Roger Smith was sworn in at Monday morning’s Board of County Commissioners meeting for his duties as acting Commissioner for District #3. The filing period for any additional candidates will be next week and the Special Primary Election will be held on April 6, 2021. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Goforth said he is unsure when the new Commissioner will assume office; that information is forthcoming.
The first closure of the Turner Turnpike was on Friday, and one wreck has been reported so far. There have also been some damaged guardrails. District #1 Commissioner Newt Stephens stated that after some discussion, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority consented to making the appropriate repairs.
Stephens gave public notice that the Fair Board election sign-ups ended Friday January 29. District #1 has reappointed Perry Collins and District #3 Josh Enlow. District #2 had two candidates, Billy Hill and Bobby Pruitt. The runoff election will be held on February 6, 2021 at 10920 S. HWY 99 in Drumright from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
An extension of the REAP grant contract for community development for construction preparation of Airport Road in Bristow in the amount of $15,195.00 was approved by the Board. Stephens stated that this is a joint project with the City of Bristow.
The Board unanimously approved designating the old Drumright Health Department property as unneeded for courthouse or jail purposes and to request the judge of the District Court of Creek County to appoint three “disinterested freeholders” of the County to appraise it before putting it up for sale. District #2 Commissioner Leon Warner said they have been working on this for “quite some time” and that this is another step in the process of getting the property sold and back on the tax rolls.
The awarding of the bid to finish the concrete inside the multiplex building at the Fairgrounds was passed for two more weeks, as the Fair Board has been unable to hold a special meeting. Fairgrounds Manager Jonathan Kieffer stated that the bids will be discussed at their regular meeting on February 11.
The Board confirmed the receipt of the Creek County Treasurer Statutory Report from the State Auditor’s Office. Don Engle, Treasurer, stated this is a yearly audit of their bank accounts. There were no exceptions and the office met all requirements. Warner thanked Engle for having no exceptions on the audit.
The emergency COVID resolution was extended one more week, with Stephens voting no, and Warner and Smith voting yes. Emergency Management Director Covey Murray gave a report to the Commissioners and stated that as of January 29 the County has 516 active cases, 36 new cases, and 92 deaths. Last week there were 543 active cases, 50 newcases, and 81 deaths. Warner said, “it appears that our active cases are declining and maybe we have peaked,” and asked Murray how the vaccination process is going. Murray stated that all but three of the First Responders received their second shot last Wednesday and that the remaining three will get theirs this week along with the Election Board employees. The Health Department will continue to use the First Christian Church as their vaccination site.
Goforth reported that the Administrative Order keeping the Courthouse closed has been extended until February 22, 2021. He said, “we are still conducting court operations remotely and holding traffic court outside” to attempt to minimize the load when the courts reopen.
In an emergency session after its regular meeting, the BOCC declared an emergency for repairs for replacing or repairing a 100-gallon hot water heater tank at the jail and to waive all purchase procedures. Bret Bowling, Sheriff, stated he had been notified of a leak before the morning’s regular meeting. “We are trying to get the water under control and [Creek Environmental] is out there now evaluating the problem,” Bowling stated.
Bowling confirmed that the broken tank controls the temperature on the side of the jail with the dorms and the kitchen. The Board reviewed two old purchase orders for 100-gallon hot water tanks from 2015 for a starting point on cost, and said both were around $15K.
Goforth stated he had been given authorization to sign on behalf of District Attorney Max Cook to waive the purchasing procedures. The Board agreed that the situation needed to be remedied as soon as possible so the jail could be operational. This was unanimously approved.
