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The Bartlesville City Council received bids for general obligation bonds at Monday evening meeting at city hall.

Firstly, the council received four bids for series 2018A bonds in the sum of $9.725 million. On the ten-year term bond the low bidder was BOK Financial in Dallas. The bid had an interest rate of 2.568%. JP Morgan Securities posted a bid a 2.62% but was not selected. The council moved to accept BOK Financial’s bid at the recommendation of Jon Wolff of Municipal Financial Services.

The council also approved an ordinance authorizing actions necessary for the issuance and delivery of bonds.

The series 2018B bonds had two bidders. The lowest bid came from Hutchinson, Shockey & Early out of Chicago, Illinois at 2.43% interest. Wolff explained that the bond needed to be issued in two series to be in accordance with the Oklahoma Constitution.

The city staff also agreed to hire Strategic Government Resources in order to help conduct a search for a new police chief. Current Police Chief Tom Holland announced his retirement last month and his last day will be July 6.

SGR will assist the city staff in finding qualified candidates, while the city will have final authority in the hiring process. City manager Mike Bailey will put together a management team to make the final hire. City Director of Human Resources Shellie McGill estimates the process will take 60-70 days.

Also on the agenda was the appointment of Brad Doenges to the Tower Green Design Committee as the representative from the Price Tower Arts Center. Maria Gus was also added to the committee to represent the Community Center Trust Authority.