Skiatook Voters Decide Against 1 Cent Sales Tax Meant For Improvements For First Responders

Skiatook voters narrowly struck down a one-cent sales tax that would have brought improvements for first responders.

The decision came within 61 votes; 599 voted against the sales tax while 538 voted in its favor.

Both the police and fire chiefs said the voters have spoken, and they're going to respect that. However, they said the need is still there.

They hope to meet with city leaders to find another way to raise the funds.

Skiatook's Police and Fire Chief are wondering what’s next after voters struck down the sales tax that would've helped fund a new police and fire station.

“We’ve made the best of it for the last 82 years and basically it’s dilapidated, it’s a dinosaur and we’re in dire need of a new facility,” said Chief Billy Wakefield, Skiatook Police.

Along with needing more space, Police Chief Billy Wakefield said the facility isn't made for modern technology and has old wiring that interferes with dispatch.

Plus, Wakefield said the roof leaks, some spaces don't have air conditioning, and the lobby isn't secure.

He said this becomes an even bigger concern when kids use the gym for fall basketball and birthday parties.

“They play basketball right in here. And then this right here can be rented out for families like in the weekend,” said Chief Wakefield. “You might have a registered sex offender sitting right next to a family."

Meanwhile, the back lot isn't fenced in. “With a new facility we would have a bay that we would drive into where the doors are closed, and it would be secure,” said a Wakefield.

Wakefield said the interview room needs to be secluded but is right off a small break room with very little privacy.

“The investigator wants to get a one-on-one relationship with the suspect. Try to build some rapport and you don’t want any kind of distraction,” said Wakefield.

He said the jail has four cells confined to a narrow space.

“They’re sick a lot of them are IV users. Hepatitis everything else. Sometimes they spit. They try to grab at us over the years,” said Wakefield. “Once they get past those wooden cabinets there where they keep the jail closed, they lose the signal.”

Fire Chief James Annas said space and storage are also huge issues for them.

“We’re limited on how much staffing we can actually put in this facility,” said Annas.

The new centrally located station would also include a training center and function as an emergency operations center.

“We’re responding from one point so our travel times to any location are longer,” said James Annas, Fire Chief & Emergency Manager.

Annas said three of their ambulances are more than a decade old and need replacing in the next four to five years.

“The engine is 13 years old and engine 2 is 30 years old. It’s 10 years past replacement schedule,” said Annas.