Monte Goucher presented information to the Jackson County Commissioners at their Tuesday morning meeting regarding the conditions and paperwork required to advertise for bids for demolition of the old jail. The bid process will run until Nov. 9. There was discussion about possible value of hardware in the old jail. Both Goucher and Sheriff Levick said there may be some pieces of metalworks, including the old doors and locks that would be valuable for museums. The commissioners approved the advertisement process and will want the old hardware pieces to be salvaged. The granite stone and some concrete will also be saved.

The commissioners approved the application process for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management for the Federal Fiscal Year 2010/ Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) for State and Local Assistance (SLA) Sub-Grant Guidance which was presented by Jerry Gibson, from Jackson County Emergency Management. This grant is the same one Gibson has applied for in the past two years. He has saved some funds to be able to purchase a pickup truck for Emergency Management. Gibson’s performance is evaluated each quarter, and these evaluations are taken into consideration for the grant.

Gibson also added that another 700 doses of vaccine for seasonal influenza will arrive soon. An additional flu shot clinic will soon be scheduled.

Resolution 40, the maximum monthly highway expenditures for the month of October 2009, was approved by the commissioners, in addition to the publication of Commissioners Proceedings for the month of September 2009.

Jeronimo Gallegos with the 2010 Census Bureau presented information regarding a program called “Complete Count” for the 2010 US Census. Gallegos explained that in the 2000 US Census, Jackson County had only a 61% return rate on the census questionnaires. The US Constitution established a national census to assure equal representation among the states. Complete Count is a way for local city and county governments to be involved in the census, since federal and state funding relies on population trends. The answers on the census questionnaires are protected by law. These questionnaires will be mailed out in March and April 1, 2010 is the official US Census day. More information will be made available to our community at a later date.  No action was taken by the commissioners at this time.

The commissioners have received an offer from Chisholm Energy LP for a 3- year term oil and gas lease on some property 3 miles west of Eldorado. Jackson County owns a 3/16 royalty on 7.6 mineral acres. Chisholm Energy LP has offered to pay the county $380 for the 3-years’ lease, which is $50 per acre. No action has been taken by the commissioners on this item. They have sent the lease documents to Judge John Wampler’s office for legal consideration. 

 There were no public or vendor participation items. The claims were all approved and the meeting was adjourned at 10:58 a.m.