The Okmulgee County Board of Commissioners announced that there will be a meeting next month to discuss the zoning issues that residents have brought to their attention in recent weeks.
During last week’s meeting, Okmulgee County Assessor Ed Johnson reported that land in the northern part of the county was being parceled out without the proper paperwork being filed. To this, OCCJA Director Shannon Clark noted the potential risks to emergency response crews.
Commissioner Erik Zoellner stated that he’d also received “more phone calls that I can count” on the matter, and asked that ADA Carman Rainbolt assist.
“Part of zoning is planned growth.” Zoellner said, in reference to state zoning statutes. “Do we have the police protection for the area? Can the schools handle the influx of homes and such that we’re going to be having?”
The zoning meeting is currently planned for Jan. 8 in courtroom one. No other details have been announced at this time.
There was also a bit more discussion over county employee payroll, following some county employees’ concerns. Commissioner Zoellner said that he spoke more with a representative from KellPro, Inc., which provides the county’s payroll software, for clarity on the matter.
“After studying further and checking with other counties as well, it was my recommendation that we not do the every two week paycheck, but we do the twice a month paycheck.”
To clear up any confusion, Commissioner Zoellner explained that issuing checks “twice a month” instead of “every two weeks” means that there will be 24 total checks issued in a year instead of 26. This, he said, would not harm any employee. “It would be the same amount that would be spread out in two paychecks.”
Ernie Moore, Executive Director for the Eastern Oklahoma Development District, was also at the meeting to announce that he will be stepping down later this month and that Scott Harding will be taking his position.
“I appreciate, on many levels, the opportunity to be able to transition into that position,” Harding said. “So I look forward to working with all of you guys and anything that I can do personally for you, or that we can do as an organization, please don’t hesitate.”
— Also approved at the meeting:
• Minutes from the Dec. 11 meeting
• Officer’s report from the Election Board for the month of November
• Two donations of sick leave
• One full-time employee acknowledgment for the Sheriff ’s Department
• Blanket Purchase Orders: District One – Cintas for $800; District 3 – O’Reilly’s for $800, RPI for $500 and Cintas for $900
• Lease purchase of a fire engine for the Nuyaka Fire Department
• Lease purchase of a patrol vehicle for the Sheriff ’s Office
• Awarded bids for road materials for a six-month period
• Invitation to bid for hauling of materials for sixmonth period
• Allocation of the Alcoholic Beverage Tax and the Motor Vehicle Tax
• Utility permit from Rural Water District 20 (RWD20)
• Disposal of used AC units from the courthouse. Commissioner Wallace made a motion that they be donated to Deep Fork
• Cash fund request of appropriations
• Payment of claims
