by Paula Peterson,

asst to editor

During the officer's reports at the Jackson County Commissioners meeting, Monday, June 14, Court Clerk, Rhonda Stepanovich said her office has taken a substantial funding hit. The Supreme Court of Oklahoma has announced that cuts to the Jackson County Court Clerk's Office will be $36,735 beyond the cuts Stepanovich suggested for fiscal year (FY) 2011. This current year, FY 2010, her office sustained a ten percent cut in funding and the approved budget was $498,279. The approved budget for 2011 is now $360,020, a 27.75 percent cut. For the 2010 funding, several county court clerk's offices already experienced layoffs. According to Stepanovich, since her office was spared that for 2010, she said "we all knew this was coming." Another reason why this is such a steep cut for her office is that she is no longer allowed to pay one-half of the salary for the courthouse security officer. Her office also pays one-third of the courthouse utility bill, for which other court clerk's offices have lost funding. The Supreme Court has not taken those funds from the Jackson County Court Clerk's Office yet. Out of her staff of nine including Stepanovich, one person will be laid off from the office for the 2011 FY. "We will continue to do the best we can so that the public will not notice the shortage," Stepanovich remarked after the meeting.

The minutes of the Monday, June 7 meeting were approved, along with a report from the Court Clerk's Office. During the officer's reports, Commissioner Dale Dunn said he went to one of Frank Lucas's Town Hall Meetings. According to Dunn, the funding for the emergency road repairs, due to the ice storm, are going to need to be appropriated for FEMA to pay them out. This will take until the end of the year, almost one year, to receive so-called emergency funding. This is not to be confused with other emergency funding available through FEMA. Dunn said he still hasn't heard anything on the courthouse fascia repair. County Treasurer, Janet Wright, said the county picked up ten pieces of property at a sale for unpaid taxes.

There were no blanket purchase orders to approve.

The commissioners approved an agreement between Lee Office Equipment and the Jackson County Health Department to run from July 1, this year to June 30, 2011. This costs $360 a month or $3,960 with the 12th month free.

The Humphrey's bridge is on Anthony Fixico's five-year plan. The commissioners approved Resolution 2010-33 for the 2011 bridge project.

Larry Robbins of the DBA Ozark Farms requested burying a cable at County Roads 172 and 207. This will be to reach an irrigation pump. The commissioners approved this after adding that the cable will be buried at a depth of 24 inches beneath the flow line.

Michael Garza and Weldon Craig from Pioneer Cellular came to show the commissioners the details on a fiber optic placement they were requesting. It will be west of Hwy 283, about 950 feet to EW 166, and will be laid at the fence line. It will be buried at the mandatory depth and will be posted once in place. The commissioners approved this placement by Pioneer and Verizon Wireless.

The engineering fees for partial payment number three for project BRO-133D (101) CO were approved. The transfer of $265 was approved from the County Insurance Fund to the Sheriff's Contract Prisoners Account to repair hail damage, by Resolution 2010-34.

The commissioners opened bids for the road and bridge materials, tires and herbicides. They then voted to take these bids under advisement until they are compiled.

The maximum monthly highway expenditures for June were $49,127.13. This funding was approved by Resolution 2010-35.

In new business, according to Treasurer Wright, Jackson County sales tax is down a little at $112,047.90 and use tax is also down at $5,504.96.

Commissioner Fixico mentioned a suit from Shamrock Bank against Erin Denise Lambert . He also said a matter regarding Headrick Road has come before John Wampler. The commissioners will get more information on it soon. There were no public or vendor participation items. The claims were all approved.