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About Joe Johnson Eufaula Oklahoma – Updated

Joe Johnson- Editor – Mayor – Judge – Chief Justice – Career Manager

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Joe Johnson Judge Mayor Eufaula Oklahoma

Joe Johnson of Eufaula, Oklahoma, has worn many hats during his career. During college he was a student leader and got involved in campus politics. He was also the editor of the student newspaper while studying journalism. He went on to be the editor of two different weekly’s the Hartshorne Sun and the state’s oldest the Indian Journal. He ran and won five different terms as Eufaula’s full time Mayor. Johnson served as the Municipal Judge for six years. He was appointed to the Mvskoke Creek nation supreme court by three different chiefs and was selected by the courts other Justices to be the Chief Justice for ten years. Currently he is a managing partner for a large career consulting firm and manages offices in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Kansas City. They help executives find the right career.

Years ago, Joe Johnson was covering the city council while working for the local paper. He didn’t like some of the things he saw, and being young and brash, he thought he could do a better job. He was a junior in college at OU studying pre-law with the intention of going to law school and coming back to Eufaula and joining his friend and mentor Ken Lackey as his partner.  Joe’s friend who owned the Sun newspaper decided to run for state representative. He ask Joe to set out a semester and edit his paper while he ran for office. His friend wound up losing the race and there was not room for both of them in the paper at Hartshorne so Joe returned to Eufaula. He went back to work for the Indian Journal. He felt like the mayor at that time was not taking advantage of the tourism industry that the lake was offering.  He campaigned hard in 1975 for the full-time city managerial position, and when the final tally was in, 24-year-old Joe Johnson had become the youngest mayor in the state and held the job continuously longer than any mayor in Eufaula’s history. His plan was to serve  at least one term and then return to school, but he said it seemed there was always one more project he wanted to complete.

He held the position for over 24 years. The consensus from Eufaula’s citizens, his peers in the city management positions and government professionals is that Joe Johnson has been a strong and effective leader… bringing stability, industrial growth and cultural enrichment to this community along the shore of lake Eufaula.
As some measure o the respect her earned from his peers in city management, Johnson was elected president of the Oklahoma Municipal League – despite the fact that he served less that the normal tenure on the board of directors before being chosen for the post. He was the first President to be elected two continuing terms in the history of the 75-year-old organization. Johnson was also the only small-town mayor to ever receive the Governor George Nigh’s Mayor of the Year Award.

Johnson is not unduly modest, but while proud of his achievements he passes around accolades to citizens, city employees, and city council members. “Our accomplishments are because off the good help we have.”
The life-long Eufaula area resident grew up in the Stidham area and finished high school at Crowder in 1968. He then went on to Eastern State College at Wilburton, where he studied journalism and pre-law – something of a family tradition going back to his great-great uncle, Alexander Posey, a noted Creek statesman who once edited the Eufaula Indian Journal. Johnson then furthered his education at the University of Oklahoma.

 

There were many accomplishments under Johnson’s administration. A 7,500 square foot building to house the Department of Human Services was completed in 1983. Located near the Eufaula Hospital, the new Facility is leased from the City by the State of Oklahoma. A thirty-three-bed hospital was completed soon after Mayor Johnson took office and was sold after eight years of City ownership at a profit of $1 million. The proceeds were used to retire the debt for the City’s matching share of the grant for the water plant and to match a CDBG grant, which funded the purchase and renovation of a 7,500 square foot community center. A fire station was purchased in 1983 with sales tax revenue. A new 6,000 square foot library was completed in 1986 with Mayor Johnson spearheading the effort to obtain $150,000 in state and private grants. The total cost was $500,000. The balance was made up of donations from local citizens. A new 5,000 square foot building for the McIntosh County Health Department was completed in 1987 and allowed the Department to occupy a new building without any capital outlay.

In 1986, Mayor Johnson also directed the razing of the original City Hall and remodeling of the former community center into offices for the new City Hall and a completely remodeled jail facility. The original community center was built in 1941 by the National Youth Administration.

In a period of ten years over four hundred houses were renovated. These primarily elderly citizens who cannot do the work required and could not afford to hire contractors to do the repairs.

Mayor Johnson also over saw a summer recreation program which offers baseball, swimming, swimming lessons, softball, volleyball and tennis. Mayor Johnson developed the program with the help of local merchants. One of Mayor Johnson’s favorite triumphs was the completion of the new lake access road connection No. 9 highway and Lakeshore Drive.

