Charlie Adams Day
Good Luck, Good Food,
Good Cheer
Newkirk will celebrate Charlie Adams Day this Saturday, during
an annual festival that combines the town's colorful past and
good eatin'. Events of all types are  planned during the day-long
event, with a focus on the midday meal of Oklahoma barbecue in
downtown Newkirk.
Each year at this time, famous Newkirk characters are highlighted.
In addition to Charlie Adams, Cyrus "Nig" Elder and
Jennie Brown have both been featured as well as the petrified
body that was found in a local backyard.
This year, a former Newkirk newspaper publisher, Ed F. Korns,
will be played by Jim Hollifield during the festivities.
Korns was born ca. 1852. He went to work at age 11 in Tuscarawas,
OH as a printer's devil at $2 a week to help his grandparents.
His father had died during the Civil War. At the end of four
years, Ed was making $4 a week. Ambition stirred and he went
to Indianapolis and worked in a book and job office for $12 a
week. His ambition led him to a weekly paper in Champaign, IL
where he worked for two years as a compositor. Although he was
not quite 18 years old, he considered himself a full fledge practical
printer.
 E.F. KORNS, former Newkirk newspaper man
and postmaster.
(Photo
courtesy Newkirk Community Historical Society)
At 19 years of age, he had the opportunity to purchase a newspaper
in Malvern, IA for $600. Needing cash to purchase the outfit,
he went to the president of the First National Bank for a loan.
The president offered to lend him up to $2,000 for six percent
interest if Korns would have his life insured for that amount.
According to the president, "If you live, I believe you
will make good and pay your obligations, and if you die, your
policy will pay all your obligations." So, at the ripe old
age of 19, Korns became the sole owner, editor and publisher
of the Malvern, IA Leader.
At the end of two years he was out of debt and had a bank account
on the side. A Baptist minister who wanted to quit preaching
offered him 160 acres of land, $500 cash and a few other considerations,
so Korns sold the paper. The land he had traded for was located
in Phillips County, KS. The nearest railroad was 30 miles away,
but the town of Phillipsburg was nearby and he took over the
Phillipsburg Herald on easy terms.
According to Korns, "I soon found it no easy matter to publish
a paper 30 miles from the railroad ... Homesteaders were having
hard times, I was anxious for new subscribers and in the lack
of ready money, I took everything from wood, chickens, corn,
sorghum molasses to soap for subscriptions. Corn was cheaper
than coal for fuel and I burnt the entire 150 bushels traded
me for fuel that winter." He was also appointed postmaster
in Phillipsburg.
Just after the opening of the Cherokee Outlet, he moved his family
by covered wagon to a farm near Newkirk. In Korn's words, "Like
most of my other small ventures out of the newspaper business,
I found farming did not 'take' and I was losing all the money
I had accumulated. At that time there were four weekly newspapers
in Newkirk; the Republican, the Times, the Democrat and a Populist
paper. Not one of them was able to hire a practical printer at
living wages, so it was up to me to take a desperate chance and
start another weekly paper."
Korns obtained an old army press that was sitting idle at Crescent
City, OK. The first edition of his Kay County News came out in
1895 which gave the town two Republican papers. The first month
he made $16 but in six months, he had all the city and county
printing. The editors of the Republican and the Kildare Journal
approached him about consolidating and his duties were to be
the associate editor and business manager. In 1912, Korns bought
all the stock of the company and conducted the Republican News
Journal in the name of E. F. Korns & Son until 1917 when
he finally retired from the newspaper business.
One of Korn's greatest regrets was that party loyalty prompted
him to put "too many $50 saddles on $20 horses." During
his years in Newkirk in addition to the newspaper business, he
served the city as member of the city council four years; mayor,
one year; and city treasurer three years. He also served as post
master, real estate agent and insurance agent. During the territorial
days, he was appointed oil inspector by Governor Jenkins and
retained in that place by Governor Ferguson until the law abolished
the position and created county inspectors.
Shortly after Theodore Roosevelt became president, he appointed
Korns as postmaster for the city of Newkirk, a job which he held
for many years, until a change of political party at Washington.
Korns served as postmaster until the spring of 1913 at which
time he was succeeded by another newspaperman, D. M. Hamlin.
