Shawnee’s half-cent sales tax objective marks notable progress
Many community projects
Shawnee’s half-cent sales tax collections, voted in by residents in June 2018, continue to make a notable impact as many community projects are being realized because of the added revenue stream.
Funds collected by the tax are allocated for capital improvements in three areas: public safety (0.125 percent — a quarter of collections), streets and roads (0.125 percent — a quarter of collections), and parks and public facilities (0.25 percent — the other half of collections).
Recently City of Shawnee Assistant City Manager Jacob Foos presented a quarterly update on the progress of the plan.
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There has been $1.92 million invested in community projects since the last update in late 2021, Foos said.
Investments include:
• More than $240,000 to parks, toward implementation of the Parks Master Plan;
• More than $1.1 million toward enhancement and the remodel of the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center; and
• More than $474,000 toward implementation of the Street Improvement Master Plan (the Whittaker Street improvement project)
Foos said total investment to date is more than $8.3 million in community projects, out of the $10.8 million that has been collected so far from the half cent sales tax.
Some projects that are underway or have been completed include:
Public Safety
• Shawnee Police Department (SPD) headquarters, for $3.2 million, is complete
• SPD patrol vehicles, for $1.25 million, is complete
• Fire Stations No. 1 and No. 3, for $1.75 million, are moving into the design stage
• Fire engine, for $750,000, has not yet begun
• Fire training structure, for $300,000, is in the design stage
• Emergency warning system, for $250,000, is complete
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Streets and roads
• The 45th Street project west of Kickapoo to east of Harrison, for $3.5 million, a partial design is in progress
• Pavement overlays and panel replacements, for $4 million, Whittaker Street project is complete and other locations are ongoing — in the design stage and construction
Parks and public facilities
• Parks Master Plan implementation, for $7 million, is in the procurement stage — KidSpace is out for bid and Woodland is preparing for the advertisement of bids in early summer
• Expo enhancement and remodel, for $3.5 million, the roof and fencing are complete
• Sidewalks and trails, for $1.75 million, construction is in progress — Independence, Kickapoo and Highland
• Library roof and remodel, for $1 million, various components completed and review in progress
• Senior Center roof and remodel, for $1 million, various components completed and review in progress
• Community Center roof and remodel, for $350,000, various components completed and review in progress
• Santa Fe Depot roof and remodel, $400,000, the study is complete
Watch for updates.
For story ideas, questions or concerns, reporter Vicky O. Misa can be reached at vicky.misa@news-star.com.
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