Last Updated on October 25, 2023, 9:03 AM | Published: October 25, 2023
WARR ACRES, Okla — Tuesday the City Council took action on the following items:
- The city applied for federal grants through ACOG for N.W. 63rd Street intersection improvements
- City council appointed veteran and former Libertarian candidate Lynda Steele to the vacant Ward 3 seat
- Mayor Godwin and the council presented certificates to Miss Mexico Pageant participants and directors
Federal grants for streets
Warr Acres city council approved an application for a chance at federal funding for street improvements.
Through ACOG (Association of Central Oklahoma Governments), Warr Acres will send an application to have 80% of some improvements be covered by federal grant funding, downstream of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act signed by President Biden.
The last 20% will be covered by the city if approved.
The city plans to improve the signals, sidewalks, and ramps to be up to current ADA compliance standards along N.W 63rd Street. Qualifying projects must pass a “points” system assigned to them based on need, and so the safety concerns make this intersection a good candidate.
The project is estimated to cost about $1.3 million.
Warr Acres is obviously not the only municipality looking to get some federal funding from ACOG. Other municipalities are turning in their applications for grant money.
Council member Lynda Steele fills Ward 3 seat
In August, Ward 3 council member and veteran John Knipp passed away at the age of 76.
Council member Deborah Morris of Ward 3 nominated Lynda Steele to fill the vacancy.
After she was sworn in, Council member Steele stepped up to the horseshoe and went on to vote throughout the rest of the meeting.
For some background on the new council member, Steele has spent over 12 years in service to the country in the Oklahoma Army National Guard as a Field Artilleryman.
Steele is not new to politics; some may remember her as the Libertarian candidate who ran against Republican Gentner Drummond in the 2022 general election.
She was able to pick up 281,923 votes, about 26% of the total.
Early this year, she was appointed by the Oklahoma Libertarian Party as their Legislative Director.
Although Council member positions are non-partisan, Warr Acres is the most recent municipality in Oklahoma to have a self-identified Libertarian hold elected office.
Congratulations to Miss Mexico Oklahoma participants
Mayor of Warr Acres Roger Godwin was joined by Bethany Mayor Nikki Lloyd to congratulate and recognize the people who helped to organize the first Miss Mexico Oklahoma.
SNU offered scholarships to participants, and winner Michelle Diaz was awarded $20,000 by the local university.
Mayor Godwin spoke highly of the first Miss Mexico Oklahoma winner, Michelle.
“This girl is probably the hardest-working person I have ever met, and I’m a pretty busy guy.”
Several directors and organizers of the event received certificates, and more will be awarded in November’s City council meeting.
The Next Warr Acres City Council meeting is scheduled for November 21, at 6:00 PM.
Damian Powell is our government reporter for the smaller municipalities in the OKC metro such as Moore, Norman, Bethany, and Warr Acres. Damian is studying Political Science at the University of Oklahoma.