Korns never missed a Republican convention since the organization
of the party in the state. When the Republicans of Kay County
assembled in their regular sessions to select delegates to the
state convention, the nomination committee always left one berth
open for Korns. After being selected as delegate during his 80th
year, he thought he might not get to go as he had no way to get
to Oklahoma City. But Joe Cooper, former sheriff, saw to it that
he got to Oklahoma City. Ed also worried that his personal friend
Charles Curtis, vice president of the United States, might not
run again because press reports from back east suggested that
Curtis vacate his place on the ticket that year in favor of a
younger man. Korns was emphatic that Curtis at 76 was not old
because he himself was going on 81.
Korns died in December of 1933 when he was struck by a car. His
wife was Ida Korns, and he had two children, Harry Korns and
Mrs. Nellie Montgomery.
The celebration, named in honor of longtime Newkirk pharmacist
Charlie Adams, who opened a drug store in Newkirk in 1899 at
the ripe age of 24. He patented Good Luck Liniment which consisted
mainly of linseed oil. He always told his family that in addition
to the ingredients listed on the label it also had a "secret"
ingredient. Although the liniment label states "for veterinary
use only" many Newkirk residents can attest to its healing
powers on the human animal also. The label states that it "does
not smart, burn or blister," it does not, however, say anything
about the odor. Good Luck Liniment will be available for sale
during the Charlie Adams celebration.
Festivities start Saturday morning in downtown Newkirk, and in
addition to barbecue, there will be a car show, motorcycle show,
kids games, crafters, historical reenactments, and continuous
entertainment throughout the day.
Voters Face County Sales Tax
At Ballot Box
By Wayne White
War in Iraq, highest gasoline prices in history, and possibly
the United State's worst-ever natural disaster as citizens
confront the grim realities of life, the government is asking
them to face another: more taxes.
Kay County voters will make a decision Sept. 13 on two proposed
taxes a countywide sales tax and a statewide fuel tax.
Few in the county should be unaware of the five-eighths cent
sales tax proposed by county officers, who have been visiting
civic clubs, meeting with municipal governing bodies, and holding
public forums to drum up support for the proposed tax.
Trudging forward in a seemingly uphill task, the county officers
know that pushing for the sales tax during the state's special
fuel tax election next week could count against them. But, they
say, the sales tax is needed, it's needed now, and putting it
to a vote during a statewide election will save the county money.
Several thousand dollars is expected to be saved by piggybacking
on the state's special election.
As explained by the county officials, county government is struggling
to make ends meet due to rising costs of health insurance, utility
bills, facilities maintenance, unfunded federal mandates, retirement
benefits, and workers compensation premiums.
"What put us in the hole was the fixed costs," said
Kay County Commissioner Wayne Leven at a public forum held in
Newkirk. He said the county's budget is expected to be about
$200,000 short this year.
In July, a county-designated committee formulated a plan for
the sales tax which is expected to raise an additional $2.5 million
for county government.
The committee also established how the pie will be sliced with
the Kay County Sheriff's office getting the biggest piece: over
$1 million, or 44 percent of the added sales tax revenue
for law enforcement, jail maintenance and operations, juvenile
services, and reserve deputies.
Currently, the sheriff's department comprises 35 to 40 percent
of the county's budget, but according to Sheriff Everette VanHoesen,
the jail is understaffed and overpopulated, more deputies are
needed for patrolling the county, and inmates' medical expenses
are a wild card.
The county jail designed for 82 prisoners usually holds 140 to
150, he said.
"We maintain a lot of prisoners and it costs a lot of money,"
VanHoesen said.
He said the jail normally has two jailers on duty, but according
to Oklahoma jail standards, "I'm supposed to have five jailers
on duty 24 hours per day."
"If this passes, I intend to hire more staff and make our
jail safer," the sheriff said.
According to the county officials, one reason for the budget
shortfall is the county's valuation, which is not growing along
with expenses due primarily to business closings. County
Assessor Judy Barnes noted the shut down of the carbon fiber
plant in Ponca City and an agriculture products business in Blackwell
have had a significant impact on the county's property tax collections.
Likewise, the merger of Conoco and Phillips Petroleum has left
empty buildings at the Ponca City Conoco refinery causing the
facilities to be taxed at a salvage rate.
Barnes also says property tax freezes enacted for senior citizens
have cost the county over $10 million in market valuation over
the last five years.
