Unmasking?

COVID-19 numbers may be dropping, but don’t stop wearing your mask anytime soon.

The Purcell City Council unanimously approved a resolution extending the city’s mask ordinance through the current fiscal year which ends June 30.

The resolution, which isn’t mandatory, asks “every visitor to the city and every resident of the city to wear a mask when social distancing is not feasible and, if indoors, regardless of social distancing.”

Mayor Ted Cox cited his research showing 28,554,665 COVID-19 cases nationally since the pandemic began in March 2020 represents 8.65 of the population.

However, Oklahoma’s infection rate is 10.61 percent of the population and Purcell’s is a whopping 19.86 percent.

“I think we need to continue the resolution,” he said. “We can revisit it at any time.”

The council appointed three members to the new Lodging Tax Committee.

From the Parks and Recreation Department, they selected John Blue.

Theda Engert will represent the council on the committee and Allen Eubanks will serve as citizen at-large.

City manager Dale Bunn will also have a seat on the committee.

Three members will be appointed by the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce.

Those include a hotel representative, a merchant and chamber director.

A tentative opening date for the new Purcell Municipal Hospital is January 22.

The contractor reported to the council that the hospital will be “substantially complete” by the end of 2021, but the additional days will  be time to complete any punch lists.

Even with weather delays caused by Winter Storm Uri, Bunn  said tree removal is on track.

The storm sewer is complete and rough grading has been finished along with the sewer up sizing.

Work on water lines is 30 percent done, Bunn said, and there are two new rock check dams on site to control runoff.

Two change orders totaling $151,956.83 were approved by the council.

That will come out of a 5 percent contingency on the project. After the change order, $465,000 remains in the contingency fund.

Overall, the hospital construction remains on budget.

Bunn said proceeds from a second Payroll Protection Plan loan are now available for the hospital’s use.

The new loan is for $991,500 and is “saving Purcell jobs.”

Bunn also praised city crews for their work during the winter storm.

A columbarium has been placed at Hillside Cemetery, with room for two more.

Rehabilitation work continues at the water tank on Red Hill.

Workers are now sand blasting and applying primer paint to the tank’s interior.

The council acknowledged the existing airport terminal building presents a poor first impression when people fly into Purcell.

The building, which also houses an office for Kevin Rhoads, the city’s emergency management director, is infested with termites.

“They (termites) have literally taken that building over,” council member Danny Jacobs said. “It makes a terrible first impression.”

The council approved Rhoads’ request to use grant funds to demolish the existing structure and construct a new 24-by-30 foot building.

Total cost is estimated at between $32,000 and $33,000.

In other business, the council approved a $4,248.48 budget amendment from an insurance claim on water damage at the police department.

The council also approved a proclamation declaring April as World Autism Month and April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in Purcell.