A Small City with Promise
Sallisaw has the potential for growth and re-growth, stability and prosperity, and a meaningful quality of life for its residents. The key attributes we can strive for include:
-
- Economic growth
- Infrastructure and urban planning
- Community engagement
- Educational opportunities
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
- Quality of life
- Sustainable development
Selected Web Links
-
- Interactive ownership Map
- FEMA floodplain Map
- Gov’t Census for Sallisaw
- City Budget for FY 2023
- City Budget for FY 2024
- City Budget for FY 2025
- Summarized budgets
- City Clerk Search Portal
- Customer Feedback Form
- Sallisaw’s Archives
- Sallisaw’s City Government page
- Sallisaw’s Public Records process page
- Sallisaw’s Title VI Plan
- Police Chief Ordinance Section 54-31
- Wards One; Two; Three; and Four
- Oklahoma Statutes Title 11. Cities and Towns
- Sallisaw Distinctions
A Small City with Four Wards
The city is loosely arranged geographically into four political wards, each with an elected Commissioner. While not entirely accurate, Maple/Cedar Streets separates the city’s East and West portions. Cherokee separates North from South. Counterclockwise:
Ward 1 includes Highway 59, which connects to Stilwell (population 3,700) , and mixed-use and semi-rural housing. The a water park is under construction on the north side of Redwood Street near the Sequoyah Hospital. Newer homes and neatly kept neighborhood streets are on the west portions of the ward.
Ward 2 includes newer subdivisions and older portions of the city’s original residential areas. Driving west, the ward connects to Vian (population 1,400) and Blue Ribbon Downs on State Highway 64. The Cherokee Casino and Sallisaw’s upper grade schools are in the In the southeast corner of the Ward. Driving North within city limits, Maple Street reverts to it’s name of highway 17 toward the city-owned Brushy Lake and Marble City (population 150).
Ward 3 wraps around the municipal airport and cemetery with southward business growth, beginning with the VA hospital facility under construction and a new fuel/convenience store. Southbound highway 59 leads to Poteau (population 9,100) and Stigler (population 2,800).
Ward 4 includes most of historic downtown, government offices and Highway 64, which connects to Muldrow (3,300), as well as a large sports complex and the lower grade schools. Recently revamped on-off ramps from US highway I-40 makes for a convenient access to East Sallisaw. Despite convenient connection with I-40 Cherokee street as a business corridor has faded in recent years.
As of September 24, 2024, the city board is:
-
- Mayor, Mr. Ernie Martens
- Ward 1, Mr. Kenny Moody
- Ward 2, Mr. Josh Bailey
- Ward 3, Mr. Julian Mendiola
- Ward 4, Mr. Brad Hamilton
A council-manager city
This video contrasts a Council-Mayor form of government to a Council-Manager government. Sallisaw is the latter.
Visit ICMA to review fourteen practices for effective leadership in local government. Or, download a pdf version for ICMA’s descriptions of leadership.
A Small City with Traditional Values
Sallisaw includes young families and senior householders and reflects a down-to-earth, semirural lifestyle focusing on activities such as online computer games, renting movies, indoor gardening, hunting, and fishing. Many residents keep their finances simple, paying bills in person and avoiding debt, which reflects the community’s practical and straightforward approach to financial management.
Figure 1 illustrates the city divided into four Wards (link). Download the Ward Map (pdf), and Zoning Map (pdf). Each ward is represented by an elected Commissioner (link), and the city as a whole is represented by an elected mayor.
Sallisaw’s City Manager prepares a city budget each year and presents it for approval to the City of Sallisaw Board of Commissioners and others.
Most of Sallisaw’s residents prefer a price-conscious approach, using coupons at discount centers and relying on television or newspapers to stay informed. Others are more likely to carry credit card balances and use convenience stores for fuel and incidentals.
Sallisaw is a semirural lifestyle with domestic trucks, SUVs, ATVs, and vegetable gardens. Residents enjoy outdoor activities like hunting and fishing and watching sporting events like college football and basketball on TV or streaming media.
A large senior population visits doctors and health practitioners regularly. Many households favor convenience over cooking—such as frozen meals and fast food. Home improvement is not a priority, but vehicle maintenance is.
-
- Emphasis on community ties and a community-oriented lifestyle
- Preference for convenience in daily life
- Enjoyment of outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing
- Reliance on television and streaming for entertainment and staying informed
- Use of discount stores for shopping favoring budget-conscious shopping
A Small City According to ESRI
Tapestry Types (large pdf) from ESRI are commonly used by large businesses to understand the market and other geographical dynamics. ESRI’s approach identifies broad similarities between groups by evaluating lifestyle, living conditions, education, geography, interests, and buying patterns. There are many other similar factors to consider.
Understanding a city’s opportunities and risks is useful for wisely managing growth and change. Making an honest assessment is important – the positive and negative. However, we also risk allowing our biases to influence and skew perspectives. It’s crucial to be cautious and attentive to these potential risks. I appreciate this CODEX of Biases when making such an assessment.