"We want to give [tax breaks] to our senior citizens because
they need it," said Barnes, "but it's going to cost
us on the other hand."
The formula used to determine the county's share of property
tax has been the same since 1933, according to County Treasurer
Pat Schieber. "Our funding level has not increased,"
she said.
Without the sales tax, the county might be faced with increasing
property tax. "We don't feel like it's fair to ask property
owners to keep supporting the vital county services," said
Schieber. "We want to take the burden off the property owners."
Barnes echoes Schieber's concerns, saying the sales tax is needed
"because we do not want to have to increase our property
tax."
According to Reese, a sales tax will be spread more evenly across
the county than property tax. "It's a very needed tax, and
a very fair tax," she said.
VanHoesen says a sales tax will place the burden of government
services not only on property owners, but all consumers in the
county, including campers, boaters, hunters, and fishermen who
visit Kaw Lake, all of which currently utilize county services
but don't pay.
Schieber and County Clerk Tammy Reese noted each county department
cut their budget by $17,800 last year and the county has cut
employee benefits, specifically health insurance benefits, to
try to make up for the shortfall.
"We're trying to be good stewards of the county's money,"
said VanHoesen.
Schieber agrees. "For the first time in a long time, the
county has officers who want to work together and move Kay County
forward," she said.
Raises for county employees have been on hold for the past two
years, according to Barnes, and all the county officials indicated
raises for employees would be a desirable result of the sales
tax.
In the past, the annual budget has been set using 90 percent
of the previous year's budget. This year it was set at 93 percent.
"That only leaves us seven percent cash in reserves,"
said Reese.
Less reserves means "we're starting off bad the next year,"
said Schieber.
The officials point out Kay County is one of eight counties in
the state that does not have a county-specific sales tax.
"We should have done this in the past," said Schieber.
"It's not going to be an undue burden on the people."
With passage of the sales tax, other county services that will
benefit in addition to law enforcement will be as follows: roads
and bridges, 15 percent or $372,544; courthouse maintenance,
10 percent or $248,362; the county's general fund, 12 percent
or $298,035; OSU extension service, two percent, $49,672; emergency
services, six percent, $149,017; newly created grant funds, five
percent, $124,181; and county senior citizens services, six percent.
Leven says the county extension service needs extra funding because
"they've been getting by on a little of nothing."
"This is an agricultural community," he said. "We
just felt like [the extension service] needed some help to get
done what they do."
The sales tax will come with an expiration date after five
years voters will again have the opportunity to decide if the
tax is still needed.
Next Tuesday, though, citizens will have to face the decision
of taxing themselves not a welcome prospect for many, as
expressed by Newkirk resident Roy Rogers at the public forum
at Newkirk Elementary School last month. "All the rest of
us folks are having the same problems you are having," he
told the county officials. "There's more pressure being
put on the citizens, just like you all."
Also at the special election, but on a separate ballot, voters
will decide whether to impose taxes of up to five cents per gallon
of gasoline and eight cents per gallon of diesel fuel. Promoters
of the fuel tax say it is needed to rehabilitate the state's
deteriorating roads and bridges. If passed, 80 percent of the
collected taxes will be used to establish a state bridge and
highway trust fund. Ten percent will be set aside for county
highway funds and another 10 percent will go to cities and towns
for roads and bridges. The fuel tax would raise an estimated
$150 million to be used for construction and reconstruction of
highways.
As citizens ponder new taxes and other grim realities of life,
one thing they shouldn't forget: Go vote next Tuesday, Sept.
13.
City Incurs 20-Year
Debt
Casino Project Moves Forward
By Wayne White
Newkirk's mayor offered his yes vote to incur a debt of up
to $720,000 for 20 years last week, but not before doubt was
cast on whether the city would finance the utility upgrade project
for the Kaw Nation Casino, and questions were raised on whether
the city would be competing to provide electricity for the casino's
expansion.
In special meetings held last week, Mayor Michael Gibson first
held up his vote on the project Monday, but on Thursday approved
the project without further explanation.
Approval of the project which includes buying transformers
and other electrical equipment, improving the city's electric
lines that power water wells four miles east of town, sewer line
and lift station improvements, a new water line to the casino,
and water tower improvements has been on hold for almost
a month, due to the mayor's abstention during votes to fund the
project with revenue bonds.
