The Seminole City Council Monday night approved the purchase of property for a new city library, reaffirmed the city’s commitment of $105,000 in federal revenue sharing funds to pay the city’s share of a proposed Highway 99 project within the city, and agreed to support the creation of a parking district in the central downtown area.

In the called meeting, members of the City Library Board, headed by Raymond Sowers, chairman, attended and recommended the purchase of a 100 ft. x 140 ft. lot at the corner of North Second and East Seminole streets, a tract known as the Paul Noe property.

Cecil Sullivan, a member of the library board, said the board could purchase the property for $20,000. Upon a recommendation of the board, the Councilmen approved the purchase and asked the City Attorney W. B. Edwards to complete the necessary legal work.

Mayor Waldo Lilly pointed out that with an allocation of $50,000 each year for three years from federal revenue sharing funds and with $90,000 in funds from the sale of bonds voted some time ago for a new library, this would amount to $240,000 for a new library. The Library Board said they were in accord with the city plans to start construction shortly after Jan. 1, 1974.

Mrs. Virginia Collier of Oklahoma City, a representative of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, was present at the meeting and offered her assistance to the Library Board and architects for the new building. She said a building of 8,000 to 10,000 sq. feet was recommended for a city the size of Seminole.

A special Chamber of Commerce Committee on obtaining more off-street parking for the downtown area which is headed by Bob Robertson presented a request to the council that the city take the necessary steps to set up a special parking district in the downtown area to bring this about. The proposed area would be bounded on the south by the Rock Island Railroad, on the north by East Seminole Street, on the east by Fourth Street, and on the west by Milt Phillips Ave.

The council agreed to start the proceedings necessary for setting up such a district, which City Attorney Edwards pointed out would take time. The council instructed the city’s engineering, managerial and legal staffs to give the needed assistance toward the creation of such a district. Robertson said the suggested area could provide 200 or more additional parking spaces off-street downtown.

The council approved two change orders for the new Community Recreation Building now nearing completion in Municipal Park. One change involves a different type of floor surfacing the community room and kitchen, and the other was for the electrical work needed to tie-in the swimming pool equipment and lighting with the building’s electrical

Also approved was the submission of an application for matching funds from the Bureau of Recreation to improve the parking lot for the new building. Municipal Park Board Chairman Hulett Edgmon also said that the board hopes to obtain Bureau of Recreation funds to help construct a tennis court complex in the city parks.

The park board official also said that a wading pool and restrooms in C. R. Johns Park on South Milt Phillips Ave. were among the project for which matching Bureau of Recreation Funds were to be sought.

During a discussion on the next item on the agenda, the city’s share of the proposed Highway 99 project, the council reaffirmed the previous allocation of $105,000 to be paid over a three-year period at $35,000 a year from revenue sharing funds as the city’s share of right-of-way costs. These costs cover the right-of-way needed from Broadway south to Fishmarket Road at the south edge of the city, and also the right-of-way needed for the elimination of the “crazy corner” now existing at the intersection of Highway 99 and Broadway.

Mayor Waldo Lilly reported to the council that the repair on Waterworks Well No. 15 had been completed, and that tests this week showed it would produce 295 gallons per minute. He said this high producing well along with several others recently reconditioned by the city which are also high producers would give the city an ample water supply for any unusually high summer demands.

The council decided to retain the once-a-month council meeting, but also added that special meetings be called when needed to complete business not completed at the regular meetings. The council requested that the special meetings be held on Monday nights instead of Tuesday nights the time of the regular meetings. -oOo In observance of National Scouting Week, 20 Cub and Webelos Scouts took part in a weekend campout at City Park. Then, as the Tuesday evening troop meeting, five scouts received awards. They were Greg Taylor, Mitchell Haynes, Mark Meeks, Rob Robertson, Fred Schroeder and Doug Shipman.