City has 237 active cases working on cleanup; social slated Tuesday

In connection with the cleanup campaign which has been launched as a combined effort on the part of the city and the Greater Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, I checked the city’s Web site to determine the number of active cases and complaints on file.
It’s amazing how many properties are listed, and it provides a pretty good indication of the magnitude of the problems facing our community.
The chamber and city are serious about this campaign to clean up the area, knowing it will take time to achieve their goals.
This is not something that can be accomplished in a matter of a few weeks, or even months. But the chamber and city are determined to provide a better appearance, no matter how long the effort might take.
A number of organizations and businesses, among them civic clubs, churches, youth groups, Boy Scout packs, schools and others are being asked to assist with this effort by providing time and manpower, not financial resources necessarily, to help clean up properties and businesses owned and occupied by individuals who honestly cannot do it themselves.
The chamber board will help take the lead in this effort. The city will determine those who need assistance, and for those who are able and ignoring the problems, the city has provided assurance it will handle.
A group associated with Immanuel Baptist Church which will be staying in Shawnee next month for their yearly mission trip has volunteered to help some of the elderly who will be identified as needing assistance.
According to the city’s Website, 237 active cases are on file as of this week. They are broken down this way:
• 163 have been targeted for tall grass and weeds that need mowing; there are 35 dilapidated buildings; two burned out buildings that need to be secured or removed; one illegally parked boat or trailer; three with brush and debris that need to be removed; four derelict buildings to be repaired or removed.
• One fence needs repairing or removed; 19 properties have junk trash or debris that need to be removed or cleaned up.
• Two properties have obstructing views causing a traffic hazard; there are six identified using the street as storage; and one has trees too low over the street or alley.
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Shawnee’s Summer Social is scheduled this Tuesday at the Municipal Swimming Pool in Woodland Veteran Park. The event begins at 4 p.m. and runs until 8 in the evening.
There will be half price admission to swim and free food with the pool admission, officials say. There also will be live music and people are encouraged to come, bring their blankets, relax and enjoy the evening.
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I received a call this week from a woman urging that vandalism of the stop signs in the Bethel Acres area cease immediately.
She provided a painful reminder that many years ago a similar prank, in which a stop sign was removed and placed near a bridge up the road from that intersection, led to a fatal traffic accident in which members of an area family lost their lives.
I’m sure it remains vivid for that family today. I remember it because I helped provide coverage of the story.
The woman fears if the vandalism continues it will lead to someone being seriously injured or even killed.
There is no excuse for such stupid behavior.
County Commissioner Jerry Richards has offered a $500 reward out of his own pocket for information leading to apprehension of those responsible.
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Gordona Rowell, executive director of the Shawnee Conventions and Visitor’s Bureau, said the deadline for supplying coupons, fliers and goodies for the International Finals Youth Rodeo packets is June 26.
She says items should be dropped at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and that 1,100 bags will be prepared.
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The other day I received my tag renewal notice on one of our vehicles, the one I drive the most.
In the past, I really hadn’t paid much attention to the breakout of the funds from when I renewed my tag.
However, the other day, I began glancing at the back of the notice. Did you know?
• There are the following statutory fees related to vehicle tags
• $1.25 is a registration fee.
• $3.50 goes to the state’s general fund.
• $0.50 is apportioned in the same manner as motor vehicle taxes.
This is the apportionment of motor vehicle registration fees:
• 36.20 percent goes to various school districts.
• 34.84 percent is directed to the general fund.
• 10 percent is for county improvements for roads and bridges.
• 7.24 percent is utilized for the county highway maintenance and construction fund.
• 3.62 percent goes to the emergency county road fund for counties.
• 3.10 percent is to the various cities and incorporated towns.
• 2.59 percent to the county road fund for counties.
• 1.24 percent is directed to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement Fund
• 0.83 percent is for the counties to support county government
• 0.31 percent is to the State Transportation Fund
• 0.03 percent to the state Wildlife Conservation Fund.
So if my math is accurate, counties across the state share in 24.28 percent of the money collected for vehicle tags, which is the third largest portion of where these taxes wind up.
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Shawnee city commissioners will tour city water and sewer facilities Monday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m., then will hold a special meeting that evening 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers of city hall.
The commissioners will gather at 2 p.m. in the council chambers before heading out to tour the facilities.
In the evening, they will gather to hear John Wolf of Oklahoma Municipal Financing regarding the water rate study.
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If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, call 214-3922 or e-mail michael.mccormick@news-star.com. Include name and phone number for contact purposes.