The Okmulgee County Board of Commissioners closed out 2022 with their final meeting on Dec. 30, where an longtime employee was honored for his work.
The Okmulgee County Board of Commissioners closed out 2022 with their final meeting on Dec. 30, where an longtime employee was honored for his work.
The board recognized Nakia (Dion) Brownfield, who has been employed by the county for 23-1/2 years. He was road foreman for District 3 under Commissioner Dan Artussee, who wasn’t present due to his hospitalization for serious injuries received the previous day in an accident on Hwy. 75.
Artussee did join by video to thank Brownfield for his hard work and assistance and the commissioners wished him well on his retirement and future endeavors.
Standing in for Artussee was District 3 Office Manager Linda Smith. Artussee’s last day as commissioner was Dec. 31, with new District 3 Commissioner Michael Wallace taking the Oath of Office Tuesday, along with District 1 Commissioner Erik Zoellner.
Zoellner completed the term of Ron Ballard who retired Sept. 30, 2022.
Judge Pandee Ramirez also administered the oath to County Assessor Ed Johnson, who thanked his staff for their hard work over the past years.
Agenda items approved on Friday’s agenda were:
• Blanket Purchase Orders: Emergency Management to ComData for fuel as needed, $1,000.
• Employee Forms: Donation of 25-1/2 hours of annual leave from Dawn Longan to Brennan Lewis.
• Claims and Monthly Bank Transfers and CD Interest.
Okmulgee County Emergency Management Director Tim Craighton reported the Hazard Mitigation Plan had been submitted and the county’s portion (10%) will come to about just over $7,000. As soon as there is approval from FEMA, and county and other participating entities sign off on it, the plan can be used to leverage grants.
Under new business, the commissioners approved using the 105 Account to pay for a damaged guardrail for $8,822. The county would be reimbursed by insurance.
On Tuesday, Commissioners David Walker and Erik Zoellner were joined by newly-sworn in District 3 Commissioner Michael Wallace in his first meeting.
Walker was named as the new Chairman of the board, with Zoellner assigned as Vice Chair.
The board also approved Becky Thomas as the representative for District 3 on the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority Board.
Awarding of Bid #9 for a Wildland Brush Truck was tabled to allow time to look at the two bids submitted, or make a decision to rebid the item. One of the bids was for approximately $110,000, while the second bid was $192,000.
Agenda items approved Tuesday were:
• Officers Report from the Health Department and County Clerk for December and the Treasurer’s Office for October and November.
• Blanket Purchase Orders: County General to Dildine Lawn Care for $400, County General to Cookson Hill Publishers for Legal Publications for $1,500, District 1 to O’Reilly’s Auto Parts for $500 and District 3 to Cintas for $700.
• Employee Forms: District 1, Scott Lamb and Daniel Hamm, both full-time.
• Declaration to surplus County Assessor’s vehicles due to the receipt of three new ones.