Expanding Our Wastewater Treatment Capacity
The current wastewater treatment plant operates at 65% of its 1 million Gallons Per Day (MGD) capacity, with a maximum continuous capacity of 85%-90%. Based on current trends, the plant is projected to reach full capacity within 4-5 years. Because it takes 4-5 years to design and complete the necessary expansion, this project is immediately necessary to ensure the city can meet future demand without straining existing infrastructure.
To address this, the city is planning to expand the plant to a 2 MGD capacity, a project estimated to cost $22 million. To prevent overburdening the current system, all new developments are required to submit water and sewer connection plans for city review. This ensures the city can maintain capacity and protect existing infrastructure as development continues.
Other Necessary Wastewater and Sewer Projects
1. Rehabilitation of Manholes
Rainwater infiltrates through manholes, unnecessarily straining the plant. Treating this rainwater as sewage adds pressure and costs. Manhole rehabilitation will help reduce infiltration, providing short-term capacity relief.
Estimated cost: $2 million (partially funded but needs additional support).
2. Upsizing Sewer Mains
Key areas, including downtown Choctaw, need increased capacity to handle growth. Upsizing sewer mains will ensure the system can accommodate the flow to the expanded plant.
Estimated cost: $3-5 million.
Why These Improvements Matter
These improvements are essential for protecting public health, supporting Choctaw’s growth, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the city’s wastewater system. The proposed penny sales tax will fund these critical wastewater projects as well as other infrastructure improvements.
Additionally, the city has increased water and sewer connection “tap” fees for new developments from less than $1,000 each to $4,000 each to help offset costs.
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.
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 by clicking the button labeled "Budgets and Audits." Information about Town Hall meetings can also be accessed by clicking the button labeled "Town Hall Meetings."
Road Maintenance Challenges & Opportunities
Many of Choctaw's roads have gone unmaintained for over 20 years, leading to significant wear and tear that affects residents and businesses alike. For years, the city faced unique challenges in securing funding for road repairs.
Previously, Choctaw was considered too large to qualify for county assistance due to a prior interpretation of the law by the former Oklahoma County District Attorney. At the same time, the city was too small to compete effectively for federal funding, as federal grants are awarded using a point system that prioritizes larger cities. Additionally, most of Choctaw’s roads have traffic counts that are too low to score competitively.
To improve grant eligibility, the city would need to include features like sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transportation infrastructure in its road projects. While these additions would enhance competitiveness, they would also require a higher local match (20% of the total project cost), making such projects financially unfeasible compared to basic road resurfacing.
In 2023, a breakthrough occurred when the current Oklahoma County District Attorney revised the interpretation of the law, enabling cooperative road projects between Choctaw and the County. This change opened new opportunities for partnerships and funding access, giving the city a much-needed boost in addressing its road infrastructure challenges.
Progress in Road Improvements
Over the past two years, Choctaw has made significant progress in road maintenance. Previously, there was no budget for road repairs or replacements. Today, $1 million per year is dedicated specifically to road projects. This investment, and working with County, has already allowed us to replace two miles of road, including base work and drainage rehabilitation. Additionally, Harper Road (from N.E. 10th St to N.E. 23rd St) is already funded and set to be completed this fiscal year.
The proposed penny sales tax will ensure continued investment in road maintenance. It will allow the city to maintain the current $1 million annual road repair budget while increasing funding to a total of $1.5 million per year. Over the next 20 years, this increase would generate $30 million for road repair and replacement, enabling Choctaw to tackle much-needed projects and keep infrastructure safe and functional for current and future residents.
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 Outage Notice 🚨
Where: Choctaw Rd from Reno Avenue to SE 15th Street
When: Estimated for 3 hours
There will be no water in this area as crews work to address water line issues. This outage will affect approximately half of a block. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
The Eastern Oklahoma County Medical Development Authority will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, January 8, 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
The Choctaw Economic Development Authority will meet in special session on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 10:00 pm. View the PDF here: https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/choctaw-economic-development-authority-(ceda)/2025-ceda-agendas/737647
Join us tonight for the first Town Hall Meeting on the proposed penny sales tax for infrastructure!
📅 When: Tonight at 6:00 PM
📍 Where: Choctaw Road Baptist Church – 14971 E Reno
Learn about the upcoming Penny Sales Tax Election and how it will impact our community. Here are a few key points we'll be discussing:
Infrastructure Challenges Facing Choctaw:
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion: The plant is nearing capacity and requires a $22 million expansion to meet the demands of our growing population.
• Aging Water Lines: Many of our water lines are over 50 years old and need to be completely replaced to ensure safe and reliable water delivery.
• Road Resurfacing and Repairs: Our roads have been largely neglected for over 20 years and need extensive resurfacing and repairs.
