City of Choctaw -

Important Voting Information for the February 11th Sales Tax Election: If you’re planning to vote absentee in the upcoming election, today is the last day to request an absentee ballot! You can visit the election board to submit your request form by 5 PM today. Early Voting will be available on February 6th and 7th from 8 AM to 5 PM at the election board. For more information, please contact the election board directly with any questions. 📍 Location: 4201 N Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City 📞 Phone: 405-713-1515 🌐https://www.oklahomacounty.org/departments/election-board

🌟 Exciting updates at the park! 🌟 New canopies are going up for this year’s Friday Nights in the Park/Choctaw Farmers Market! Join us every Friday from the first Friday in May to the last Friday in October for local vendors, great food, and live music. Mark your calendars—we can’t wait to see you there!

The January 29, 2025 Choctaw Economic Development Authority meeting has been cancelled. View the PDF here of the cancellation: https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/choctaw-economic-development-authority-(ceda)/2025-ceda-agendas/737647

Problems and Plans Our city is facing critical challenges with wastewater, roads, and water systems. The proposed penny sales tax will fund crucial upgrades to build a stronger future for our community. Attached is one of the slides from the town hall presentation. For the full slideshow, click here: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fcore-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fdocuments%2Fasset%2Fuploaded_file%2F3417%2Fchoctaw%2F5157732%2FChoctaw_Sales_Tax_Powerpoint_REVISED_1.3.24FINAL.pptx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK If you have questions, attend the final town hall meeting at Griffith Meridian Elementary School gym, contact your councilperson, the mayor, or call City Hall. The proposed penny sales tax, as written on the ballot, must be legally dedicated to infrastructure—Water, Wastewater, and Roads. This ensures that every dollar raised will go directly to improving Choctaw’s essential infrastructure. Please note: The City of Choctaw does not receive any property taxes. To ensure transparency, the Budget and Audit documents, along with Agendas and Minutes, can be viewed on the homepage at www.mychoctaw.org

Choctaw Police Department: A Holistic Approach to Law Enforcement See a Need, Take Care of a Need This approach to law enforcement goes beyond traditional policing by focusing on meeting the broader needs of the community. It emphasizes building meaningful relationships, addressing root causes of issues, partnering with organizations to provide essential services, and offering programs that educate and empower the community. Through initiatives like Holidays with Heroes, the Seniors’ SALT Program, and partnerships with local food banks, the department actively supports residents in impactful ways. They’re also dedicated to specialized training to better serve all members of the community, including neurodivergent citizens. Now, they’re introducing an exciting new service for veterans! Starting February 5th, veterans can visit the Police Department every Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM (unless otherwise noted on their social media) to meet with Deaglan McGowan, a representative from the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Whether you’re starting a new claim or need help with an existing one, this program is here to assist. Veterans can find the dedicated entrance marked with a flier on the building. You can also scan the QR code on the flier below to start a claim online.

🚦 2024 Traffic Counts Are In! 🚗 The results are here, and the busiest intersection in Choctaw is 23rd & Harper Road, with an average daily count of 20,721 vehicles! Other high-traffic spots include: ➡️ 23rd & Indian Meridian: 15,304 vehicles/day ➡️ 23rd & Hiawassee: 16,243 vehicles/day Meanwhile, the quietest intersection recorded was 36th & McDonald with 458 vehicles/day.

The third Town Hall Meeting in the January series for the penny sales tax is happening tonight at Fire Station #1. City leaders will be available to answer your questions. If you can’t attend the Town Hall meetings, a slideshow is available under the "Town Hall Meeting" tab on the homepage at www.mychoctaw.org. Budgets, audits, and agenda packets are also accessible directly from the homepage.

The January 21, 2025 City Council/CUA meeting has been canceled. You can view the cancellation at https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/city-council---choctaw-utilities-authority/2025-council%2Fcua-agendas/737643

Ten Acre Lake Park UPDATE

City Offices Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day City offices will be closed on Monday, January 20th, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Residents may still drop off bill payments in the drop box located in front of City Hall. Please note that trash services will run as scheduled without any interruptions.

📢 Upcoming Town Hall Meeting: Penny Sales Tax Vote Join us for the next Town Hall Meeting to discuss the Penny Sales Tax Vote! 🗓 Date: Monday, January 20th ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM 📍 Location: Choctaw Fire Station #1, 14181 NE 23rd Street Learn more about the tax proposal, how it will benefit our community, and get your questions answered. 💻 Can't attend? You can review the slideshow presentation, quick facts sheet, and traffic counts on the Town Hall link available on the homepage at www.mychoctaw.org.

The Eastern Oklahoma County Medical Development Authority will hold a special meeting on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 3:30pm. Agendas can be found on the City website at https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/eastern-oklahoma-county-medical-development-authority/2025-eoc-mda-agendas/739357

Thank you to everyone who attended the town hall meetings. Two meeting dates remain this month, and we encourage all citizens to attend a meeting to ask questions and stay informed. Meeting dates, the PowerPoint presentation, quick facts, and traffic counts are available under the Town Hall Meeting button on the city website homepage. The graphic below highlights how to easily access budgets, audits, agendas, minutes, and meeting dates for all boards—check it out and stay informed!