Mayor Johnson was responsible for developing a 43 acre Certified Industrial Park. He has also been a driving force behind the Eufaula Main Street Program. This economic revitalization effort resulted in $1.6 million in private reinvestment in the downtown. the listing of most of the downtown are on the National Register of Historic Places, and public improvements of $500,000. Another byproduct of the Main Street Program is the Transportation System, two 25-passenger buses that are operated by the city of Eufaula, making it the only small city in the state to operate a public operation.

Mayor Johnson’s achievements go beyond the city limits of Eufaula. He served as secretary for the Eastern Oklahoma Development District for three years and then as chairman for another three years and served on the Board of Directors for several years. Mayor Johnson was appointed by the Governor and served for six years on the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement Board. He was selected to Who’s Who in the South and Outstanding Young Men of America.

 

When asked in 1983, Why do you serve?, Johnson replied, “It involves the opportunity to serve in a unique capacity, to face constantly changing challenges, the new problems and new issues which arise almost daily in municipal government give it a certain quality which other public officials can never experience.”

Other achievements for Johnson include, being a member of the Oklahoma Conference of Mayors, a member of the Oklahoma Conference of Regional Councils, Past Secretary/Treasurer of the McIntosh County Democratic Central Committee, served on the State Higher Education Alumni of ESC, served on the development council of Connors State College, served on the Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse PAC Board, serving on the Board of Directors for Literacy Council, and served on the OK Travel Industry Association.

Johnson has two children, Kristi an attorney in Norman. Her husband is the assistant head coach at OU, Cale Gundy. Joseph Blake, Johnson’s son has his own law practice in OKC.  Blake was also the number one debater in the nation in 2007. Johnson has two grandchildren KC who will be attending law school at OU this fall, and Caitlin Gundy who is a Jr. at OU.

 

– Morris, Connie, Ed. Eufaula: A Pictorial History 1883-1993. Marceline, MO: Heritage House Publishing, 1993. Print.

Joe Johnson Eufaula Oklahoma Mayor

The Good Ol’ Days: Visiting the Senior Citizens’ Center

The Piggly Wiggly grocery store, which was purchased by the city in 1985, used to host and/or fund many activities around Eufaula. One of the activities the Piggy Wiggly upheld was monthly visits to the senior citizens’ center, to honor those whose birthday it was that month. Above is a picture of a group visiting the center for that very reason.  

 

The Good Ol’ Days: College Days

I’m on the far right, wearing white. I was the President of the Young Democrats of Easter OK State College, at the time. In the light grey suit is former OK Attorney General, Larry Derryberry. On the far left is the Dean of the college, Robert Means. And, to my immediate left, is Jim Bradshaw, President of the Student Senate. 

 

The Good Ol’ Days: Remembering Fountainhead

Admiring the plaque which was placed on the wall of the Johnson Indoor Recreation Center, which was located at the Fountainhead Resort, is (from left to right) Fountainhead Manager Dave Hammonds, Speaker of the State of Oklahoma House of Representatives—and now Chancellor of Education—Glen Johnson, Senator Frank Sherton, and yours truly. The Fountainhead building still stands, even though the resort has been raised after its purchase by the Creek Nation. Currently, Creek Nation has plans to replace the Fountainhead building with a hotel and possible casino. 

 

The Good Ol’ Days: What About Bob Guiou?

Receiving a plaque for his many hears of service in the city of Eufaula is the long time City Treasurer and State National Bank Officer, Bob Guiou. He was not only an outstanding city servant but a great citizen, as well.

 

The Good Ol’ Days: Young n’ Dapper

The
Freshman Class President of Eastern Oklahoma State College admires the first plaque he ever received for being named Student State Senator of the Year. Don’t I look cute? 

The Good Ol’ Days: Supporting the Eufaula Boxing Club

Here I am, on behalf of the Quarterback Club,presenting the Outstanding Boxer Award to Kirk Stingle. I assisted with the officiating of several of the boxing matches. The boxing tournaments were used to raise thousands of dollars in an effort to help Eufaula create and sustain sports activities on behalf of Eufaula Boxing Club. 

 

The Good Ol’ Days: Fireman of the Year Award

Each year, one of Eufaula’s twenty-five member fire department would be selected to receive the Fireman of the Year Award. This award was presented as an honor to Eufaula fire fighters that went above and beyond the call of duty. Pictured here is the proud recipient of the award, Leonard Luna. 

The Good Ol’ Days: Toys for Tots Kickoff Campaign

 

Owner of the Eufaula Ford dealership, Brian Spielgene, is presenting a one thousand dollar check to kick off the Toys for Tots campaign. Designed to help provide gifts for underprivileged children during the holiday season, over three hundred and fifty children received toys from this program, all through donations from great citizens like Brian Spielgene.