A 4-3 city council decision to table an election date for a proposed half-cent sales tax by the City of Guthrie caused a councilman to walk out for a portion of the consent agenda on Tuesday’s meeting inside City Hall.
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The 63rd Guthrie City Council met for just the second time since and for the first time addressed the City of Guthrie Capital Improvements Sales Tax Ordinance of 2015.
The previous council (62nd) passed the ordinance on April 7 to take a half-cent sales tax to voters with a five-year sunset clause to benefit capital improvements. In the same meeting, the council tabled the election date to avoid confusion and time frame of the Guthrie Public School’s bond election held earlier this month. Related story: City seeking sales tax election; increase to benefit capital projects
Majority of the previous council members were hopeful for a July election, but with Tuesday’s 4-3 decision the earliest the public could now see the proposition would be in August.
That was not the outcome council member Gaylord Z. Thomas was hopeful for. After the votes were shown, Thomas left the meeting through a side door and waited until executive session took place. He later returned to the meeting following the session.
“We have already tabled this once to give you all (new council members) a chance to catch up. I’m just wondering why we are tabling this twice?” Thomas asked before leaving.
Newly elected members Ed Wood and Brian Bothroyd, who both voted yes to table the election date, responded to Thomas’ question.
“It’s so we can make sure this is exactly what we really want to do. I feel it is a better idea that we all get up to speed on this,” Wood said.
Bothroyd, who made the motion to table the date until after the June 9 council retreat and June 16 council workshop, added, “I think once we are up to speed, we can make rational decisions on the entirety of it. If we are looking at a fall election there is no harm, no foul.”
Vice-mayor John Wood agreed with the new members.
“Guthrie is not an easy place to pass things and I rather take our time and make sure these new councilman are bought in to what we are wanting to do. I don’t think a month is that hard of a thing to swallow to make sure that the three new councilman are on the same page.”
Mayor Steve Gentling proved to be the deciding yes vote.
Members Thomas, Sharyl Padgett and Jeff Taylor casted no votes.
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