Board to vote on date for municipal election, special use permit

Ponca City’s Board of Commissioners will meet tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Commission Chamber on the second floor of City Hall, 516 East Grand Ave.

The first item under new business is voting on a resolution to set a date for a municipal election and runoff election, if necessary. Two commission seats will be up for the municipal election; currently, the two seats are held by Commissioners Shasta Scott and Lanita Chapman. Their terms both expire in March 2020. Chapman has served since 2008 and in her fourth term. Scott has served since 2017.

The City Commission is made up of five at-large commissioners, with one designated as the Mayor. Mayor Homer Nicholson has held the Mayor’s office since 2007; his fifth term as mayor expires in March 2022.

The two remaining commissioners are Paul Taylor, who has served since 2018, and Ryan Austin, who has served since 2015. Their terms expire in March 2021.

Non-partisan elections take place the second Tuesday in February of each year, with the election of a mayor one year, two commissioners the next year, and two more commissioners the following year. If necessary, a run-off is held the first Tuesday in April. To be eligible to become a candidate a person must (for at least six months prior to filing a declaration of candidacy):

• Maintain their primary residence within the jurisdictional limits of the City of Ponca City
• Be a registered voter at an address within the municipality.

Also on the agenda is a returning item, a petition for a Special Use Permit in  the Central Business District for a residential care facility at 120 South Third Street.

The petition was tabled at a previous commission meeting on Oct. 14, because two commissioners were absent and five votes are required on the issue. By procedure, it will be removed from the table for consideration and action.

Commissioners also will vote on conducting an executive session for confidential communications on negotiations concerning employees and representatives of employee groups.