During last Thursday night’s Purcell City Council meeting at the Community Room of the Police Service Building, Parks and Rec Director John Blue told the council why the splash pad has been silent as of late.

Blue said repeated efforts to unclog the drainage pipe from the pad were unsuccessful and it was all due to vandalism.

People had stuffed things like flip flops, Yeti cups and other items in the pipe. Someone even stole the grate off the covering of the space going to the pipe, which had to be replaced.

Mayor Graham Fishburn said the vandalism, “is just awful.”

In better news, city manager Sam Demel reported to the council the city has received a grant to help defray costs of removing the asbestos from the old Purcell Municipal Hospital.

The city tentatively accepted the bid of $256,367 by K&M Wrecking to demolish the facility.

City treasurer Victor Lohn reported the city had budgeted to receive $7 million from sales and use tax collections but the actual amount came in a $8.1 million which allowed the city more flexibility with the excess funds.

The council was informed about a couple of FAA grants to allow for rehabilitation of the runway lights and install 2-Box PAPIs, and also rehabilitate the runway.

The light project has a price tag of $329,450 with the grant covering 90 percent.

The runway project is a $240,391 project with the grant covering 95 percent of the cost.

The city will be responsible for $46,000 of the two projects.

The council postponed a vote to de-annex municipal territory that was annexed in 2010 for the Continental Gateway project on the south side of Wayne.

During the council meeting Faith Martin was appointed as the Purcell representative on the Pioneer Library System Board of Trustees.

In the public works portion of the meeting Renee Barber, Purcell Municipal Hospital Operations Finance Manager, reported the hospital is trending up on its annual revenue.

She gave the fourth quarter report for the hospital.

Barber reported in 2022 PMH emergency room visits were 691 per month. It went up to 786 per month in 2023 and was up to 794 per month for 2024. She told the trustees recently the hospital has had a positive cash flow.

No action was taken on hiring Glenn Sullivan and Associates to prepare a master water plan but the trustees did approve payment of $43,225 for emergency repairs to Well No. 9 from Hoffman Water Wells.

Trustees approved purchase of an extended cab truck for $69,000 and approved the removal of wastewater sludge by Advanced Microbial Solutions, LLC for the state bidding price of $282,628.66.

The meeting August 8 was the regular monthly meeting postponed from August 5 when not enough council members were able to comprise a quorum.

At the meeting – in addition to Fishburn – were  Jay Tate, Joseph Franco and Alan Eubanks. Councilman Greg Wheat was absent.

New city clerk Chelsea Sweet was introduced at the meeting.