I am going to use the newspaper to update the residents of District 2, as well as informing everyone about what is occurring here in District 2 that affects the rest of the County.

It has been a productive Fiscal Year (FY) that began on July 1, 2023. We have been able to accumulate and acquire funds to overlay approximately 4.2 miles, at a cost of approximately $680K, of wornout chip and seal roads constructed back in the 1990s. To do this, we used funds from grants, tax dollars, and property owner contributions for these projects. We have at least one more project consisting of overlaying approximately 1.7 miles planned before the end of the calendar year. This will be the first major project in the 2025 FY that will be funded in the same manner.

During the 2024 FY, we completed/replaced the Possum Creek bridge, over Wetlands, on S 4140 using approximately $750K of CIRB, (County Improvements for Roads and Bridges), and a little Federal money for this project.

There were several obstacles that had to be overcome because of EPA regulations, Army Corps of Engineer Policy’s, Tribal requirements, and others that had to provide approval to move forward with this project that spanned over nine years. The construction is complete, the road is open, and we are waiting for the contractor to finish the punch list before we sign off on the bridge.

Along with the above, there are a lot of property owners who are understandably wondering why some of our roads are in disrepair, unfortunately, none of the property tax collected is used for roads. Therefore, we have to depend on motor vehicle tax, fuel tax, use tax, and other sources that the Oklahoma Tax Commission determines how much money we receive by using a formula which includes road miles, terrain, and other elements.

The Census count of McIntosh County residents is also used in determining the amount of some funds we receive, which I believe was understated in 2020. The Census numbers are only the residents of McIntosh County, not county property owners, which in 2020 was less than 19,000.

Because of the small amount of funds I receive, we have to rely on grants, State and Federal money, Tribal assistance and even property owners, housing associations, and time to save what District 2 can to fund our road replacements, and overlays.

A tidbit: District 2 has 183+- miles of county inventory roads to maintain with 5 Road Hands, 1 Foreman, 1 Office Manager and 1 Mechanic. This is a monumental task. We are not responsible for roads in the Eufaula City Limits other than a handful. It is against State Statute for us to do any work on roads not on our inventory, private property without property owners’ permission, and additionally the work must benefit the county. For example, tree removal to help with melting of ice and snow and ditch work for removing and keeping water off of our roadways.

Other than road projects, we are in the process of adding on and remodeling the courthouse which was constructed in 1926.

The courthouse has been patched, shoddily repaired and added on to. We are going to add approximately 10,000 square feet of office space, including a public safe room, and remodel the old portion of the building and bring back, as close to possible, the luster it had back in 1926. Our Courthouse is the nucleus of the County, this is where county government business takes place, tax collection occurs, court proceedings, BOCC meetings, and property assessment along with many other departments to assist the people of this county.

The majority of the funds being used that makes this addition and remodel possible is from a twenty-year ½ cent sales tax passed by the voters in 2006. This tax was earmarked to build a new jail and for maintenance of the courthouse. This will expire in 2026, and our hope is to place it back on the ballot and use the dollars for public safety and a much-needed portion for roads.

Keep tuned and I will do my utmost best to keep you informed. Should you have any questions, comments, concerns, or see something that needs fixed, please feel free to call my office at 918- 689-5459.