With most of Monday’s high drama occurring when the Sallisaw Municipal Authority board debated proposed rate increases before action was tabled — which took center stage early into the Sallisaw City Commissioners agenda — one would have thought there wouldn’t be that much else to come from the commissioners’ monthly session.

Then George Bormann stepped to the podium.

Bormann, economic development director for the city, often reports about grandiose plans and anticipated announcements related to the city’s business future. But he’s tight-lipped, one of the hazards of his position. He’s also understandably vague about what companies or which developers or what entrepreneurs have their eye on Sallisaw.

Ask him on the q.t. to give you some morsel from his efforts, and he’ll be coy while giving you a sly, knowing grin.

But in the waning minutes of Monday’s city commissioners meeting, Bormann divulged not a morsel but a feast. And this time it wasn’t on the q.t., but rather it was QT.

Bormann announced that QuikTrip has committed to Sallisaw, where the travel plaza will be built at the former Ed’s Truck Stop location on East Cherokee Avenue (U.S. 64) at Interstate 40. It was at this site at Sallisaw’s eastern gateway that the former truck stop and restaurant burned on Jan. 25, 2019 — the second fire at the location after the business survived an October 1999 blaze — and had remained vacant for more than four years.

“We are excited about the project, and we feel that QuikTrip will be a great addition to Sallisaw,” Bormann said Tuesday. “At this point, this project will help fill a retail gap and pull traffic off of the interstate.”

QuikTrip, often shortened to QT, is a convenience store chain based in Tulsa, with more than 1,000 stores in 16 states. QuikTrip stores in Oklahoma are almost exclusively in the Tulsa metro area, with Bartlesville being the farthest north, and Muskogee currently the farthest southeast. When the newest store opens in Sallisaw in 2024, it will be the farthest east (and south) Oklahoma location.

Usually following Bormann on the agenda when staff reports are presented is of little consequence. But Building Development Director Keith Miller and City Manager Keith Skelton found out Monday that competing with an announcement that a new QuikTrip is coming to Sallisaw is no easy chore.

Miller reported to the commissioners that renovations to the police department are underway, the swimming pool/skate park is “moving along well,” the new restrooms for the walking trail are complete except for electricity, the sewer project continues, and the lighting and crack seal projects are being pursued at the airport.

Miller did confirm that the Main Street lighting project will be taking shape during the next few weeks, and that a business development — something he affectionately calls a six pack because it involves six businesses — is in its early stages along South Kerr Boulevard, and confirmed that the hill in the 600 block across from Braum’s will be removed as part of the development process.

Skelton then congratulated Jessica Robertson on passing the American Public Power Association Key Accounts program. Robertson is the first from Sallisaw and one of only a few across Oklahoma to achieve this. Commercial and industrial key accounts need special attention, Skelton said, and the Key Accounts Certificate Program is designed to show how to nurture strategic relationships and build trust and loyalty.

The city manager reminded that in the wake of recent storms, the city is currently providing a brush pickup service. “We anticipate it will take two to three weeks to go through town,” he said, and emphasized that city crews will only make one pass through each neighborhood.

Skelton then told the commissioners of recent successes at Brushy Lake. “We continue to have excellent attendance at Brushy. As you know, we added the playground equipment last year, and we continue to discuss ways to improve the campgrounds. One item we are looking at to assist in operations is moving to a cashless pay system. This will be easier to use, and provide up-to-date status of the sites taken and available.” He reported that numbers of campers during the past few months were 90 in April, 96 in May and 95 in June.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved a request by Local Bank of Sallisaw to name street currently being constructed between No Name Street and Kerr Boulevard as Chapman Avenue, which is in recognition of the bank owners.

• Declared property at 109 N. Ash as surplus, and directed staff to solicit sealed bids for the sale of the property. The 50-foot x 140-foot vacant lot was donated to the city in 2013 by Albert and Gearldean Sallee. The city has no need for the property, and there has been buyer interest in the property.

• Accepted a donation of real properties located at 501-503 Walnut Place from the Sequoyah County Board of Commissioners. The properties have been declared as not marketable by the county commissioners. Acceptance allows for future expansion of park/ sanitation yards for city operations.

• Approved a change order in the amount of $20,314 for the Sallisaw Police Department exterior improvements project. During the demo process of the SPD exterior, MGS Construction discovered rusted metal studs and wood trim that needed to be replaced. They also discovered that the west side of the jail was dependent on the exterior foam board for insulation. The foam board needs to be replaced to add insulation value. On the east side of the building, the windows were not flashed for rain protection. The windows need to be removed and flashing installed, then windows will be reinstalled.

• Approved purchase order in an amount not to exceed $25,000 to Clifford Power of Tulsa for repairs to the generator at the water treatment plant. The quote from Clifford Power is $22,477.85.

• Approved purchase order in an amount not to exceed $35,000 to Interworks of Stillwater for the purchase of virtual machine (server) equipment for City Hall. The quote from Interworks is $31,928.94.

• Approved an administrative policy revision to the city’s purchase manual. The update notes changes to state bidding laws for public improvements, as well as needed changes to city operations; modifies the definition and cost limits for bidding public improvement projects at $100,000; adds a section allowing a local bid preference; and removes from state law the requirement to submit bids within a 96-hour time frame.

• Approved a master agreement between the city and Quest Site Solutions of Greenville, S.C., for development and marketing of the 66-acre industrial property (the former Rhoades property) on South Cedar Street. The consulting fee of $18,750 will be fully reimbursed by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce.

• Approved reinvesting a General Fund certificate of deposit with Armstrong Bank for 273 days at 5.13% interest.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Cherokee Nation, which in May launched the Cherokee Nation Public Safety Partners Grant, a $13 million investment for capital and equipment needs for county and local first responder agencies across the Cherokee Nation reservation. The city has requested $50,000 for both the police department and the fire department, and it is important to note that there is no match requirement.