Bixby To Vote On 4 Bond Propositions To Improve City, Add Ambulance Service

More people are moving to Bixby and the city said that means making improvements, so there are four bond propositions coming up for vote.

The city said one of them will help first responders get to emergencies even faster. 

“It’s important because of the local control, and we can continue to grow with the community we would like to have more ambulances here at this time; but this is the only way that we financially and soundly approve and get the services that we need," said Bixby Fire Chief Joey Wiedel.

Chief Wiedel said the current fire station 1 is 40 years old, and the department has outgrown it.

The new facility would be bigger and add space for ambulance service. The city currently contracts through EMSA, and it can take them up to 14 minutes to get to an emergency call in Bixby.

He said the fire department's response time is four minutes, and he believes that ten minute window could help save lives. 

“It’s hard to be a first responder, or firefighter, that is sitting there not able to transport that patient and we’re just kind of feeling helpless sometimes at that point in time. We are there to serve and help so it feels good to know that we are local," said Chief Wiedel.

Proposition two is road improvements along Memorial and Mingo.

Proposition 3 is improving and expanding the parks and trails around town, and proposition 4 focuses on stormwater drainage. 

“2019 had a pretty good test of that system. Fortunately we had one structure just outside the city limits that took on water. When you compare that to what happened in years past we fill like that was a pretty good success rate in that investment," said Bixby City Manager Jared Cottle.