Three candidates who will be on the ballot for the April 1 election spoke at a fund-raising pie auction for the Eufaula Museum Tuesday, March 25, at the VFW Post 8798
Also, Eufaula School Superintendent Monty Guthrie educated voters about a proposal that would allow the district to improve and expand its facilities.
Incumbent Ward 2 City Councilman Roger Barton was among the speakers, however his challenger, Beverly Ann Ribaudo, was not.
Also speaking were Republican candidates for State Senate District 8, David Nelson and Bryan Logan. Independent candidate Steve Sanford, who is not on Monday’s ballot, also spoke.
The evening also included comments by a number of county officials who were not running for election, including Associate District Judge Brendon Bridges; County Treasurer Betty Whisenhunt; County Assessor Jennifer Ballard; Ward 3 City Councilwoman Evelyn Gulley; and others.
Auctioneer for the evening was Dennis Vangel.
The winner of the state senate race will face Democrat Nathan Brewer and Independent Steve Sandford in a special general election on May 13.
Monty Guthrie
Guthrie expounded upon the need for an almost 24-million-dollar bond initiative that would enable the school district to continue to grow and provide first-rate educational opportunities.
He emphasized that the bond would not add to the millage tax rate, but rather continue the existing millage.
The local millage rate is one of the lowest of 26 school districts of similar size in the state.
Guthrie said two previous bond issues will be paid off in two years.
“This will simply be a continuation of those bonds,” he said.
Passage requires a 60 percent yes vote.
If passed, the bond will provide $14 million for several projects, including an event center, classroom, expansion of school cafeterias, Astroturf for the football field which the band will be able to use for practice.
Approximately $10 million will cover interest and financing fees.
“Do the right thing, go vote on April 1. Number two, please continue to invest in our schools,” he said.
Roger Barton
(City Council Candidate)
Incumber Ward 2 City Councilman Roger Barton, a life-long Eufaula resident, emphasized his experience on the Council and told those who gathered at the event there is still a lot of work to be done.
He noted that as a councilmember he has served under three mayors and four city managers.
“I have seen so many changes in Eufaula in my lifetime,” he said.
If he is elected, he said his first priority is to help chose a new city manager.
Jeb Jones resigned earlier this month after three years and the board hired Andrea Weckmueller-Berhinger to serve as interim while the council begins its search for a permanent city manager.
He noted that the city is finishing up a major water and sewer project and now must address the issue of streets.
“Before the water project, the city was losing 65 percent of its water,” Burton said. “Now, we’re down to about 10 percent.”
As to streets, a recent vote to raise the city sales tax by 1 cent failed, forcing the council to go back to the drawing board.
Barton said the city is limited on how to get funds for streets.
A grant would be great, but Eufaula is in competition with other cities and so the chances of getting one are slim.
The other ways to get money are to borrow or to increase taxes.
Steve Sandford
Independent candidate Steve Sanford of Henryetta, who will face Democrat Nathan Brewer and the Republican winner of the April 1 election on May 13, is on the Henryetta City Council and serves as vice mayor.
He focused on improving the education system in Oklahoma, including vocational training.
“In 2011 Oklahoma was NO. 17 in the nation in education, now we are almost at the bottom,” Sandford said.
He says he wants to find a way to fix things and make things better.
“As an independent, I don’t care about Republican or Democrat,” he said.
Sandford is a small businessman and has been a convoy driver and flight operations coordinator.
He is running for office to make a difference.
“If you want to make a difference, you had better put yourself in a position where you can make a difference.”
David Nelson
(House District 8 Candidate)
Nelson, a Republican candidate for Oklahoma State Senate, is retired military with 20 years of service who has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, among other combat zones.
1994 Morris High School graduate. He joined the Army in 1995 and served as a fire support specialist before volunteering for the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. Over six years, he earned the Ranger tab, jump master wings, and completed four combat deployments.
In 2003, David entered flight training, graduating as a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot in 2005. He served six years in the 101st Airborne Division, completing three additional combat tours, and finished his military career at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
He speaks in a rapid-fire cadence that emphasizes his energy and enthusiasm.
Born in Oklahoma City and raised in Okmulgee County, since retirement he has worked in the oil-and-gas industry and devoted much of his time to community service.
During his presentation, he emphasized his leadership qualities and his knowledge of a wide range of issues important to voters.
He says he is committed to efficiency in government, economic growth and collaboration.
“My desire to serve still there after 20 years in the military,” he said.
He said his decision to enter politics came a couple of years ago during hunting season.
“I was in a deer stand and I prayed for how to use my God-given talents,” he said. “Then this happened, and it made sense to me, to represent everyone. I want to represent all of you and I would like to have your vote.”
Bryan Logan
(House District 8 Candidate)
Logan is a minister, rancher and building contractor in the small town of Paden, population 419, in Okfuskee County northwest of Okemah.
“I don’t have any jokes. I just want to thank you for allowing us to be here tonight,” said the father of two and grandfather of two.
Logan talked of his diverse experiences that prepared him for public office.
He became a carpenter after attending vo-tech school and a building contractor.
He has been a minister for 15 years.
In 2007 he became a building inspector for the Sac and Fox Tribe, then an environmental specialist and then a building inspector for the City of Shawnee and a program manager for community development bloc grants.
“In 2021 I became a full-time building contractor and pastor,” he said.
Logan is tenacious and no stranger to hard work.
“Everybody that has ran knows it’s hard work. When I was a kid my grandfather taught me to ride a horse. He said, ‘you’ve always go to hold on because you never know what’s going to happen.’”
It’s a lesson he has carried with him his whole life.
District 8 lies south of the Tulsa metro area and encompasses all of Okfuskee, Okmulgee and McIntosh counties, as well as parts of Creek and Muskogee counties. The seat is open because former Senate Appropriations and Budget Chairman Roger Thompson (R-Okemah) retired.
