[ARRL-OK] Mustang City Issue

[Eddie Manley]

This note is to re-assure you that we are watching the Mustang city 
ordinance VERY closely.  Oklahoma Section Manager Dean Feken [KL7MA] sent 
John Thomason [WB5SYT] Vice Director and Eddie Manley [K5EMS] Ass't Section 
Manager for Oklahoma to this meeting and we are aware of the issues.   We 
all feel that the  DRAFT ordinance burdens amateur radio.  We provided 
support for local operators, John Ripley [KD5WFT] and Ray Ireton [N5VIU], 
and they did an outstanding job presenting opposition to the proposed 
ordinance. Remember that these licensees are citizens in this community they 
will have the most influence with their City Council.  We very much 
appreciated the input from the Canadian County EM, also.
No one at this meeting was aware of our State Law which prohibits a City 
ordinance from doing this [Title 11-55-103] (please read this law and use 
it!!)
Let's see what the City and local operators come up with.   Then we might 
need your help and support in Mustang.  As I said, your ARRL representatives 
are watching this very closely.

Below is an email from John Thomason
==============================================
"Gentlemen:

City Council agrees to cooperate with Amateur Radio !

Last night the Mustang (suburb sw of Oklahoma City)  City Council met to 
review changes to their Municipal Codes pertinent to Amateur Radio tower 
codes. A large group of Amateur Radio operators were present and discussed 
the punitive nature (lot size, antenna height limitation, user fees and 
required inspections) of the proposed changes to the codes. And, to advise 
that the proposed changes did not appear to be in compliance with  PRB-1 nor 
the Oklahoma parallel legislation passed in 2007.

John Ripley-KD5WFT & Ray Ireton-N5VIU coordinated the local group's  robust 
appearance with the presentation including discussion by the city emergency 
management personnel.  Present for the city council meeting, and providing 
League support, were John Thomason-WB5SYT and Eddie Manley-K5EMS, West Gulf 
Division Vice Director and OK Section Assistant Section Manager, 
respectively.

The Mustang City Council voted to meet soon with the Amateur Radio operators 
to develop a joint plan to be mutually beneficial.

Local ABC affiliate KOCO-5 news carried a report of the Council meeting 
early in its 10 p.m. broadcast. The television reporters stressed the role 
that Amateur Radio volunteers play in providing critical communication 
support when disasters arise. Portions of interviews with John Ripley and 
John Thomason, along with the City Manager, were included in the news 
coverage. The story concluded with the information that the city and the 
Amateur Radio volunteers hope to meet together next week to work out 
solutions.

73, John Thomason-WB5SYT 
http://www.koco.com/video/19986409/index.html
Vice-Director, West Gulf Division
405 326 1800 "