in connection with any form of insurance, please do not hesitate to call or email us. We are prepared to provide you with a no cost, no obligation review and comparison of your insurance.


Sarah Evans


If you remember your frustration with no electrical power for
a few days (or weeks) during past ice storms ... consider Collinsville's Victory Cherokee Organization that has been working for over a year to get electrical service to their new community center. The new building is adjacent to the Victory Cemetery which has had longtime access problems being landlocked from roads and utilities by surrounding neighbors.

The current road to Collinsville's oldest cemetery (which runs about two blocks east from the very north end 12th Street) was not available until about 2002. In 2003 that road provided access to school children and community volunteers who once again reclaimed the long neglected cemetery from nature's overgrowth. That road was made possible by an agreement with an adjacent property owner. A more recent agreement with that same neighbor (on a utility easement) appeared to clear the way for both sewer and electrical access to the now Cherokee Nation owned cemetery (& community center). A subsequent decision to switch to a septic system instead of a more expensive sewer line installation apparently undermined that agreement.

Efforts to get a city utility easement from another direction eventually led to a proposed purchase of additional land adjacent to the cemetery (by the Cherokee Nation) from the Acme Brick Company. That land purchase is still pending with the sides currently not yet reaching agreement on a price.

Danny Stanley (Victory Cherokee Organization Board Chairman), spoke of the frustration the group is experiencing having the new community center (nearly) completed for over five months but being unable to even use it for their monthly meeting which have remained at the group's temporary headquarters shared with the Trinity Faith Church on Main Street. The VCO has also lost out on several requests to rent out the center for use by others in the community. The group will likely move their meetings to the community center using a generator for power when the weather improves.

Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Melanie Knight spoke at the VCO meeting Tuesday March 10th and gave the current status of negotiations with Acme Brick on the land purchase as well as other options being considered. Collinsville Mayor Stan Sallee also attended the VCO meeting and stated the city is anxious to provide electrical power as soon as a utility easement is formalized. A "last resort" option of comdemnation proceedings to force an easement was listed as one of many options available.

=====
Note: I have not contacted any of the adjacent property owners for additional information or confirmation. -- Ted Wright (3/12/2009)

Related Coverage:
Links:
Acme Brick Co. History (see 1963)
Collinsville had a brick plant from 1906-1962
Cherokee Nation Secretary of State
Melanie Knight
VCO Meeting -- March 10, 2009