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Annual Update

December 12, 2025

Annual Update:

It has been a very busy and rewarding year for Hughes County RWD #6!

To be concise much of this update will be very brief on many things, to that point, we encourage every customer to visit our website (HughesRWD6.com), call (580-892-3677), email (RWD-6@hotmail.com), or come visit us in the office (716 Elder Ave. Gerty, Ok) with any questions or concerns about your water service provider. We as staff and management try very hard to make certain each customer can proudly say we are part of the best water system in Oklahoma. Pristine water quality, exceptional customer service, and the assurance that our water system is sustainable to thrive for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, are values instilled in every part of our business. Several significant highlights and accomplishments of the past year will be mentioned in this update.

Elections were held at the annual meeting of membership to fill the expiring term of Mr. Winston Beavert. Mr. Beavert has served very graciously since 2019, with integrity and honor, bringing valuable insight and leadership to our board of governance. He did not seek re-election; to which Mr. Theron Griffith graciously agreed to serve and was nominated and elected November 11, 2025, to fill this seat. We are excited to have Mr. Griffith on our board of directors and looking forward to his valuable experience and leadership to guide our business forward. The Board of Directors now consists of Mr. Skip Powell, Chairman, Mrs. Sandy Stafford, Vice-chair, Mr. Greg Meyer, Secretary/Treasurer, Mr. Willis Rinehart, Director and Mr. Theron Griffith, Director.

The Board of Directors addressed rates and budget at the December 9th meeting. This is one of the hardest tasks asked of a director, as they too are rate payers and customers. In the boardroom, they are obligated to put the business first, above personal feelings, hardships, friendships, or emotions, to lead our district into a sustainable future. After much discussion and evaluation of presentations by representatives from ORWA, and engineers, the board voted to adjust rates in accordance with the 10-year rate plan which was developed to keep the district in compliance with the law, provide premium customer service, and used as a pathway to maintain sustainable water service into the future. The new rates and other documents are posted on the districts website under Forms and Reports (HughesRWD6.com).

Hughes RWD 6 has completed work on upgrading approximately 4.5 miles of 2-inch water line to 6-inch water line. This project was accomplished with funding in the amount of 1 million dollars from OWRB in the form of an ARPA grant. This will greatly improve our entire system’s hydraulics and increase our capacity to serve our customers for years to come.

Funding provided by our state legislature, which is through DEQ and the Oklahoma Rural Water Association, as a Rural Infrastructure Grant (RIG), has assisted our district in acquiring a new mini-excavator and trailer. This is very significant as our backhoe is 26 years old and depreciating significantly. Having more reliable and efficient equipment to do repairs and set meters is a significant asset. Huge gains to our district in which our rate payers only fund 25% of the cost.  A separate RIG funded project is the change out of approximately 300 meters in our newly acquired territory. Replacing the aged meters will help with meter accuracy, consistency in service, availability of data, and numerous operational advantages.

Moving forward we do have big plans for this area of our system. We are currently preparing to take bids on a booster station project (funded with a RIG grant up to $100,000) which will help with pressure and supply issues that have been ongoing for years. This project is also necessary for us to be able to temporarily take the Spaulding tower out of service for rehabilitation.  Plans are ongoing to have both water towers north of the river completely serviced, updated, and brought into compliance with all the standards that have changed since they were built.

To summarize and follow up from the last annual report:

  1. FEMA assistance was received in the amount of $97,010.00 to repair storm damage.
  2. The annual audit was completed for fiscal year ended August 31,2025 by Bledsoe, Hewett & Gullekson, who presented and reviewed it with the Board of Directors, stating the district has very good policies, processes and procedures throughout the business. Also stating Hughes RWD 6 is financially stable and in compliance with all the rules and regulations applicable to their audit. No misstatements, errors or omissions were reported, and an unmodified opinion was rendered. Mr. Gullekson’s presentation to the Board went on to say that he was impressed with staff and board for the diligence and effectiveness in the governance and management of our organization.
  3. Everyone knows about the acquisition of the former Hughes RWD 4 system. We are proud to report that after 11 months, customer service is improving for those members, the cost share per customer has been reduced throughout the entire system, and several issues are being addressed.

Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Amanda Tollet to our staff! Amanda joined the team in February 2025, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to our office. We are excited to always be improving customer service and growing our expertise to better serve our customers, and the business of Hughes County RWD 6.

In conclusion, The Board and staff of Hughes County RWD 6 would encourage every customer to subscribe to our website (https://hughesrwd6.com/subscribe) and confirm or update your contact information with us. It is truly an honor and privilege to serve you, our customers. Everyone is welcome to reach out with questions, suggestions, and a kind word is ALWAYS appreciated.

Sheldon Tatum

District Manager
Hughes County RWD 6