City Extends Closures to May 15, 2020
To continue to minimize the risk of community spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the City of McAlester has extended the temporary precautionary measures at city properties again, this time through Friday, May 15, 2020.
The J.I. Stipe Center at 801 N. 9th Street is closed and all activities at the site are canceled. The meals served through the Senior Nutrition Program will be distributed through pick-up and delivery services.
The Carl Albert Building at 301 E. Carl Albert Parkway is closed to non-essential visitors and municipal court procedures are postponed. Any citizen needing in-person assistance at the Carl Albert Building from police or dispatchers should call 918-423-1212 for direction. In case of an emergency, call 911. Anyone needing to make payments to the Municipal Court Office is advised to pay through the mail, online, or by phone at 918-421-4939, if possible.
McAlester City Hall is closed to the public except for open meetings. Anyone needing to make payments to the Utility Billing Office is advised to pay through the mail, online, or by phone at 918-423-9300 or through payment kiosks located at Pruett’s Grocery at 601 E. Wyandotte Ave. or the Choctaw Nation Travel Plaza at 1640 S. George Nigh Expressway.
City parks remain open, but playground equipment is closed. Recreational areas that allow for social distancing and do not include shared equipment, such as the archery park and disc golf course, remain open.
Meetings of the McAlester City Council, Planning Commission, and other boards will continue as planned. Customers are urged to conduct business with the city through telephone, email, and the website at www.cityofmcalester.com. The public can stay informed through the city’s website, official Facebook page and resources from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
“While we are seeing many businesses and spaces open, we feel it’s important to continue to protect the public and our staff on city property,” said City Manager Pete Stasiak. “We are preparing to transition our staff and operations to accommodate the public on a limited basis after May 15.”
Other temporary closures and cancelations in effect include the McAlester Public Library, the McAlester Expo Center, and the McAlester Tourism Office. Additionally, all recreational programs and senior citizen activities are canceled for the summer season.
“We are closing our recreation programs, swimming pools, and other activities due to public health concerns and tremendous budget cuts the city is facing for the following year,” said Stasiak. “Since the city’s budget is primarily based on sales tax collections, we have no choice but to reduce some services until the economy recovers and those revenues are restored.”
The city of McAlester recently announced staffing changes and adjustments due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a hiring freeze, incentives for early retirement, and employee furloughs.
“Our primary focus right now are the core services of the city. Those are streets, water, sewer, fire, and police,” said Stasiak.