Streets in Locust Grove are one step closer to repair and striping.

The Locust Grove Board of Trustees met Tuesday, Sept. 14 to discuss town business including a road project on Joe Koelsch Street. Jared Crisp, representative for DeShazo, Tang & Associates, gave an overview of street and alley projects that were in need of work.

The board approved to have DT&A; draw up bid packets for the road way project on Joe Koelsch which will include ditch work, retaining wall and driveway work. Road striping will also be done on Joe Koelsch from 82 to Wyandotte. Two other city streets will be striped. Holiday Lane will receive yellow lines, turning arrows and white lines and East 570 will be striped from Highway 82 to the curve. Once DT&A; has made up the bid packets it will come back before the board for approval.

Three police department employees received their evaluations. The board approved Thomas Fisher’s 90 day review. He will be a full time dispatcher and move from $8 per hour to $8.50. Officers Jeff Fielder and Terry Standingwater’s 180 day reviews were also approved. Both will be full time officers and will make $12 per hour. Fielder and Standingwater are CLEET certified. Police department employees Amanda Sightler and Lorraine Henderson were removed from service. Both were part time employees at the police department and neither had worked in some time.

Police Chief Nathan Raith will attend a code enforcement workshop Sept. 22 in Tulsa. The cost of the workshop is $75. The board also approved the payment of $3,967.82 to Joe Watt for the work done on a damaged police car. The money will come from police equipment and assets. Insurance for the damage paid $3,169.82.

In other business:

• The board approved a decrease in charges for a fire run. Steve Downing will be required to pay $500 for the run and $50 for a fire department membership.

• The board approved

a contract with Mayes County Emergency Management. The town will use MCEM’s free services.

• A condemnation hearing date was set for the Paul Heflin property located at 612 E. Main and the Reva Ingram property located at 401 S. Walnut. The hearing will be at the next regular meeting Oct. 13.

• Action was tabled on municipal court fee changes, fine increases for drug and alcohol related offenses and other fines.

• Locust Grove is getting new Christmas decorations. The town will spend $1,100 with Wayne Manufacturing Company to the purchase of new banners to hang on Main Street. The money will come from the Street and Alley fund.

• Oklahoma Municipal League by-laws were approved.

• No action was taken on the hiring of temporary Street and Alley workers for mowing, cleaning and other maintenance of streets and alleys within the town. Board members agreed to hire local workers and will begin interviewing immediately.