City of Tonkawa

PROJECT PURPOSE

This combined Infrastructure project includes a new sewer lift station and an additional Transformer for Tonkawa's Electric Substation that will serve the existing 4 truck/auto travel plazas as well as the Tonkawa Tribal Casino, Hotel, The Hub Entertainment Center, and RV Park. Tonkawa is expecting 64 new homes located on off of I-35; Exit 214 and Hwy. 60 with the next year. Tonkawa operates its own sewer system and electric system. The need for these improvements is a result of Tonkawa's ability to meet the increased flow to our sewer system and the electrical usage on the city's electrical system. The visitors from I-35 traffic that come to the travel plazas and Tonkawa Tribal complex has increased by 50% over the last 5 years due to the development at this location and it is expected to increase in the near future because of new businesses looking to locate in the area. Tonkawa is planning and expecting the future economic growth from these businesses and the new housing developments in this location to overload our utilities for sewer, electric and water. Tonkawa is expanding their water system at this location with a loan from OWRB for $5.6 million to under-take this task.

EVIDENCE

We have strong evidence-base support for project from Tonkawa?s management team, engineers, and the Oklahoma Department Environmental Quality who will approve the sewer lift station project. The sewer system inflow and the outflow is reaching maximum capacity. We need major lift station improvements and additional forced main capacity. The City of Tonkawa has strong evidence-based support for the electric substation project which has been evaluated by Tonkawa?s management team, engineers, and OMPA engineers. Our current capacity is 12.5 megawatts. We need to prepare for expected increase in our electric system load due to economic development in this area.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The City of Tonkawa?s vulnerable populations included over 1,400 households in Tonkawa, over 300 households in the Tonkawa Tribal community at Fort Oakland, The Tonkawa Tribal Casino, Hotel, the Hub Entertainment Center, and RV Park located at I-35 and Hwy. 60, Northern Oklahoma College facilities and student dorms and over 60 businesses. Tonkawa stores, businesses, schools, college, as well as the convenience stores, lost sales tax revenue from the pandemic because many families stayed at home. Our restaurants, and businesses were closed for over 60 days. Sales Tax revenue was down approximately 34% during these closures. The family wages were lost as businesses had to permanently close or down-size. Tonkawa also lost Sales Tax revenue due to the decrease in traffic to the 4 Travel Plazas and The Tonkawa Tribal Casino, Hotel, the Tribal Entertainment Center, RV Park, off of exit #214 at I-35 and Hwy. 60; and Tonkawa had a decrease in Sales Tax revenue from the decrease in traffic to the Loves Travel Plaza and Wilkins Truck Stop off of exit #211 from I-35 and Fountain Road.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Tonkawa will work with our engineers, ODEQ, OMAG, and OMPA to engineer and construct this project. Tonkawa will follow the state requirements for requesting proposals based on the engineer's specifications. The City Council will review the plans and approve all project costs. The city will administer the program with the assistance of engineers, and partners to oversee, collect, and record project data through the bidding process, the contract award, and construction completion. The total estimate for this project is $3,000,000. Tonkawa?s ordinances dedicate 2.5 cent of our 4.5 cents sales tax revenues. Tonkawa restricted funds in savings for infrastructure improvements.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding