Edmond City Council and Public Works Authority Meeting - March 23, 2026
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Edmond City Council and Public Works Authority Meeting
The Edmond City Council and Public Works Authority met on March 23, 2026, to address a wide range of items including public hearings, a major development incentive, capital projects, and strategic planning. All votes were unanimous (5-0) unless noted.
Proclamations and Recognitions
- Arbor Week Proclamation: Mayor Nash proclaimed March 23–28, 2026 as Arbor Week. Kurt Atkinson of the Urban Forestry Commission accepted.
- Tree City USA Recognition: Riley Coy (Oklahoma Forestry Services) honored the City, Edmond Electric, UCO, and Ida Freeman Elementary with Tree City USA, Tree Line USA, and Tree Campus designations. Edmond received a Growth Award for the second consecutive year.
- Arbor Day Art Contest: Winners received certificates and gift cards.
Public Comments
- Taylor Wilson (Edmond resident) spoke on the budget: noted improving sales tax data, cautioned against shifting capital balances, highlighted structural deficits in fire and police funding, and urged a water strategy involving Logan County impact fees.
Public Hearing Items (City Council)
- 5A Lot split at 330 W First St (7,000 sq ft). Planning Commission voted 4-0 for approval. Council approved 5-0.
- 5B Rezoning 208 E Fifth St from single-family to two-family (7,500 sq ft). Planning Commission recommended 5-0. Council approved 5-0.
- 5C Electric easement closing (corrected ordinance with emergency clause). Council approved 5-0.
- 5D Support for Land & Water Conservation Fund grant for Hafer Park pavilion replacements ($800,000 project; $400,000 match from park tax fund). Council approved 5-0.
- 5E 33rd Street Sidewalk Project (Thornbrook to Bryant): budget amendment ($110,008.10 from CIP) and bid acceptance. Both sub-items approved 5-0.
- 5F Route 66 Beach Sprint Rowing Festival (August 29–30, 2026): approved three sub-items — budget amendment ($50,000), quality event designation, and host/sponsorship agreement ($50,000 in FY25–26; $50,000 in FY26–27). Presentaters estimated $230,000 economic impact and 1,500 spectators in first year.
- 5G Art in Public Places supplemental appropriation ($30,000) for a memorial piece. Council approved 5-0.
- 5H Oklahoma Monarch Society partnership ($9,000) for monarch habitat garden at Bickham Rudkin Park. Council approved 5-0.
Public Works Authority Meeting
- 7A – Legacy at Covell Retail Shopping Complex: Two sub-items — (1) transfer $17 million from Edmond Electric reserves to economic development incentive account; (2) development incentive agreement with Covell 35 Development LLC (not to exceed $17 million) for a 250,000 sq ft retail center at I-35 and Covell. The incentive is paid to the developer upon opening of nine targeted retailers (Dick’s, Whole Foods, Hobby Lobby, Texas Roadhouse, Cooper’s Hawk/Ruth’s Chris, PetSmart, Barnes & Noble or substitute, Shake Shack, Chipotle). Estimated annual sales $162 million; $2.8 million in construction sales tax; $900,000 to Avalorum tax.
Public comment: Lori Dickinson Black (owner of Bluebird Books) expressed concern that incentivizing Barnes & Noble would harm independent bookstores. Charles Molles urged substitution. Other speakers (Cody Boyd, Susan Starnes) supported the project. Council discussion focused on the Barnes & Noble substitution clause; developer Todd McKinnis agreed to either remove Barnes & Noble or find a substitute generating similar sales. Both sub-items approved 5-0.
- 8B Solid waste transfer agreement extension with ETS Enterprises: originally two-year extension; amended to one-year (through Dec 31, 2027) at Council request. Approved 5-0.
- 8C Agreement with AVO Utility for network conversion ($738,650). Approved 5-0.
City Council Discussion Items
- 12B Covell Road & Air Depot Street improvements engineering ($1,287,597.40) — left-turn lanes and traffic signal to support new elementary school. Approved 5-0.
- 12C Fire vehicle maintenance building construction ($1,490,000) with ARPA grant (50% reimbursement). Council debated fire fund reserves ($450,000 remaining) and approved the item 5-0 with directive to staff to find alternative funding (e.g., fleet maintenance fund) and report back in three weeks.
- 12D Draft Mitch Park Master Plan — presented by Vance Hall (TSW Design). Based on 1,100+ survey responses, key recommendations include: rerouting 5K trail for safety, inclusive playground, kayak/fishing dock, disc golf upgrades, dog park, and stormwater management. Council noted need for rectangular fields (lacrosse, flag football) in the open flex space. No vote; plan will be finalized after further public feedback.