According to ESRI, we are “Hometown living” with “Small town sincerity.” We generally have traditional values with a dash of Senior-living lifestyles. Gen X-urban has influenced Sallisaw dynamics in recent years. The surrounding rural areas would be described as Cozy country living, Salt of the Earth, and Green acres.
ESRI’s descriptions of Rural bypasses, Rustic outposts, and Prairie living describe some of the surrounding areas. To fully describe the City of Sallisaw, a description of the surrounding area is also necessary.
A Small City with Differing Needs
The Cherokee Nation influences the City’s citizens in several ways. Many residents are members of the Cherokee Nation. A highly visible casino is an example of this importance.
Sallisaw’s residents, experience diverse neighborhoods, challenges, pockets of community spirit, and genuine opportunity not presently fully realized. It is a tight-knit community with long-established, familiar family names serving as an advantage for some, pre-judgment toward others, and often with caution toward unfamiliar surnames.
While most of Sallisaw is described as lower-middle—and middle-class families, we grapple with poverty, limited employment, housing issues, and other social problems. Sallisaw also has pockets of affluence characterized by large homes, manicured lawns, and new cars on the drive.
Our citizenry includes single people, parents with children at home, married couples with and without children, and seniors. This array is typical of most small cities. However, we have a significant drop in the number of young adults, as depicted in Figure 2, is likely a result of a combination of factors such as the group pursuing further education elsewhere and a scarcity of well-paying entry-level jobs.
A similar decline is observed in the late middle-aged demographic in Sallisaw. Still, the population starts to increase again in the elderly years.
Possibly, empty-nesters are preparing for retirement elsewhere. The uplift in population count for the elderly is possibly attributable to the elder-care facilities available.
A Small City with Tradition
Imagine a strong sense of citizen engagement for those wanting engagement but also providing for others, such as visitors and traveling professionals. Together, we can encourage active participation from residents of all age groups.
We can enlist local organizations and draw from government agencies to host civic activities such as city-wide and smaller community events.
We can leverage our traditions into a renewed, elevated sense of unity and pride. Sallisaw already has a variety of traditions ranging from school sports, rodeos, parades, and holiday traditions. These are a strength we can build from.
A Small City with Education Resources
Our city can emphasize convenient access to quality education, including robust K-12 schools and higher education institutions (CASC and ICTC) supporting the commitment to nurturing a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
Our city’s career and college systems already provide a wealth of skills development and business-aligned courses. However, ICTC and CASC offer services and learning experiences that the city can partner with in new ways. For example, ICTC has a partnership with OK APEX Accelerators. Especially with the VA facility, emerging small businesses may be able to leverage this into various government contracts.
Both campuses have facilities that could be used for various community events. Presently, these are under-utilized (in my opinion).
about zoning
This explanation compares Sallisaw Zoning Ordinances to State Statutes. The zoning regulations here allow for local flexibility. State laws provide for a great deal of municipal flexisbility.
Sallisaw’s ordinances create different zoning districts, like A-1 Agricultural District and R-1 One-Family Residence District, which provide clear rules for land use in the city. This system lets local leaders adjust zoning rules to meet the specific needs of their community, rather than just following broad state guidelines.
Our ordinances give the planning commission the power to decide boundaries for zoning districts and suggest changes based on local situations. This local authority can make zoning rules more responsive to what the residents of Sallisaw want, rather than waiting for state decisions.
Sallisaw’s zoning rules also allow new land brought into the city to be temporarily categorized as A-1 or A-2 until a public hearing can decide on a permanent classification. This quick assignment speeds up the development process, offering more flexibility than state laws usually do.
These zoning differences have a significant effect on local development by theoretically helping the city manage land use and address the unique needs of the community. For instance, specific zoning districts aimed at the local economy can support responsible growth, improve property values, and enhance community planning.
This flexibility, though, requires public input for zoning changes. Ideally, Sallisaw’s zoning commmission encourages residents to participate in local development decisions, strengthening democratic involvement at the local level.
From a review of the relevant ordinances and state statutes, I am unable to to discern the extent the public is engaged with the various decisions. But our zoning regulations are based on state laws well, and they allow for flexible control over land use and development in the city.
Summary
Sallisaw is a small city that holds promise for growth, stability, and a high quality of life for its residents. The community strives toward economic development, urban planning, and community engagement. The lifestyle here is semi-rural, blending traditional values with contemporary conveniences. Many residents engage in outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, while also favoring budget-friendly shopping practices, utilizing coupons, and frequenting discount stores.
Despite its potential, Sallisaw faces challenges related to poverty, limited employment opportunities, and housing issues. The city is characterized by a diverse blend of neighborhoods, with established family names creating a tight-knit community atmosphere. However, the decline in younger residents suggests a trend where many seek higher education elsewhere, coupled with a lack of well-paying entry-level jobs. In contrast, while there’s a noticeable drop in the late middle-aged demographic, the elderly population is on the rise, indicating that empty nesters are preparing for retirement in this evolving landscape.
John Honeycutt Sallisaw City Manager Applicant