Who Pays the Sales Tax? Did you know that approximately 30-40% of sales tax revenue in Choctaw comes from non-residents? When visitors shop, dine, or fill up their gas tanks here, they contribute to funding our infrastructure. The proposed penny sales tax ensures that everyone who uses our city’s services shares the responsibility for maintaining them. The proposed penny sales tax, as written on the ballot, must be legally dedicated to infrastructure—Water, Wastewater, and Roads. This ensures that every dollar raised will go directly to improving Choctaw’s essential infrastructure. Please note: The City of Choctaw does not receive any property taxes. For full transparency, the City’s Budget and Audit documents are available for public viewing on the Home page at www.mychoctaw.org and click the button labeled "Budgets and Audits."

🚨 Water Service Update 🚨 Crews are working to repair a severe water leak affecting Cimarron Trails and the surrounding area. Water service will be temporarily unavailable for at least 1 to 1.5 hours today while repairs are underway. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to restore service as quickly as possible!

Reminder: Town Hall Meeting Tomorrow The next Town Hall meeting for the Penny Sales Tax Vote is TOMORROW at the Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center. ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM 📍 Location: EOC Tech Center, 4601 N Choctaw Rd If you can’t make it right at 6 PM, please still join us! The meeting will last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours, and there will be time for questions and answers.

The next Public Recreation Advisory Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 7:00 pm at City Hall. Agendas can be found on the City website at https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/public-recreation-advisory-board/2025-public-recreation-advisory-board-agendas/737651

Winter Weather Update Friday January 10th, 2025 City Hall will be Open from 7:30- 11:30 Senior Center: CLOSED Street Conditions: Crews will be working through the day, night and into Crews will be working around the clock—day, night, and into the morning—to treat the streets. • Please maintain a safe distance of at least 100 feet (approximately 5 car lengths) behind our trucks as they work on the streets. • Avoid passing the trucks while they are actively working to ensure everyone’s safety. Waste Connections: Tomorrow morning (Friday), weather permitting, Waste Connections will begin servicing the stops missed today. Friday's route will experience delays, and trucks will run on Saturday if necessary to ensure all routes are completed. General Tips: 🚰 Drip, Drip, Drip: Leave your faucets dripping so your pipes don’t freeze up. 🚗 Stay Home: Your car is now a decorative lawn ornament. If you must drive, remember: DRIVE SLOWLY 🔥 Space Heater Safety First: We love space heaters, but they don’t love extension cords. Plug them directly into the wall to avoid turning your snow day into a fire drill. Seriously, keep it cozy AND safe. 🔌 Prepare for the Power To Go Out: • Fill up some water jugs now—your future self will thank you. • Charge all your devices, because no one wants to play “Who has a flashlight?” in the dark. • Layer up! Break out those cozy sweaters and blankets—you’re about to live your best pioneer life. • Lights Out Plan: Flashlights > Candles. Nobody has time for accidental pyrotechnics. ⚠️ Generator Safety Alert: If you’re using a generator, keep it outside—not in your house, not in your garage, not even in your carport. Generators + enclosed spaces = carbon monoxide poisoning, and trust me, that’s not the vibe you want this winter. 🚨 Our First Responders Are Here for You 🚨 In case of an emergency, our incredible first responders will always be there. But let’s help them out by making smart choices so they can stay safe and cozy too! Drive carefully (or better yet, don’t), avoid ice patches, dangling icicles, and any overly ambitious sledding stunts. Let’s work together to keep everyone safe and sound! ❄️🙌❤️ Picture: The old Fire Station in the snow

📢 Waste Connections Service Update We’ve been notified by Waste Connections that, due to safety concerns, they’ve decided to call in the trucks for the day. 🚛 Here’s what to expect: ➡️ Tomorrow morning (weather permitting), Waste Connections will begin with the stops that were missed today. ➡️ Friday’s route will be delayed. ➡️ Trucks will run on Saturday if necessary to catch up. Thank you for your patience and understanding as they work to complete all routes safely. Stay safe!

Addressing Our Water Supply Needs Choctaw’s water supply is at a critical juncture. Our existing wells are nearing capacity, and the current system layout presents ongoing operational challenges. It often feels like a game of “whack-a-mole,” where fixing one issue only reveals another. To secure a reliable water supply for our growing community, key upgrades are urgently needed: • Upsizing well pumps to handle increased demand • Looping and expanding water lines to enhance distribution efficiency • Developing additional wells to boost the city’s water supply capacity These improvements are crucial to meet the needs of our residents and businesses, ensuring that Choctaw has the water resources necessary to thrive. The proposed penny sales tax, as written on the ballot, must be legally dedicated to infrastructure—Water, Wastewater, and Roads. This ensures that every dollar raised will go directly to improving Choctaw’s essential infrastructure. Please note: The City of Choctaw does not receive any property taxes. For full transparency, the City’s Budget and Audit documents are available for public viewing on the Home page at www.mychoctaw.org and click the button labeled "Budgets and Audits."