The proposed penny sales tax, as written on the ballot, will be legally dedicated to infrastructure—Water, Wastewater, and Roads—ensuring that every dollar raised will go directly toward 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 City of Choctaw Budgets and Yearly Audits webpage of the city website. https://www.mychoctaw.org/page/city-of-choctaw-yearly-audits
The next City Council/CUA meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 6:00 pm at City Hall. Agendas can be found on the City website at https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/city-council---choctaw-utilities-authority/2025-council%2Fcua-agendas/737643
Growth and Infrastructure Needs in Choctaw
Over the last two decades, the City of Choctaw has experienced significant growth, including increases in both population and business activity. However, a large portion of these businesses were located within a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, meaning the city did not directly collect sales taxes from them until mid-2024. The taxes collected during this period were exclusively used to cover the costs incurred in developing the TIF district.
While Choctaw’s growth is a positive development, it has also highlighted the challenges of maintaining and upgrading essential infrastructure. As the city continues to grow, the need to replace aging infrastructure has become urgent. Many of our water lines are over 50 years old and require full replacement, our roads have been largely unmaintained for over 20 years, and Choctaw’s wastewater treatment plant is nearing capacity. In fact, to meet future demands, the plant requires a critical $22 million expansion.
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 Finance/Treasurer webpage of the city website. https://www.mychoctaw.org/page/finance-treasurer
City Council’s Decision to Pursue a Penny Sales Tax
In August, the Choctaw City Council reviewed several funding options for essential capital improvements. These included a $36 capital improvement fee on all utility bills (including those with only trash service), a bond issue that would raise property taxes, and a penny sales tax. After careful consideration, the Council concluded that a sales tax would be the fairest and most sustainable solution for addressing the city's infrastructure needs. Additionally, the Council raised water and sewer connection "tap" fees for new builds, increasing them from under $1,000 to $4,000 each.
This proposal ensures that both residents and visitors contribute to funding critical improvements and maintenance. Visitors from surrounding areas who shop and dine in Choctaw will help share the tax burden, making it a collective responsibility.
The proposed sales tax increase is expected to generate approximately $2.1 million in additional revenue annually, which will be dedicated specifically to addressing our infrastructure needs.
Infrastructure Challenges Facing Choctaw:
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion: The plant is nearing capacity and requires a $22 million expansion to meet the demands of our growing population.
• Aging Water Lines: Many of our water lines are over 50 years old and need to be completely replaced to ensure safe and reliable water delivery.
• Road Resurfacing and Repairs: Our roads have been largely neglected for over 20 years and need extensive resurfacing and repairs.
These infrastructure improvements are critical to protecting public health and safety while preparing Choctaw for continued growth.
The proposed penny sales tax, as written on the ballot, will be legally dedicated to infrastructure—Water, Wastewater, and Roads—ensuring that every dollar raised will go directly toward 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 Finance/Treasurer webpage of the city website. https://www.mychoctaw.org/page/finance-treasurer
City Offices will be closed on New Year's Day.
The city's internet and phone systems are currently restored and working.
The city's internet and phone systems are currently offline. We will provide an update as soon as the services are restored.
Please Vote on February 11th.
The upcoming Regular Planning Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 2nd has been canceled. Agendas can be found at the City's Website at https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/planning-commission/2025-planning-commission-agendas/737649
During the weeks leading up to February 11th, the City will provide information about an upcoming vote on a proposed penny sales tax increase dedicated exclusively to Water, Wastewater, and Roads. This proposal is similar to the dedicated hotel/motel tax approved by citizens in 2011, which can only be used for Parks and Recreation. The proposed penny sales tax will be legally dedicated to infrastructure improvement and maintenance for Water, Wastewater, and Roads.
It’s important for our citizens to understand that, unlike most states, Oklahoma law does not allow cities to collect property taxes for operational purposes. In many other states, property taxes often match or exceed sales taxes as the primary source of municipal revenue. However, for the City of Choctaw, sales tax revenue remains the only significant source of tax income. This makes the proposed increase vital to addressing the community's infrastructure needs.
Additionally, the City’s Budget and Audit documents are available for public viewing on the Finance/Treasurer webpage of the city website. These documents are published to ensure transparency in the City’s financial operations and governance. https://www.mychoctaw.org/page/finance-treasurer
The City Council/CUA will meet in special session on Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 2:30 pm at City Hall. Agendas can be found on the City website at https://www.mychoctaw.org/documents/government/agenda-center/city-council---choctaw-utilities-authority/2025-council%2Fcua-agendas/737643
Merry Christmas!
🎅✨ Reminder! ✨🎅
NORAD begins tracking Santa tomorrow at 4 AM ET / 3 AM Central Time! 🌍🎄
Visit https://www.noradsanta.org/en/ or call 1-877-446-6723 to find out where Santa is on his journey!🎁🎅
Don’t miss out—keep an eye on the skies!
Happy Holidays!
🎄✨ Happy Holidays from the City of Choctaw! ✨🎄
As the holiday season is upon us, we want to take a moment to wish all of our residents and visitors a joyous and peaceful season. May your holidays be bright and filled with love, peace, comfort, and hope this Christmas.
From all of us at the City of Choctaw, thank you for being part of our wonderful community. Here’s to a season of joy and a new year filled with promise!