Last week at the Alfalfa County commissioners meeting, Ryan Pjesky from the Alfalfa County Farm Bureau was there to hear Nate Ross, Mike Roach and Garret Johnson proclaim that week Farm Bureau Week.

After posing for a picture, Pjesky left and the commissioners voted to convene in a brief executive session to discuss the appointment of an E911 department head. Upon returning to the open session, the group approved the motion to appoint Gary Mast as the department supervisor.

Next, the men tended to their regular business items, taking care of the maintenance and operation warrants for payment, previous meeting minutes, and blanket purchase orders. Then, they signed off on the Bridge Inspection and Report of Conference for all three districts, followed by the Fiscal Year 2022 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Notice of intent (NOI) Conference and Training Attendance Reimbursement (CTAR) special project for the reimbursement of travel expenses and registration for the emergency management conference and application.

Next, they signed a contract between the interim emergency manager, Laura Dugger, and Alfalfa County. The contract states Dugger is aware there is no overtime for the temporary position and will be paid by paper check as contract labor. Darrin Lancaster is set to take the emergency management by this summer.

The Five-Year Bridge Plan for District 3 received the signatures necessary, along with a private property access easement for District 2. That location is the NW ¼ of 28-27-11.

Lastly, commissioners declared surplus on several firesuits from Helena Rescue. Those items received approval for their disposal as well. This week, officials took care of the regular agenda items (minutes, purchase orders, etc.) and then went on to sign the Hazard Mitigation Plan.

They then approved a request to change a receiving officer from Mike Roach to the Vice-Chairman of BOC and a request to change a requisitioning officer from BOC Chairman to Gary Mast for E-911 for Alfalfa County.

Oklahoma Senator Roland Pederson stands in the middle of Alfalfa County officials who attended the 2023 County Officers and Deputies Association (CODA) meeting Feb. 7-9 in Norman. From left: Court Clerk Tammi Miller, Commissioner Garret Johnson, Senator Pederson, County Clerk Laneta Unruh, Commissioner Nate Ross, County Clerk Laneta Schwerdtfeger, and Deputy Court Clerk Jennifer Hensley. Photo provided by Laneta Schwerdtfeger

Next, the commissioners declared surplus for three District 1 impact wrenches- a 2007 Ingersol Rand ¾" impact wrench (Inv. no. DI 446-101, Serial no. A07B05004); a 2021 NAPA 1" impact wrench (Inv. no. DI 446-102, Serial no. C1112077; and 2016 ½" Drive impact wrench (Inv. no. DI 421-107, Serial no. 1RTW7150K2). They granted the resolutions for disposal on all three.

Finally, before signing the National Opioid Settlement paperwork, Ross, Roach, and Johnson approved a change in the 2023 county employee handbook on pages 31 and 32 regarding vacation and sick leave. That modification states that the leave time is at the discretion of the elected official.