Firefighters, emergency personnel air concerns on controversial move

The Okmulgee County Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 to place the E911 Communications Center under the direction of the OCCJA during Monday’s meeting.

A packed audience of community members, including county fire departments, 911 center employees and law enforcement were in attendance during the session.

Before the decision was made, several firefighters and first responders expressed their unhappiness with the plan.

On March 20, Tim Craighton, who was director of the Okmulgee County Emergency Management and 911 Communications, submitted his resignation. That same day, David Kennedy, who was serving as interim director for OC Emergency Management, also tendered his resignation for that post. He serves as the fire chief for the Wilson Rural Fire Department.

The Times has also learned that 13 other members of the 911 Emergency Management team quit following the resignations.

Speaking during Input from the Public were Beggs Fire Chief Matt Cooperrider and Beggs Mayor Jacob Branson.

Cooperrider stated about 15 years ago, the 911 department was moved from the oversight of the jail to a separate agency.

“The 911 call center has never been a money-making proposition,” he said. “It is a service to the people of Okmulgee and the county.”

He stated that he nor any other members of the area fire departments had been consulted about the plan or opinion on any of the decisions that have been made or what is going on with the call center.

Cooperrider also stated his support for Tim Craighton, and “when he tendered his resignation, Okmulgee County took a step back- ward. I want to make sure that when he is replaced - if he is replaced - that person lives in the county … and that person can do as good a job or better, and if not, I don’t need them on my fire scenes.”

His final comment was concerning the condition of roads on 251st Street. He stated there are lots of potholes on the road and they need to be taken care of, “because it’s not being done.”

“I appreciate what you all do,” Cooperrider said, “but I don’t appreciate people telling me things to get my vote, and then not doing it.”

Branson, who also serves as a firefighter for the City of Beggs, spoke about an incident last week involving a pursuit from the city that ended in McAlester, along with his feelings about the loss of Tim Craighton as emergency management director.

“It was a bad day for Okmulgee County,” he said. During a discussion of the agenda item for action on the 911 control center plan, Commissioner David Walker stated that “when we lost Tim, we lost a pretty important guy … this motion today has nothing to do with the emergency management position. It’s not going to be put underneath the jail, unless somebody can change my mind.”

Commissioner Erik Zoellner stated he was against it.

“Contrary to what has previously been said, I am against it,” he said. He stated that there is a staffing and financial audit going on and “I think we should let the audits run their course and take a look and see what the audits represent. Audits include getting feedback from personnel. I just believe that … I think that’s prudent and smart for us to do and finish those out before we make a decision.”

“We’ve been going long enough and something needs to be done,” District 3 Commissioner Michael Wallace said. “911 and emergency management need to be two separate things.”

Assistant District Attorney Greg Stidham recommended that it would be good to have the audit information, though the final decision would be up to the commissioners.

“We just point out that though it may take a little while, you have the information so that you may talk about whether it’s wise to move it someplace else or leave it where it is,” Stidham said.

Okmulgee County EMS Director James Nichols stated he felt that 911 needed to stay as an independent agency and not under the jail’s authority.

“I can promise you you will have a lot of backlash if it goes under another agency that has nothing to do with fire and EMS,” he said. “It has only to do with the jail, and that’s my opinion as an EMS chief. It needs to stay where it is until it’s determined that it should go somewhere else … It does not need to go under the jail.”

Speaking on behalf of Sheriff Eddy Rice, OCSO Investigator Smokey Patchin stated “the sheriff believes that making a move would be in the interest of the county at this point for one reason - dispatch … And he has full faith and credit in Mr. Clark’s management skills and think he can manage it well.”

Christa Walker, who serves as the supervisor for the 911 dispatchers, inquired as to whether complaints had been made.

“Who’s been running it?” she asked. “Who’s been making sure people are there to be doing what needs to be done? Has anyone asked if I needed anything or if everything is okay since he retired? You all weren’t here for an entire year when he (Craighton) wasn’t here and it ran fine. Right? Where does that put me? Am I nothing? Am I not doing anything? I have more (employees) that want to leave if this happens. I’m running at the bare minimum as it is … because they are not sure if they will have a job tomorrow.”

“We handle everything I think, in a well-organized manner,” one 911 dispatcher in attendance told the commissioners. “I haven’t ever had any complaints from any of our first responders or law enforcement. I personally work well with the jail authority … Christa has done a commendable job with covering for Tim when he was out, and did an awesome job for both emergency management and 911. The money side of things - I don’t have anything to do with that. I’ve never had a problem with getting support from my superiors … Christa has always been there for us…I think we need to wait until the audit is done.”

Another issue aired was about whether the jail staff would have the proper training or knowledge about responding to emergencies.

Commissioner Zoellner again stressed the importance of waiting for the audit to be returned before making any decision.

ADA Stidham inquired about whether the board should name an interim director since the resignation of Craighton.

Craighton, who was in attendance, pointed out that the audit was supposed to be independent, but he stated he had information that said the information was going through the commissioners before it went to auditors, “which doesn’t make it an independent audit, that’s first looked by the commissioners.”

Commissioner Walker stated that it was set up that the information would come to him first and then he would pass it or transfer it to the auditors.

“Our office is available and we will provide any information … to the firm that has been hired to do this, and we are very capable of providing that information,” County Treasurer Vonna Lampkns said. She added that E911 and Emergency have always been separate entities and Emergency Management fell under the authority of the Okmulgee County Commissioners.

Commissioners Wallace and Walker both voted yes on the proposal, with Zoellner voting against it.

Agenda items approved were:

• Minutes: March 20 meeting

• Blanket Purchase Orders: General Fund to Comdata for $1,000; District 1 to Cintas for $800, District 1 to S&H Auto for $1,000

• Employee Forms: Emergency Management David Kennedy and Tim Craighton, employment ceased; Matt Collins, Sheriff ’s Office, full-time (transfer from OCCJA)

• Utility Permits: District 1 and Rural Water District #7 for a water line

• Disposing of Equipment

• Amending Resolution 23-76 to update the fund number on the LATC, along with the cash appropriations for it

• Direct deposit of an overpayment of $48.45 from OSU Extension The board voted to approve an amendment to the Trane HVAC master agreement. The amendment added the replacement of 180 windows in the historic courthouse.

The windows that are in the works to be installed would be ones that would not open, however, a change was made after courthouse employees express concern about being able to exit the building in the case of fire or other emergency.

The award of Bid #15 for a 2022 or newer truck for the Grayson Fire Department was tabled to allow time to look over the two submissions.

See Friday’s edition for more information on the changes from the directors of the OCCJA.