The Okmulgee County Commissioners met for their regular meeting on Monday, approving a new road damage policy aimed at protecting county roads from damage caused by oversized loads.
Commissioner Erik Zoellner cited instances of oversized loads damaging county roads without following proper protocols and said the move was inspired by a similar policy recently adopted by Custer County.
“We have had oversized loads come through District One repeatedly,” Zoellner stated. “This policy will give us the teeth we need to work with the district attorney’s office to enforce compliance and protect our roads.”
The new policy allows Okmulgee County to charge a one-time, per-incident administrative fee of $500 for any damage deemed excessive by the County Commissioner. Additional damage fees are specified based on the type of road:
• Hot Mix/Asphalt Road: Damage under 100 linear feet – $20,000; for each additional 50 feet – $9,500.
• Chipseal Road: Damage under 250 linear feet – $5,500; for each additional 50 feet – $1,050.
• Gravel Road: Damage under 250 linear feet – $4,000; for each additional 50 feet – $800.
• Signs, Culverts, Tin Horns, and Bridges: Charges reflect the actu- tual costs involved in repairs or replacements.
ADAs Greg Stidham and Carman Raibolt both voiced their approval of the measure, and the commissioners approved the policy with a minor amendment to correct a scrivener’s error on the form.
In a Facebook post last week, the District 1 Commissioner also announced a GoFundMe account that has been set up to assist the family of Ian Lampkins, a dedicated District 1 employee who tragically lost his life in an accident last week. The funds will go towards providing reliable transportation for Ian’s wife, Abby, and their unborn daughter.
Also approved at the meeting were last week’s minutes, the July officers’ report from the health department, a cash fund request of appropriations, and the payment of claims, including a 324A claim for the Bristlecone Road project.
Approved blanket purchase orders include: District 3 – Cintas for $900, RPI for $500, and O’Reilly’s for $900. There were three employee acknowledgments: At the drug court, one employment ceased, another moved from full-time to part-time, and one requisitioning and receiving officer form from the Nuyaka Fire Department was approved.
The board also approved an invitation to bid for improvements to Courtroom 2, and Latrice Pannell was acknowledged as the treasurer’s chief deputy.
Okmulgee County Emergency Director Jeff Moore was responding to another emergency and did not provide his verbal weekly report; however, his full written report will be in Friday’s edition.
