The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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Discussion

January 12, 2009

Berry recommends recording stats on sales, purchases, etc.

By Robert Barron, Staff Writer

Retailers want to understand their sales, knowing where they are coming from and whether they will be higher or lower in six months. Bob Berry wants businesses to be able to know when sales will fluctuate.

“Our big industries are agriculture and oil and gas. If oil prices continue to decline, you will have decreasing sales, but if agriculture is high you will sell more furniture,” he said.

Berry spoke Monday night to the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission. He told members about statistics reflecting the top-selling products by specific inventory code that are available from the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Berry said the city of Enid should hire a consultant to track sales leakage, purchasing of products outside Enid and fluctuations of the market. He said the city should keep the statistics so they will be in the public domain and available to everyone.

The top sales categories in Enid during 2008 were general merchandise, food and eating places. Also high on the list are utilities and building materials. Berry predicted a bad year for building materials in 2009.

Berry called for a public-private partnership to improve retail sales and thus sales tax collected.

“It will cost the public and private sector something, but it will have immediate visible and financial pay back,” he said.

Berry urged the city to begin addressing the needs he outlined to combat regional and national trends, because Enid business is currently better than the nation as a whole.

In other business, an ordinance to bring Enid sidewalks into Americans with Disabilities Act standards was tabled due to questions on wording from MAPC member John Merz.

Commissioners took no action on a proposal to waive some development requirements for Candlewood Inn and Suites on West Garriott.

Members approved an amendment to the 2025 comprehensive plan changing the designation in the 100 block of South Oakwood from low intensity residential designation to medium commercial intensity. The applicant, Bud Nicholas, sought the change for a vacant lot. He proposes to build a retail building on the site.

A companion item rezoning the area for commercial development was approved. The zoning changed the property from R-2 residential to C-3 commercial zoning.

A lot split requested by Lynn Unruh in the Pheasant Run Golf Community, 1125 Winchester, also was approved.

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