- 12E 2026 City Council Strategic Plan — approved 5-0 after revisions from prior meeting. Council identified priorities for future workshops: community image, impact fees, and downtown properties.
Executive Session & Action
- Council entered and exited executive session; then approved setting the city attorney’s compensation at Grade 32 Step 4 effective April 1, 2026. Motion passed 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- All votes were unanimous (5-0) except where noted.
- The Legacy at Covell incentive agreement includes a commitment to substitute or remove Barnes & Noble as a targeted retailer.
- The fire maintenance building was approved pending identification of alternative funding sources.
- The 2026 City Council Strategic Plan was adopted.
- The Mitch Park Master Plan will proceed to finalization after additional input.
- City attorney compensation was adjusted effective April 1.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. We're going to take a third shot at getting this new order in place. So bear with us as we figure all this out. Item two on our agenda is citizens' comments, and we have two residents, actually, one non-resident and a resident who have signed up this evening. Is Dan Vogel present. I do not see him. We'll move on. Taylor Wilson. When you come to the podium, please state your name. Taylor Wilson. Edmund, Oklahoma. I will re-brief in my three-minute speech real quick relative to the budget two weeks ago. Sales tax, in my opinion, based on the data I've seen, is getting better, starting to significantly get better. That's very encouraging based on the data I'm seeing. Second thing is in the budget as you're working through it. I would just be cautious on taking things out of a of capital balances and shifting them around to make the budget work as opposed to truly doing what's necessary budget-wise within the income that's coming. Specifically, last year, Oklahoma City was able to cut two and a half percent on their budget. We in Edmund were not able to do because it was the world was going to end if we had to do any restriction relative to cost. This year they're doing two percent. And I know we're trying to get to zero, so I just would continue to look at that. The four million dollar loss, both for fire and police, is a structural issue that regardless of sales tax changing is going to be there. We spoke about the fire last year at the budget process, so I would just caution and appreciate the discussion in the budget meeting previous to this relative to looking at that structurally, how it's going to get fixed. The personnel budget of the activities that you've looked at up to date doesn't include the full all the personnel. The largest portion of that personnel is fire and police are not in those numbers yet. So I would just caution relative to locking down too too far on that. And then lastly, relative to water, as you look at strategies for water, look at Logan County strategy. What is the strategy for that solution? Either impact fees or whatever relative to Logan County, if that becomes a revenue source to mitigate some of the cost relative to the water rates. Thank you. Thank you. Item three, presentations. 3A is a presentation of a proclamation recognizing March 23rd through the 28th, 2026 as Arbor Week in the City of Edmond. Whereas Arbor Week is an important tradition in Edmund, which recognizes the value of our local tree and forest resources and benefits they provide to the community, and whereas the values of the Edmund community and efforts by the Urban Forestry Commission and the City of Edmund have resulted in a favorable urban tree canopy coverage throughout the city, and whereas Edmund City Council has promoted implementation and continuation of policies and programs that support tree canopy for over 25 years. And whereas continuing with active urban forestry programs will promote, preserve, and enhance tree canopy in Edmond for generations to come, providing environmental, social, health, aesthetic, and economic benefits to Edmund residents. Now therefore, I, Mark A. Nash, Mayor, do hereby proclaim March 23rd through the 28th, 2026, as Arbor Week in the City of Edmond. I'm Kurt Atkinson. I'm on the Urban Forestry Commission representing that fine group and accepting the proclamation this year, and I want to thank the mayor and the city council members for their continued support of this invaluable program for the community. I think the citizens really may not say so, but they value the trees and the canopy that are provided in this community. That's why a lot of people like it and move here. One of the things that we're doing, of course, is kicking off Arbor Week this week. We're doing a tree planting on Saturday. Y'all are welcome to come out and join us in Mitch Park. And as Roman statesman Cicero is quoted to have said, he plants trees to benefit another generation. So many of the trees and the benefits we enjoy today were planted by our forefathers. And one of the reasons we're planting trees on Saturday is to benefit and provide the good ones, goodies to the little kids that are here because they're the ones that will benefit most from those. So thank you again for your support for Arbor Day and for the program as a whole. Item 3B is a presentation of Tree City USA, Tree Line USA, and Tree Campus Recognition by Riley Coy, Urban and Community Forest Coordinator with Oklahoma Forestry Services. Hello, Mr. Mayor, Council members.
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