TAHLEQUAH — Tahlequah Public Works Authority board members Friday stressed the importance to employees of keeping communication lines open for current projects.

A change order on a contract related to the Tenkiller Water Supply Project came before the board by Steve Tolar, an engineer representing Holloway, Updike and Bellen. As board members listened to the requested change orders – which Tolar said would result in an overall credit on the contract of nearly $3,000 – board member Herb Rozell questioned a $30,000 expenditure that would relocate the plant’s entrance. He asked Tolar who had requested the relocation.

Tolar said “staff members” had requested it, but didn’t quickly elaborate. Board members asked if they were employees of the contracting firm, and Tolar said they were not, but were TPWA employees.

Rozell said he had a concern with someone’s authorizing money to be spent on a project the board hasn’t approved.

Tolar said the relocation of the entrance is actually about a $19,000 project, and the other $11,000 is for a project that needs to be done.

He also said the money hasn’t been spent, but that the board was being presented the change or- der re- quest for approval.

“I think the intent of it was to get a better drive in a safer location,” said Tolar.

General Manager Mark Chesney asked Engineer Jim Lindsey to speak up on the matter. Lindsey said he and former interim General Manager David Morrison had visited the site and discussed the relocation issue several months ago. He said he and Morrison were concerned about safety, as the entrance would be located on a curve where entrances to Cherokee Landing State Park already exist.

He also mentioned ongoing road expansion at that location, and that the elevation measurements had changed because of the new layer of pavement.

He said that could require more fill at the existing entrance.

“The bottom line is we felt [it] was a safer entrance, a more secure entrance,” said Lindsey.

Rozell asked if Lindsey knew the project was going to cost more money.

“No, not at first,” said Lindsey.

Rozell said the method of suddenly bringing up the move and requesting such an expenditure is “not quite fair” to board members.

“This is the second month this has happened,” said board member Dr. Mark Smith. “You ultimately work for the board. We need to know about this ahead of time.”

Tolar said the potential relocation has been mentioned in board meetings several times.

He said his intent had been to expedite the process for the board by gathering several change order requests into one, but agreed there needs to be some attention given to working out proper communication by all parties involved.

“We are responsible for this money,” said Smith, who said his concern is more on the process of communicating than the request of the expenditure.

“Just to be clear, we haven’t spent that money,” said Tolar.

He recommended the entrance relocation, and said a contractor had already cleared away the area where it was proposed.

Rozell said that is also an issue, since the board hadn’t approved paying a contractor to do that work.

Tolar said it was done on the knowledge that the board had yet to approve it. He said the contractor wanted to use that area as his own entrance, regardless, so he took it upon himself to go ahead with the work.

The change order was approved unanimously by the board members. Tolar, Smith and Chairman J.D. Carey agreed to gather after the meeting to discuss better ways of communicating.

Board members are also looking over a study Chesney worked on that could lead to the authority setting up a comprehensive pay scale.

Board member Isabel Baker applauded the study, saying it is the best thing to happen since she’s been on the board.

Baker said she looks forward to more discussion and action on increasing employee pay, and especially helping those on the lower end of the pay scale.

Board member Kelly Ross asked what had changed over the past month concerning a tort claim that was filed by Peter and Jeana Heist.

The Heists’ tort claim had been denied by the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group, and then by the TPWA board.

Ross said when he asked about it last month, he was told everything was OK, but he later read in the Daily Press that the Heists had filed a suit seeking more than $10,000 in damages. They say a water line burst and caused heavy damage to their home last April.

Chesney said though he learned of the suit through the newspaper, TPWA has yet to receive any official notification.

Ross asked if it is common for the media to know about the suit when the authority has yet to receive any official documents.

Harvey Chaffin, legal counsel for TPWA, said it’s not uncommon.

Chesney also reported on an electricity rate survey. He said 52 communities in Oklahoma participated, and TPWA’s rates were in the bottom 33 percent for lowest cost, and almost the very bottom for water.