During the November meeting of the Pawhuska City Council, Mayor Mark Buchanan fill the other members of the Council in on a new proposal from RECtec to bring fiber optic cable into downtown Pawhuska. The proposal would allow the city to purchase the fiber cable and RECtec would provide installation and support. Buchanan was excited about the notion of the City owning the line, and having the ability to bring in a a gigabit per second (1 Gb/s) service in for Downtown Businesses.
Buchanan stated that over time the fiber line would be extended and made more available, with an goal of providing service to Pawhuska residents. RECtec quoted the City a cost of $15,000 for the cable, installation, and training after which the city could manage splicing the line for customers. The Council agreed that the introduction of fiber into Pawhuska was an exciting prospect but should wait and gather additional information before moving forward. The Pawhuska City Council meets the first Tuesday of each month at the City Hall in Pawhuska. The Pawhuska City Council meet for their monthly meeting Tuesday evening and held a lengthy meeting focusing on the topic of the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce along with several continued discussion regarding parking, utility rates, and the Triangle Building.
Much of the meeting was spend discussing a request by Councilmen Steve Holcombe to suspend funding for the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce during the Municipal Trust Authority meeting. Holcombe's main complaint has been that the Chamber has not been accountable with City's funding into Economic Development. Holcombe continued to request an itemized budget from the Chamber accounting for the spending of the City's $60,000 each year. Chamber Executive Director and Economic Development Director for the City of Pawhuska Joni Nash clarified that the Chamber's budget was submitted to the City Council as requested in April, however the report was not as specific as Holcombe would desire. Pawhuska Mayor Mark Buchanan proposed that Holcombe make a motion on the Agenda item in order to move on. The conversation continued without conclusion until City Attorney John Heskett proposed the Council review the existing contract with the Chamber of Commerce, discuss options at the December meeting, and take no action on Holcombe's request to suspend funding. City Manager Mike McCartney said based on the volume of customers during the Mercantile Grand Opening, more than 4,500 guest, parking did not appear to be an issue, however it it becomes one they will address it at a later meeting. The Pawhuska City Council meets the first Tuesday on each month at Pawhuska City Hall. The wait is over and The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond's Mercantile in Pawhuska is now officially open. The location boast a Deli, Bakery, and General Store, and line for entry on their Monday opening day stretched for more than a block. Preliminary estimates of the first half of the Grand Opening were more than 2,500 customers and guest, but the numbers don't concern the Pioneer Woman herself. Drummond said she is focused on each individual, making sure they each have the best experience.
Planning for the Pawhuska store began nearly four years ago with an expected opening of August this year. Drummond had said in her blog at thepioneerwoman.com that the opening is later than she wanted at first, but the extended date gave everyone the time to make sure that every detail was right before they meet their first customers, and Drummond could not be happier with the result and the Grand Opening. The Mercantile's guest have come from far and wide to visit the new destination location on its Grand Opening, Segayle and Shaunda dropped by on their way home in Lockney, Texas. The Mercantile is located in a 100 year-old building in Downtown Pawhuska on the corner of Main and Kihehah and will be open 6 – 6 Monday through Thursday, 6 – 7 Friday and Saturday |
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