Packing
In the winter of 2023-2024, the new City Hall open house was coming soon and staff were packing up the old office in anticipation of moving. There were decades of old files and records being sorted into recycle, shred or boxed to keep and move to the new office. It was a time consuming task, being accomplished in between assisting customers and daily work, that began a few weeks ago.
Before becoming City Hall, the old building was the office of Dr. C. W. Mehegan. The initial move included everything needed, but it took a little time to empty out old desks and whatever was left behind while setting up the new offices. Now that it is vacated, the use or sale of the old City Hall office will be determined by the City Council members.
Like most any office that has been open for years and years, old phone books, and items from the past are joining the recycle or boxes.
Two unexpected items found were cord and large needles that were part of election supplies. Whatever would an election crew use those items for?
“When I started seven years ago I helped with the election,” said Denise Brown, accounts payable clerk.
She also mans the front desk and is the first point of contact when people come into City Hall.
“The ballots would be folded into squares and strung on the string and every hour a knot would be tied in the cord, to keep track of how many people voted each hour,” Brown said. “They also switched from red to blue pens each hour to mark the ballots with, to help designate the time frame voted.”
At the end of the day the strung ballots were put into the ballot box.
“As each one was pulled off the cord they were counted and marked down,” said Brown.
Also found were items now being saved for a time capsule, including photos, articles and a bank bag with goodies from pads to pens from the former Bank of Commerce, now Carson Community Bank.
Everyone who works at the old City Hall is looking forward to a clean and spacious workplace, especially bathrooms larger than a tiny closet.
A beautiful structure, the new City Hall is in the last throws of small details of a punch list of items, with blue tape indicating needed attention.
“They’re painting and doing touch ups this week, and deep cleaning before move in,” said Shawn Noel, director of community development.
Other details to be corrected are adjusting doors, and a clamp on the rail inside the elevator.
“The paperwork has been submitted to the state and we’re waiting on the permit,” Noel said.
After the construction cleaning was completed, the furniture, which was being stored on site in boxes, was set up. Moving from the older office was expected to begin the first week in February.
The open house and ribbon cutting happened Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. Principal Chief Hoskin and Mayor Wright were speakers at the ceremony. The new facility was also open Saturday for an open house between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. for those who were unable to attend the Friday event.
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City of Stilwell, Oklahoma
Address: 20 S. 1st St., Stilwell, OK 74960
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918-696-7143
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