How does a City of 10,000 people plan for a business that, in the next 10 years, will employ an additional 3,500 people?
That’s one of the questions to be answered by the Newcastle City Council and management.
Mayor Karl Nail said the City is facing this along with the eventual building of a turnpike between Newcastle and U.S. Interstate 35, and they are currently planning 30-50 years into the future — with the thought of doing things generationally.
Nail provided a State of the City address during the annual Newcastle Chamber of Commerce luncheon with the same name.
The mayor said Newcastle was the fastest growing community in the state in percentage of population in 2022. With new starts of housing down from this year to last, he said the community may be growing slightly slower, however he doesn’t expect the decline to last.
Nail said one of the ways this impacts municipalities is the possibility of a small decline in sales tax being returned to the City. He said in Oklahoma, municipalities live and die by the sales tax. Again, he believes it will be a short term trend.
Nail said the new Indian Nation Health Facility will be the largest in the nation. He said it is a “game changer” for Newcastle and will require additional housing, and ancillary businesses and services such as hotels and restaurants.
The Chickasaw Nation had originally planned a large clinic in the area, but because of the needs, the Nation changed it to a large hospital with all the specialties available. Nail said Indian people seeking medical services are already flying in to Oklahoma from across the nation, but with Newcastle located 15 minutes from Will Rogers World Airport, the new hospital will be their choice.
“They will need places to sleep and eat,” Nail said. “Newcastle will need to have facilities to meet their needs, and the City is looking at addressing infrastructure needs to serve that growth.”
Nail added that because of the size and scope of the Chickasaw Nation project, Newcastle residents will likely see a construction crane on the location for the next 10 years.
He said the City is grateful for what the Chickasaw Nation is doing, saying it was “impactful,” and a “big deal,” and then added that they have been a great partner to the community for a long time.
Budgeting and Balances
As of March 31 this year, the City had a total fund balance of $21,771,450. Because the City uses a purpose-based budgeting process, fund balances are broken down to the following categories: general fund for general government expenses, capital improvement tax fund, the Newcastle Public Works fund, water/ sewer impact fee fund, economic development fund, parks and capital improvement fund, fire station fund, wastewater fund, and grant cost-share fund (see provided graph on page 3 for breakdown of fund balances).
Nail said the City has money in some of these funds put STATE OF CITY on page 3 back as savings and that the City has worked diligently toconserve and save.
“We have good cash flow and we are putting things back into our community,” Nail said.
Examples of the many projects underway by the City include an updated comprehensive plan, a master park plan, new land and improvements at the sports complex, a new fire station, a new animal shelter, a new wastewater treatment facility, and water and roads projects.
Updated Comprehensive Plan
Nail said the City has been working on updating its comprehensive plan. It has not been updated since 1985. The City has been working with Guernsey Engineers, Architects and Consultants on the new plan since August 2021.
A technical advisory committee was formed to aid in the updating. Members include: Gene Reid, city council member; Gordon Harness, planning commission chair; Cindy Frizzel, park board member; Daniel Reming ton, developer; Dr. Melonie Hau, Newcastle Public Schools superintendent; John Gorton, president of First National Bank; Jessica Be rgen - El liott, developer and business owner; and Dee Wilson, business owner.
A citizen advisory committee was also formed. Members are: Ron Hammett, Rick Hamilton, Chris Cathey, Bruce Christian, Holly Saunders, Patrice Wesnidge, Darrin Abel, and Sommer Dodd.
Nail said when completed the comprehensive plan will detail what Newcastle residents see and what they would like to see, but it is not set in stone. Instead, it can evolve over time.
Master Park Plan
The City has a Master Park Plan which guides everything it does. Nail said Newcastle has been “very underparked for a long time.”
He noted that the City is funding parks with the thought of meeting the quality of life needs for Newcastle’s residents.
Recent work at Veterans Park includes: 268 new parking spaces; 1.8 miles of walking trails, and expansion of the existing pond.
Nail said the City is putting $50,000 in its budget each year for trees at the park.
“Our goal is to make something that this community can be incredibly proud of,” Nail said.
The City just missed out on a $2.1 million grant last year to build Veterans Park Pavilion, but they’ve reapplied for it and are hoping for better results.
Sports Complex
The City purchased 24 acres between the sports complex and the highway and turnpike to expand the sports complex. Nail said they plan additional baseball, softball and soccer fields, and parking.
New Fire Station
A new Fire Station 1 is being built at 555 S. Main Street (State Highway 62) which is hoped to be complete by March 2024. Nail said the new facility will have additional space for vehicles, a training room, and sleeping quarters for 10.
The City has plans to purchase a ladder truck in the future, and there will be a bay for it, as well.
Nail said, “When we start servicing that debt, it is going to have zero impact on our cash flow. Cash flow is king.”
He added that the new facility will serve Newcastle for generations.
New Animal Shelter
The City is spending $3.4 million on a new animal control facility. They are planning a May 8 ground breaking.
Construction is to begin in late May 2023, and they hope to be finished in January 2024.
New Wastewater Treatment Facility
Plans for the City’s new wastewater treatment facility are at the Department of Environmental Quality right now, according to Nail.
This project is hoped to be built out and in service by 2026.
Expected cost for the facility is between $21-$24 million. The City currently has $5.4 million in its fund balance to pay for the facility. Of that, Nail noted that $1.8 million was a grant from the Indian Health Services.
The new facility will be a design from Aero-Mod of Manhattan, Kansas, and utilizes an aerobic digestion process. The facility is designed to treat 1.5 million gallons per day, and will be expandable in the future.
Water Projects
The City is working with an engineering group on an overall water and wastewater plan which addresses all 64 square miles of Newcastle City limits.
Included in the plan are larger water transmission and distribution lines. Nail said the City planning looks 30-50 years down the line for future projects.
Nail said the City has a goal to have 12” lines on all section line roads, and to loop the existing system.
The City also continues to study its area partnerships since Newcastle is located between Oklahoma City’s water distribution and communities further south and west. Because of location, the City acts as a go-between on water distribution for Blanchard, Tuttle (Coleman and Dibble) and Goldsby.
The City also just finished a bore project for a sewer line under State Highway 32 in Tri City. The more than $700,000 project provides gravity flow sewer service in the area, and takes out a lift station the City had been using. It is also expected to increase economic development in the area.
Road Projects
The City has been maintaining existing roads, as well as widening roads as its budget allows each year.
Planned are widening projects on N. Country Club and on N.W. 24th Street.
Upcoming Projects
Nail said the City would like to put a new bore under U.S. Interstate 44 in order to split the sewer service on both sides of the highway.
The City plans a new City Hall, to be built near the new fire station.
And, another plan calls for extending an existing 18” line at the pumps at the Canadian River to the State Highway 9 area of Newcastle.
Nail said, “We are an open book so feel free to contact myself or anybody related to the City of Newcastle at any time.”
