KINGFISHER — “It takes cooperation to get things done. You have to have people working together,” said Kingfisher City Manager Richard Reynolds.

Reynolds was discussing a number of projects being done by the city, some that started as long as two years ago. A group of Kingfisher residents met seven or eight years ago to discuss what was happening to their downtown and possibilities for the future.

“If you let the downtown deteriorate, no matter how good it is, you still have a bad taste in your mouth for the town,” Reynolds said. “(U.S.) 81 is where we do business.”

The group set goals and did drawings and made plans for the future. Among the ideas was contacting Oklahoma Department of Transpor-tation for stimulus money, which partially was matched by the city for work on sidewalks. The sidewalk work, which is ongoing, will make the downtown area Americans With Disabilities Act compliant and will eliminate overhead wiring. A downtown sound system is being installed, and electrical lines are being buried. Tree wells have been constructed, and trees will be planted in November.

A vacant building, which started out as a privately owned senior citizens center, has expanded its use into a center where many groups gather.

Several projects still are in the works.

About five years ago Reynolds was on an economic development trip that toured the city of Durant. He said the trip was enlightening.

“It’s incredible what they have done,” he said. “The key was everybody working together and being in agreement.”

Reynolds believes Kingfisher can do the same, but it will take cooperation between the city council, chamber of commerce, banks and industry. So far, they all have been helpful, he said. The people in the community also see the city is making progress.

Reynolds said his city council is a blessing to him because members are frugal, but also want progress. A group of small towns, including Kingfisher, have joined to form a regional economic development group called CORD, Central Oklahoma Regional Development. The purpose is to create development and to stress cooperation among various groups.

Several years ago, the city’s only theater burned down and a group of Kingfisher businessmen started a project to build a new one. That theater, the 89’er, has three screens and does good business from the Kingfisher area. One of the community banks recently completed a $1 million remodeling effort, and a restaurant, Timber Lodge, has opened, giving the community what Reynolds referred to as “a really nice dinner restaurant.”

The city also is in the process of remodeling or replacing its water tower and has received a $235,000 grant from Northern Oklahoma Development Authority. That money will either pay half or one-third of the cost, whichever project the city chooses to do.

After an August 2007 flood, Union Pacific Railroad agreed to extend a bridge that will relieve much water pressure, Reynolds said. Union Pacific also has installed two large culverts that help drain water on the south side of the city.

The city built two miles of pavement, which includes water, sewer and electric, to the new Wal-Mart Supercenter and the nearby Kingfisher Regional Hospital south of town.

This work has been done without saddling the city with large debt, Reynolds said.

“Our sales taxes are down about 4 percent from average, which is tolerable,” he said.

The city council still is trying to be frugal while still being progressive. During all of the other activity, the city also is paving its high-traffic streets. The city chipped in $300,000 for the paving work and another $700,000 came from a 10-year bank note. Reynolds said he is thankful for previous city councils and mayors who were frugal with city funds.

“We had a nice balance to work with,” he said.

Another project the city has begun is remodeling a historic ballfield. Chesapeake Energy has promised to furnish the labor for the remodeling, and the city will provide the materials. The city also recently built a skateboard park, which is well attended by local skateboarders.

Since the 2007 flood, the city also has been purchasing property in the flood plain area, Reynolds said, and received $4 million in bond money from the state to assist with that project. Reynolds said there also is Federal Emergency Management Authority money available. The city hopes to obtain between $2 million and $5 million to help eliminate damage from floods on the north, east and west sides of town.

When Reynolds thinks about what has been done it makes his proud.

“Up and down (U.S.) 81, a lot of little towns have dried up,” he said.

The biggest problem along the way has been revenue. Reynolds said the city council wants to do the things they need to do, but also keep a reserve in the treasury. If another flood or ice storm hits Kingfisher, the city must have funds available to deal with it, he said.

Reynolds would like to see young business people start developing businesses along the east-west corridor through town, instead of having all of the development downtown.

“There will always be problems, but if you are doing the right thing and spending tax money wisely, people interested will want to make Kingfisher viable, so people will want to move here,” Reynolds said.