Commissioners approve enterprise zone resolution, defer bid package
The Rogers County Commissioners passed a joint resolution Wednesday that would provide economic incentives to the Inola area, if ultimately approved.
The resolution, a request from Inola's town government, seeks for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to classify the town and surrounding areas as an enterprise zone. These are U.S. Census tracts the commerce department designates "economically distressed areas."
The commissioners first discussed the resolution at their Monday meeting. Andrew Ralston, director of economic development for Tulsa Ports, presented the resolution and said passing it would stimulate business growth in Inola.
District 1 Commissioner Dan DeLozier said Monday he needed more time to read the resolution thoroughly before he could vote for it. District 2 Commissioner and Chairman Steve Hendrix seconded his motion to table until Wednesday.
"I'm pretty sure I'm able to support this," Hendrix told Ralston. "Your endorsement carries a lot of weight with me."
At Wednesday's special meeting, the commissioners passed the resolution.
The Delaware County Commissioners passed their version of the resolution when they met Tuesday; the Mayes County Commissioners elected Monday to revisit it at their May 12 meeting.
All three counties must sign off on the resolution for Inola to submit an application for the Department of Commerce to consider.
Ralston said Inola wants to become an enterprise zone because doing so opens up incentive dollars from the Department of Commerce to stimulate development.
"Everything related to it is related to enticing and improving business conditions within the county and hopefully getting it out of an enterprise zone eventually," Ralston said. "You do want the data to eventually show that you don't need enterprise zones to attract business."
According to the 1983 Enterprise Zones Act, these incentives include low-interest loans and additional investment tax credits.
The joint resolution requests establishing an enterprise zone across seven census tracts in Rogers, Mayes and Delaware counties. These tracts run along U.S. Highway 412 from Inola to West Siloam Springs on the Arkansas border, and they encompass economic engines such as the Port of Inola, MidAmerica Industrial Park and Google's Mayes County data center.
Ralston said a big reason why Inola wants to establish an enterprise zone is to capitalize on U.S. 412 soon becoming an interstate highway. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act required the Oklahoma and Arkansas departments of transportation to study turning this corridor into an interstate, to be designated Interstate 42.
Hendrix asked if there would be any downsides to establishing an enterprise zone; Ralston said there were none. In Rogers County, high-poverty parts of Chelsea, Claremore and Catoosa already fall under enterprise zones.
Also Monday, the commissioners tabled action until May 12 on a bid package for Rogers County's maintenance building project.
The county is refurbishing an old auto repair shop on Cherokee Street to house the Rogers County Maintenance Department, which is vacating the Rogers County Courthouse as part of that building's remodel.
The county received 30 bids for the project in March but cut about $115,000 from the package March 17. Lyle Building Group, the project's construction manager, determined the cuts altered the bid's scope sufficiently to require a rebid.
The rebid package the commissioners approved April 8 contained bids for glass and glazing, appliances, plumbing and HVAC. The commissioners received one bid for appliances, one for plumbing and two for HVAC. One bid came in for glass and glazing, but Samantha Sherman of the county's purchasing department said it was invalid because a required affidavit lacked a notary's signature.
Justin Sessions of Lyle said he would prepare a package of the received bids for the commissioners to consider May 12. Sessions said the cost of the glass and glazing work would likely come out low enough that it could be added to the package after it receives approval.
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