In early August, Gibson abstained on the vote after questioning
whether the project should be declared an emergency, which allows
the sales of the bonds to be negotiated, and requires a unanimous
vote.
At an Aug. 22 meeting, Gibson said he was concerned about the
possibility of the casino not being successful, leaving the city
with a debt to pay without the expected revenue from electricity
sales. He suggested the Kaw Nation be approached regarding "up
front money" to offset some of the expenses.
Monday of last week, the mayor again expressed concern about
the risk to the citizens of Newkirk, after hearing of a loan
offer of $150,000 from the Kaw Enterprises Development Authority
(KEDA.)
City Manager Harold Harris reported last week he had been in
contact with Ron Feazle, KEDA executive director.
"He got back with me and told me they would contribute $150,000
to the project, but they wanted to know how long the pay back
would be," said Harris. "What he is meaning is he'll
put up $150,000, but it'll be like a loan."
Harris also reported, "Mr. Feazle wanted me to put the city
on notice, though, that because of delays, he's negotiating with
Kay Electric Cooperative. I kind of assured him that as soon
as I got an OK on financing, we would try to get bids for the
expansion."
Commissioner A.J. Ford said he had also been contacted by a KEDA
board member. "They're urging us to proceed as quickly as
possible," Ford said. "They had a target date for opening
their facility, and each day that target date is not met, it's
what they are considering a loss of revenue. So they're urging
us to proceed as quickly as possible so it doesn't put the project
behind."
But the terms behind KEDA's loan offer still held up Gibson's
vote, who asked that pay back of the loan be based on increased
revenue from the casino's electricity purchases.
"If we spent money and they close their doors 30 days from
now, and if it's a loan, we owe them $150,000, and that's what
I wanted to keep away from," Gibson said.
Gibson met resistance from the other commissioners regarding
whether the city should accept the loan from the Kaw Nation.
"When you're dealing with an outstanding customer ... you
should make every effort to serve that customer," said Commissioner
Roy Chaney. "But when I hear they're talking to Kay Electric
... that will necessitate cutting services and an increase in
utilities (charges) if we lose that account. I'm concerned that
they feel there is some hesitation from the commission to provide
the service they need for their operation. I just think for good
business, we should be able to look at this and put together
a resolution to finance our part of the business."
"I would like to keep it as straight forward and simple
as possible," Ford said, suggesting, "maybe the Kaw
Nation shouldn't get into the loaning business."
"If this is something they feel they should do, they would
have brought this to us right off the bat," said Chaney.
With the mayor questioning who should pay for extension of electrical
services, a developer or the city, city electrician Joe Huffman
offered his assessment of the situation.
"We normally provide that service up to a certain point.
Like we've already done out there," said Huffman. "Poles,
lines ... the transformer bases are already in place, we've already
put that in."
But, Huffman noted, "I was asked to leave out there today
(Aug. 29) because they're in negotiations with Kay Electric."
"I was out there today visiting with the head over the project.
And Kay Electric had met with them four hours on Friday,"
Huffman said. "They are ready to go, if they get the sense
that we do not want to work with them and not going to go. They
said they could have their line built out to them in five weeks.
So, if we keep dragging our feet, we're not talking about just
losing that part of the casino, there's a possibility we could
lose all that out there, if Kay Electric gets a foothold out
there."
Following Huffman's information, City Clerk Jane Thomas asked,
"What can we do to just get the electric out there and get
them up and going?"
And Harris offered, "I would be willing to scrap everything
but the electric part of this to get this project off the ground."
He noted the electrical upgrade alone would cost $299,000.
While the mayor agreed lowering the cost of the project would
reduce the city's risk, "All I see is we have an offer where
they have offered to reduce the risk to the citizens by $150,000,
and not to take them up on that offer would be to tell the citizens
we want the citizens to be responsible for that."
He said the failure to "iron out" questions was the
fault of the city and the Kaw Nation, who should have been negotiating
on the project.
"So the old saying, poor planning on one party's part does
not necessarily create an emergency on another party's part,"
Gibson said.
"We've only been talking about this project for a very short
time, and it's a bunch of money," he added.
Ford said negotiation would take unnecessary time. "It's
costing us time, it's going to cost them time, and they're going
to continue to talk to [Kay Electric]."
