Published: April 07, 2008 04:56 pm            

Not about the money

City leaders in Covington serve for the citizens, not pay

COVINGTON — James Postier isn’t in it for the money. The retired truck driver earns $25 a month for his duties as mayor of Covington.

“If you serve in a small town, you’re sure not doing it for the money,” Postier, a Covington native, said. “You’re doing it to help the citizens of the town.”

Assisting Postier on the town board are Jack Snyder, vice-mayor, Sherry Sterling, Jeremy Kaiser and Ann Knopfel, trustees.

The issues facing Covington aren’t different from those other smaller municipalities face, Postier said. They struggle with providing good utilities at affordable rates, replacing aging infrastructure and meeting the ever-changing needs of Covington.

Money, according to Snyder, is a big factor in what they can and can’t do.

“We’re always short on money,” he said, adding that grants provide extra funding for the town.

Kaiser said it’s a challenge to get ahead with projects because money is tight.

“We’ve got a lot of problems that other small cities have,” Postier said. “But we’ve got great people in our town. We’re trying to deal with the problems.”

Currently the town board is looking into hiring a full-time police officer to serve Covington, population 553, according to 2000 census data.

Covington is home to four churches, one bar, a convenience store, beauty shops, a farmer’s co-op, and a bank. There’s a new business in town called “Oops,” (Ounce of Protection Services), which sells fire, first aid and safety supplies.

Many other locally-owned businesses help make Covington a relatively self-contained community.

“Without the small businesses, day-to-day life in Covington would be affected,” Kaiser said. It’s a 40-minute round-trip drive to Enid from Covington, and having places to shop in town makes life easier for Covington citizens, Kaiser said.

Covington-Douglas Public Schools is located in Covington, and Postier described it as “one of the best schools in Garfield County.”

“We work so well together, the town and the school,” Kaiser said.

Postier, who moved back to Covington in 1999 after living in California for 35 years, said the most rewarding part of serving in town government is having the ability to help people and solve their problems.

“Once you get into Covington, you can’t help but help out,” Kaiser, a town board member since July 2007, said. “That sums up the mentality of the place.”