McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Local News

Related Photos

  • Colleen Miller a representative for a new housing development speaks while new board member David Keith listens during Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting at McAlester City Hall. Kevin Harvison

    9-19-PLANNING-COMMISH-2.jpg
September 19, 2012

Housing to advance to council

By Jeanne LeFlore Staff Writer

McALESTER — A new subdivision of single family homes is one step closer to approval   after Tuesday’s the regular meeting of the City of McAlester Planning Commission.

The meeting was held in council chambers of the McAlester City Hall.
If final approval is received by the city council, the subdivision called Hickory Ridge III, will be build on Electric Avenue at North D Street according to plans provided at the meeting.
“We couldn’t build enough of these in McAlester,” said Colleen Ridge, representative of the development.
She said the development will include 40 single family three and four rental bedroom homes. With square footage from 1700 for the smaller homes up to 2100 for the larger four bedroom homes. The amount of rent will be based on the renters yearly income and a through back ground check is done on each applicant. “We don’t allow any felons,” Ridge said. She said rents will be between $497 to $633 per month.
“We already have a waiting list,” she said.
Also during the meeting McAlester City Manager Pete Stasiak said the bond election coming up soon and he needed the board’s help to let voters know that the bond will not cost raise taxes or create a new tax.
“We are trying to get the word out,” Stasiak said.
He said voters must vote yes on two questions on the ballot, one relates to a tax and one relates to the bond. “This will not create a new tax and it doesn’t increase the existing tax,” Stasiak said.
“It will reduce the interest rate on our existing bond from 5.7 to 4.4 percent,” Stasiak said.
He said with the money that the refinancing will generate the city will rebuild some of the worst city streets.
Board member Harvey Bollinger said to fix the roads correctly drainage issues must be dealt with.
“Frankly as a engineer we have to fix the drainage issues. No surface can stand up to having water at the base.”
Stasiak said that the drainage issue will be part of the rebuilding plans.
Also present at Tuesday’s meeting was new member McAlester Regional Health Center Director David Keith who was appointed to the board by City council in August, Mark Emmons, Primus Moore, Karen Stobaugh, John McNally, Denise Lewis, Susan Kanard, Ross Eaton and Karl Scrifes.
The planning commission meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month and the meetings are open to the public.

For more on this story, see the print or electronic editions of the McAlester News-Capital. Click here for print edition home delivery or click here to see the Smart Edition for your computer, tablet, e-reader or smartphone.  

Contact Jeanne LeFlore at jelfore@mcalesternews.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News
Seasonal Content
AP Video
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel? Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting Raw: School Bus Crash Injures Five Children Quick Response Saved Baby on Phila. Train Tracks One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
NDN Video
Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Beyonce Is Pregnant! SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion Woman tricked into taking abortion pill Emma Watson Goes Pantless IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes Raw: Marines Come to Obama's Aid in the Rain CUTE: Monkey shares lollipop with dog, then HITS pooch on head with it Miranda Kerr Looks Sexy in a Bikini Photo Shoot Hatchet-wielding viral video star, once a hero, now a murder suspect
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.