By Daniel Lapham,

The Mustang City Council approved two contracts Tuesday night, one for new telecommunications equipment for city facilities and another for new lighting installation along East Thunderbird Way.

Finance director Janet Watts presented two bids to the council, one from Chickasaw Telecom Inc. for $87,324.33 for equipment and services for five years, and the other from Travis Voice and Data for $84,833.33, which included only the first year of support.

“We recommend going with the lowest overall bidder, Chickasaw Telecom,” Watts said.

Ward 6 Councilman Jess Schweinberg asked how much the city had budgeted for the new equipment.

“We budgeted $85,000,” Watts said. “Chickasaw Telecom gave us an $87,000 bid, but agreed to provide for our needs for our budget amount by taking our old equipment in trade. I purchased that equipment in 1989.”

After unanimous approval of the telecommunications contract, the council approved an agreement with Oklahoma Gas and Electric for new lighting along East Thunderbird Way. Assistant City Manager Justin Battles told the council the offer came in under the budgeted $45,000 for the project.

In other business the council declared “Trick or Treat” night in Mustang to be Friday, Oct. 31, and declared September as “Pain Awareness Month.”

Ward 3 Councilwoman Linda Bowers was the only vote against the declaration, voicing her feelings that the designation should be more positive.

“I think it would be better to proclaim it health and wellness month or something like that rather than something negative,” she said.

The last business took place in executive session as the council discussed a current Canadian County District Court lawsuit between the Quail Lake Estates Homeowners Association and the city of Mustang. No information was presented on the case in the open meeting.