Cathy Culp

Loving, cheerful, beautiful, humble, welcoming, funny, sincere, and even good-looking are just some of the words used to describe Cathy Dawnette Culp.

She held many badges of honor, some of which included wife, daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, cousin, aunt, but most importantly, friend.

She was born April 29, 1959, in Great Bend, Kan., and was raised in Hennessey.

Living with her daddy, Harold, and momma, Lorna, she and her sister Cheryl could be found at the local swimming pool or around town looking for something ornery to get into.

Cathy was so proud of her Hennessey letterman’s jacket where she played basketball and was a baton twirler for the Eagles. Graduating in the class of 1977 was something she boasted, never losing touch with her high school friends, always rekindling old friendships at each of her high school reunions.

Going to Stillwater to take classes at Oklahoma State University opened her up to a whole new world where she was blessed with finally finding her true calling, motherhood.

Zachary Glenn and Megan Rae were her ultimate pride and joy.

If you have ever heard of a real life Cinderella story, enter Charles Jason Culp.

When Cathy and Jay locked eyes that first time there was no looking away. She had finally met her knight in shining armor.

Starting a beautiful life together, they welcomed Jason Neal and Lorna-Jean completing their circle as a family of six.

What came next? Grandchildren, becoming a MoMo to Aubrey Caitlynn, Kade William, Lillian Reese, Harrison Steel, Penelope GlennaRae and Thaddeus Creed.

Cathy was a smart, caring, involved and amazing person to say the least. She had a spirit that made every person who crossed her feel special.

She had a gift of illuminating love, compassion and courage to all she knew. Cathy was a fighter and had a flame that would fill any room.

Heaven gained an amazing spirit on Dec. 15, 2020, when Cathy went to join so many loved ones who had been anxiously awaiting her arrival.

Although we were not ready to let Cathy go, we have to take solace knowing it is our honor to celebrate her life and find everlasting comfort knowing her legacy will always live on through each of us.

We love you, rest peacefully sweet angel.

Celebration of Cathy’s life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27, at her home - 1112 E. 13th, Cushing.

A celebration of Cathy’s life will be held in Hennessey at a later date.abate the nuisance,” Harrison said.

“What I’m hearing is that you want to see those start to come here more. The mechanism to do it is already there but so many people are adverse to going that step. If that’s what you want to see happpen, make sure it’s clear.”

Slezickey said commissioners could help the code enforcement officer by cleaning up the code.

“Trailers are mentioned in three different chapters. I think this has made code enforcement that much harder,” he said. “If we want to enforce every code, I need to hire 10 more people to do that.

“Just review it (existing code) and let us know what you want to see there.”

Construction Materials

A fairly recent city code revision requires metal buildings of a certain size to have a certain percentage of nonmetal construction materials used on the front and sides.

The provision has been the topic of considerable debate at city commission meetings when residents have applied for conditional use permits to circumvent the requirement, as allowed by the code.

“The State Legislature has since said that we (municipalities) can’t restrict building composites,” Slezickey said. “We’re grandfathered in, but we don’t have much wiggle room to make changes on our ordinance (without losing grandfather status.)”

Slezickey said one change discussed at the retreat was increasing the size of buildings which must meet the ordinance’s requirements for nonmetal materials.

“Maybe a compromise is that the structure has to have something other than metal on side that’s facing outward,” Mecklenburg said

“It’s all how you define things,” Harrison said. “The current code requires 40 % of front and 25 % of sides be nonmetal.”

Mecklenburg said he would be more reluctant to approve future conditional use permits that vary from the code requirement.

“Unless there’s an outstanding circumstance as to how someone shouldn’t have to meet the code, then I’m going to vote with the code,” he said.

Harrison said commissioners always have the option of not taking action regarding alleged code violations.

“Remember that you all can very well do nothing and leave it to homeowners associations,” he said.

“If one isn’t in place and residents don’twantXYZin their neighborhoods, then they can form an association (to impose their own regulations).

“You’re not the last line of defense in making things look the way the community wants them to look.”

In other business, city commissioners voted to:

• Approve meeting dates for all public bodies for 2021 (lists are available on the city’s website at kingfisher.org.)

• Approve an interlocal agreement with Kingfisher County to provide 911 dispatch services for Kingfisher fire and police.

• Approved a new sales and use tax agreement with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, reflecting the reduction of the city’s tax to 3 % after the 1/3 cent HEART tax expired.

• Awarded a contract to Orr Construction of Davenport in the amount of $78,812.93 for grading and earthwork for Newfield Community Park. Orr submitted the lowest of eight bids for the work.

• Approved a new $375,000 grant applicaton for additional work to be done by Kingfisher Trails Inc. in and around Newfield Community Park. The city’s cash outlay would be for preparation of the grant application only, as funds previously received would serve as the city’s required match.

• Approved an expenditure of $24,892 with Trane for replacing controls in the rooftop cooling unit at the Vernie Snow Aquatic Center. A fan and pump also were replaced at no charge to the city because they were under warranty. Slezickey said he will be investigating why the controls also weren’t under warranty.

• Approved an expenditure of $34,776.67 for repairs to the golf course irrigation system, after some discussion as to whether the expense fell under the city or the Kingfisher Golf Association’s responsibility.

• Approved budget amendments.