Gibson argued the offer of $150,000 was "an incomplete contract"
and more time was needed to determine the terms of the loan.
"If I vote yes now, the $150,000 will go away," said
Gibson. "There's not a doubt in mind about that. Unless
someone can figure out a way around that."
Gibson's refusal to budge brought a comment from Newkirk resident
Marylin Springer, "They're going to be there. They've got
a track record. They are in good standing with the city, have
always been in good standing.
Now that the construction has started ...they're ready to hook
up and give you more money every month, and we're going to quibble
over $150,000."
Chaney chimed in with a consenting opinion, "The bottom
line is ... this is a customer, this is a good customer, and
we are treating them, in my opinion, deplorably. If we don't
get off this discussion, we're going to lose them as a customer
and the city is going to suffer a lot more than a 'what if.'
"I think we need to this week, make a decision, either tell
them to go to Kay Electric, we don't want their business, which
I think is ludicrous, or we need to figure out a way to finance
this. I think we've got to come to the table and make a decision.
It's time to make a decision and get on with it."
With no action taken, the commission then set a special meeting
for Thursday.
At the start of Thursday's meeting, Gibson informed the commission,
"I'm ready to move to Item 3, and will tell you I will vote
yes on that. So if we need discussion, I'm certainly not opposed
to that, but I wanted to make that announcement."
Gibson's announcement brought a question from Chaney who referred
to a letter from Kay Electric's general manager, Joe Harris,
to the city of Newkirk.
Joe Harris informed the city in the letter that efforts had been
made by the company in June to "facilitate a less contentious
working relationship with the city of Newkirk" to foster
a "partnership of working together for the benefit of Northern
Kay County." Joe Harris, Kay Electric's attorney Jon Ihrig,
Harold Harris, the mayor, and City Attorney Tom Rigdon met in
an "attempt to improve and clarify the professional relationship
concerning Kay Electric's" service in the Newkirk area.
But, he wrote, he was concerned about the city's recent efforts
to serve electricity to a proposed gas compressor plant at the
edge of the city limits, and was especially concerned about a
remark made by the mayor concerning Kay Electric at an August
meeting during discussion of the gas plant.
Joe Harris said the actions and statements indicate Newkirk "does
not want to work together for the benefit of northern Kay County."
He noted that Kay Electric had been requested to make a proposal
regarding electric service to the casino. "The site of the
new casino is outside Newkirk's city limits and is within the
certified territory of Kay Electric," Joe Harris wrote.
"[W]e will be making a very competitive proposal to serve
this new load and have every intention of serving it ... if chosen
by the tribe to do so."
Chaney questioned, " ... having read the letter in our packet,
if we pass this, and we then are informed that the Kaw Nation
is intending to go with Kay Electric, at what point can we not
incur the indebtedness?"
John Johanning, the city's financial adviser for the project,
said there would be at least 30 days work on the bonds, and he
would inform the city of the "point of no return."
"Certainly within that time frame, we would give the city
manager opportunity to visit with the Kaw Nation and come to
at least a gentleman's agreement, that not only have we been
moving forward I think we need to try to put that in a
positive light ... we're now capable and moving forward.
With Harold Harris' agreement to talk to the Kaw Nation, Chaney
made a motion to incur the debt, waive competitive bidding, and
declare an emergency. The vote was unanimous.
Johanning offered a recommendation that the commission borrow
the funds for 20 years, with a "call date" of seven
years, the soonest the bonds could be paid off.
"We've had a long held belief that these types of financing
should be done in ways that least effects the city's current
operations. Normally that is achieved by trying to keep the payments
as low as possible," Johanning said.
He said a 10-year loan of $720,000 would cost $7,450 a month,
at 4.69 percent annual interest; a 15-year bond would be $5,600
monthly at 4.9 percent; the 20-year bond issue will be "roughly"
$4,700 at 5.2 percent.
"We feel it's much more advantageous to be able to extend
the financing to lower the payment," said Johanning, followed
by Ford's motion to incur the debt for 20 years. The motion passed
unanimously.
At Thursday's meeting, no mention was made of the Kaw Nation's
loan offer, though Ford asked to discuss at the next meeting
of the commissioners local financing for immediate funds to buy
necessary equipment.
The city is to open bids for equipment and labor for the electrical
upgrade project next Monday.
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