Ice Storm of 2010

Snyder residents are beginning day three of no power and the first day of no water with ice covered trees and a thin layer of snow on the ground.

According to Terry Taylor, Snyder Police Department, water should be back on by tonight. The National Guard is bringing a FEMA generator from Oklahoma City for the water plant.

I spoke with PSO this morning and their latest estimate for power restoration is 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Emergency shelter is being provided at First Baptist Church for anyone who needs a place to stay and/or a warm meal. Working with the Red Cross and Salvation Army, they have food, water, and cots and have rented a generator for power. Pastor Jeff Flowers said they fed 60 people last night and had six overnight guests. Soup was being prepared for today's lunch when I spoke with him. He said food had been brought in by the school and Salvation Army and many others.

The Snyder Police Department phone, 580-569-4115, is being manned 24/7 with officers on duty to provide any help needed. Officer Terry Taylor reported there have been no fires or major emergencies so far. Officers Taylor, John Phipps, reserve officer Adam Ney, and Jerry Taylor have been manning the police department and patrolling.

Most of these arrangements are due to the efforts of Snyder Vice Mayor Teresa Mills. After realizing the police phone was not working yesterday morning, and finding the mayor at home in his pajamas and city business with no guidance, she took matters in hand and started contacting people to get phone service set up and personnel in place to handle the emergency. She worked with Water Superintendent Mark Shelton and electrical contractor Stan Holland to contact FEMA to get the generator on its way, and with FBC getting the shelter set up.

In addition, Mills has gone door to door several times in the freezing cold, checking on residents in Snyder and Mountain Park to make sure everyone was safe. This community owes her a debt of gratitude for all she has done.

Levi Moss, Kiowa County District 3 EMS, said they initially transported critical patients from Ayers Nursing Home to Frederick Hospital where they had power, and have kept tabs on several area oxygen patients to assure that they are ok. They also rescued some Roosevelt residents who were trapped in their homes due to the ice. He was pleased to report there have been no accidents due to the ice and roads are clearing. EMS also assisted in setting up the shelter at FBC.

All in all, even though some of us may think we have it rough, we are fortunate to have people working to take care of things, and we hopefully will come out of this no worse for wear. If nothing else, we have learned some things that need to be done for future emergencies.

Again, for assistance, call Snyder Police Dept., 569-4115 or First Baptist Church, 569-2944.

The Snyder News

I've been working on a new format to deliver more news and information. Please check it out and let me know how you like it.

http://snydernews.squarespace.com/

It's a work in progress, so layout and details may change as we go along.

Snyder School Board has varied agenda Monday night 
 

Snyder School Board met Monday evening for their regular meeting with members Mike Roberts, Butch Spurlin, Jana Moeller, Jerry Geiger, Brian Wilhite, Perch Flinn, and James Schneider present.

Minutes of the August 3 regular meeting were approved.
 

As board members looked over the encumbrance register Superintendent Robert Trammell told them the school system now has 17 Smartboards with one in each home room and one in every high school classroom except one.
 

Trammell also offered details of other expenditures including a new milk cooler at the primary building to replace the old 1965 model, funds spent from the ag project money to build a 30 x 30 barn for washing and shearing animals, and payment to the Junior Class for custodian duties. The junior class is cleaning up after all ball games this year as a fundraiser instead of operating the concession stand at the football games.
 

Encumbrances and Change Orders were approved as presented, along with the Treasurer's Report and monthly Activity Custodian Report for August and September.
 

Mandy Higginbotham addressed the board as a concerned parent regarding healthier meals for school lunches. She noted a recent school menu containing a number of fast-food type items such as tacos, subs, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwich, pizza burgers, and steak fingers with too many carbohydrate laden side dishes. She said out of a week's menu there was only one item that was not pre-made and wondered why the cooks cannot prepare more food in the cafeteria at a cheaper price than the prepackaged items.
 

Mrs. Higginbotham pointed out how processed foods have been found to impair memory and too many high glucose, high carbohydrate foods cause energy spikes and make children hyper or lethargic throughout the day. She cited the Healthy Schools program menus as giving students more energy and helping to lessen behavior problems and violence in the classroom.
 

Trammell invited Mrs. Higginbotham to bring her information and meet with him and Cafeteria Director Rena Gibbons to discuss changes that might be implemented.
 

High School Principal Mark Batt made a presentation on the Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) to replace Coke as provider of drinks in the school machines and at the concession stands. He said Coke has quit giving any incentives to keep their products and PBG guaranteed $1000 plus $500 for scholarship funds or to be spent on the students plus a good-sized rebate on drinks sold. Money made from the machines is used as needed for student activities, meals, trips, etc. The board approved changing to PBG to provide drinks.
 

The substitute teacher list and substitute cafeteria list for FY2010 was approved, with Trammell mentioning that the number of substitutes, especially for the cafeteria, is getting thin. Substitute teacher pay was increased to $60.00 for certified and $52.00 for non-certified to reflect the recent minimum wage increase.
 

Fund raising activities for the cheerleaders, student council and junior and sophomore classes were approved.
 

Also approved was acceptance of Lone Wolf School's appropriation of $9667 into Snyder Public School's Alternative Education budget. Lone Wolf alternative ed students attend Snyder's alternative program, with their grades being sent to Lone Wolf and they graduate from Lone Wolf. There are currently three students from Lone Wolf attending.
 

Resignation of Robert Johnston from driving his morning bus route was approved. Johnston's resignation letter cited more family time needed. He will continue his other duties as High School custodian and his afternoon bus route.
 

In other business the board approved:

• Adoption of school calendar of 1080 hours of instruction in accordance with HB 1864. The 175 day format will continue to be followed, but the 1080 hours will grant some leeway if bad weather days or time out for playoff games or such are needed
• 2009-2010 class schedule
• Depositing interest in Co-op Fund into the General Fund
• Sanction of student support groups and booster clubs, including Band Aids, FFA Mother's Club, GAB (Girl's Athletic Boosters), Homerun Club, Quarterback Club, Take Down Club, and Tip In Club
• Amendment of House Bill 1647, allowing the "exception" to the nepotism law concerning school board members. This will allow second degree relations of board members to serve as substitute teachers or temporary support personnel

At 8:23 the board voted to convene in executive session to discuss the employment of a teacher's assistant for special education and a morning bus driver.
 
Following the board's return to open session at 8:45 they voted to employ Staci West as special ed teacher's assistant and Elizabeth Parker as morning bus driver.
Snyder Public School's Policies & Procedures Manual revisions by the Oklahoma State School Board Association were approved. Changes include several wording corrections and changes in the law since adoption.
 
One change will be for Snyder Public Schools to be recognized as tobacco free "24/7." No tobacco use is permitted in any buildings or on any grounds of the school including ball fields, ag barns, or other school property.
 
In the superintendent's report, Trammell presented accreditation status for the 2009-2010 school year as: "Accreditation with no Deficiencies" and "No Sites on the School Improvement List." He informed board members of upcoming school board workshops and reported on meeting with ODOT concerning cross walks.
 
The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.