Like the Air Force, Pankonin views Enid mayoral job ‘as an act of service’

Like thousands of other members of the United States Air Force, George Pankonin spent his 23-year career traveling across the country, including a stop at Vance Air Force Base in Enid through contractor employment and as an education counselor. But when the Minnesota native retired, he chose to return to Enid, a town he had grown to love and would become mayor of in 2019. 

His entry into government service came just a few years ago when friends and neighbors encouraged him to run for a city council seat against an incumbent. 

“I had never considered politics, but I saw it as an act of service, just like the military is a life of service,” Pankonin said. 

On Election Day he had won the seat by a 46-point margin. 

Two years into his term, the mayor's seat became open and once again Pankonin was urged to run. “I drew two opponents but more than 50 percent of the vote, so no runoff was needed,” Pankonin said about the election. 

He won the race with 56 percent of the vote but called it a clean and friendly race. On election night, Pankonin told the Enid News & Eagle the campaign had brought him closer to his two opponents. 

In less than three years, Pankonin had risen to his new hometown’s highest office, tasked with overseeing a massive water project, increasing citizen engagement and finding ways to attract more business and development to the city of nearly 50,000 in northwest Oklahoma.  

Priorities in office
Pankonin said a major priority coming into office was to continue the $315 million Kaw Lake water project.

“Enid has declining aquifers,” Pankonin said. “We realize we might have enough water for today, tomorrow and maybe 10 years. But we are at a point where people are taking more water out than is going in.”

Enid is in the process of building a 70-mile pipeline to carry water from Kaw Lake to a new water treatment facility. More than 10 million gallons of water each day will be able to travel through the pipeline, bringing much needed water to a city that has seen water levels at its 116 wells diminish by more than half over the last 20 years. 

Pankonin said he opposed building a lake close to town, which had been proposed. He felt it would take too long to fill and wouldn’t meet the needs of Enid. 

Kaw Lake maintains consistent high-water levels, even during a drought, because the area rainfall is higher than average. 

Construction of the 70-mile pipeline includes a pumping station and water treatment plant.

“There are a lot of issues that deal with today and tomorrow that a mayor has to be mindful of,” Pankonin said. “But you also have to think long term and get ahead of issues that may be decades away before it is too late.”

Transparency and engagement
Another focus for Pankonin has been to increase transparency at city hall and improve citizen engagement. While he doesn’t believe the previous administration lacked transparency, Pankonin saw frustration among some citizens. 

“People didn’t feel like the city was open,” Pankonin said. 

The State's open meeting laws make it difficult for a citizen to bring a new issue or concern to a city council meeting. The council allows comments, but if the topic isn’t on the agenda it can’t be discussed, which leaves some citizens upset, Pankonin said. 

“Last month we had our first town hall meeting and we had a lot of interaction in that kind of forum,” Pankonin said. “We decided we are going to do those town hall meetings every six months. People seemed to like it that we sat up there and took shots, but that is part of what we are there for.” 

At the first town hall meeting, one citizen raised concerns about a garage he was attempting to build on his property that was denied for a permit and has been halted by code enforcement. The city councilman representing the ward of the citizen suggested a study session to work with the resident and review codes and procedures. 

“It’s another chance to interact with the public and try to solve problems,” Pankonin said. 

Vance Air Force Base
As a veteran of the Air Force, Pankonin said he is also focused on strengthening the relationship between the city and Vance Air Force Base, which contributes $280 million to the local economy. 

Pankonin is a regular at the graduations the base holds every three weeks. 

“I go to every single graduation and every graduation dinner and I attend all of the annual awards and quarterly awards at the base,” Pankonin said. “I’ve tried to take what was a strong relationship between the base and the community and turn it into a day-to-day partnership.” 

Vance’s wing commander, the senior officer on the base, has a reserved parking spot at city hall and comes to every city council meeting, Pankonin said. 

“There is a reciprocity of respect between the city and the base that I think I have helped continue to flourish,” Pankonin said.  

Pankonin also plans to be involved in attracting new business to Enid and helping those companies that want to expand. 

Last month he traveled to Washington DC to attend the US conference of Mayors, an opportunity to give Enid a voice at the national level. 

“This job gives me a chance to represent my town not only in Oklahoma but in the nation’s capital and I find that very satisfying,” Pankonin said. 

One of Pankonin’s final roles in the Air Force was as a squadron commander, which is part of the base leadership team. He said that experience sparked a desire to lead a team and set a vision. 

“During that time, I developed a taste for that kind of role, and I feel like I’m continuing in that role as mayor of Enid,” Pankonin said.