Published: May 04, 2009 10:31 pm         

2 newly installed commissioners vote on Enid’s future city attorney

Enid city commissioners voted to offer the city attorney position to Andrea Chism following a lengthy executive session Monday night.

The vote to extend her the contract was 5-2, with Ward 2 Commissioner Don Rose and Ward 6 Commissioner Todd Ging opposed.

Voting in favor were Ward 1 Commissioner James Crabbs, Ward 3 Commissioner Lewis Blackburn, Ward 4 Commissioner Drew Ritchie, Ward 5 Commissioner Daron Rudy and Mayor John Criner. This was the first meeting for Blackburn and Ritchie, who took office at the start of the meeting.

Chism currently is assistant city attorney. She will enter into negotiations with the city for the job. She was one of two candidates interviewed previously. The other was Cassandra Williams, who is in private practice in Oklahoma City.

Ging said he was not satisfied with the search.

“One month and limited advertising, I would like to have seen more options,” he said.

Chism did not comment Monday, saying she does not yet have the job but is only in the negotiation stage.

Chism was an administrative assistant and personnel officer for City Manager Eric Benson, a retired Navy captain, when he was base commander of Oceana Naval Air Station. Oceana was one of the bases Chism served at during her stint in the Navy. She also performed those duties at other duty stations.

Benson spoke highly of her, but did not participate in deliberations with the commission. Commissioners called Chism into the executive session Monday and asked additional questions. After recovening the meeting, Criner announced the decision to offer Chism the contract.

Chism’s resume previously raised some concerns over some of the job titles and descriptions she included.

Her resume indicates she previously served as an attorney in the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, but representatives of that office have said Chism only served as a legal intern in the office. Chism said during that period she passed the state bar examination and actually was an attorney, although she had the same job description.

Chism also said on her resume she represented the state in domestic violence cases, prosecuting offenses involving stalking, domestic assault and battery and violation of protective order. However, Russ Allen, finance coordinator for Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, said Chism was employed from Oct. 3, 2007, to June 24, 2008, and during the entire tenure was a legal intern earning $8.94 per hour.

Chism’s resume also indicates she was an assistant district attorney in the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office; however, she in fact served as an assistant district attorney in Tulsa County.

“Under professional experience, that’s Tulsa County. That is a typo on my part,” she said.

Chism was employed with Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office from July 14, 2008, to Nov. 26, 2008, as an assistant district attorney. Her salary at the time she left was $40,000 annually. She was hired as assistant city attorney in Enid on Dec. 1, 2008.

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved a resolution amending the wastewater capital improvement fund by $700,000. Rose originally had asked the issue be tabled because he questioned the additional costs of the project. He said actual expenses could be held back if bids came in high enough to put the project so far over budget it cannot be done. The $700,000 approved is for Jacobs Engineering to provide engineering oversite during the construction project. The contract includes inspection, construction management, management of the new treatment plant at start up and plant specific operation manuals.

• Accepted Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding totaling $503,781 from Oklahoma Department of Commerce. It is a one-time appropriation opportunity provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce and do not require a matching fund expenditure by the city.

Abby Woods, Community Development Block Grant coordinator, is in charge of the program. It is for redevelopment of abandoned or foreclosed homes in Enid.