Continuing Education Classes Scheduled (added 12/20/06)

Grant County District 2 employees have completed numerous continuing education classes to achieve our goal of operating efficiently and providing all segments of the population with the services they need and desire. The table below outlines upcoming classes.

» Click here for more information about District 2's continuing education efforts.

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Burn Ban FINALLY lifted in Grant County! (added 12/21/06)

On December 4, 2006 Governor Brad Henry cancelled the Ban on Outdoor Burning for the remaining 4 counties (Grant, Garfield, Osage, & Pawnee) in Oklahoma. However, caution is still necessary, as, grassy fuels will ignite easily when the humidity is low and the temperature and winds are high.

» Click here for more information from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

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Photo Gallery Updated! (updated 12/19/06)

Follow the links below to view Grant County District 2's updated photo gallery.

» Click here to view all photo galleries.

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Commish Cindy's Comments (added 11/6/06)

Check out the lastest installment of this semi-annual update for important imformation about the state of the district including projects, topics of interest, upcoming events and other activities!

» Click here to read the October 2006 installment.

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District 2 roads being maintained by new road graders (added 9/26/06)

Grant County District 2 recently acquired two new Volvo G946 motor graders in order to operate efficiently and provide all segments of the population with the services they need and desire.

“Our goal is to continually improve county roads and infrastructure while conserving taxpayer dollars,” said Cindy Bobbitt, District 2 Commissioner. “These new graders will help us do both those things while providing outstanding power, torque and fuel efficiency for a wide range of grader applications.”

The Volvo G946 motor graders are All Wheel Drive (AWD) machines that use the field-proven Volvo D7 engine, which is compliant with Tier 3 emissions legislation. The G946 offers a highly efficient 4-wheel tandem drive, a powerful 6-wheel drive and front-wheel “Creep Mode,” which is designed for fine grading operations. In addition, the operator has 16 selectable levels of aggression to match machine performance to the task at hand.

The G946 graders were delivered to District 2 in mid-August, and the District has been able to utilize them on county roads in the Medford area. The graders replaced older county equipment.

“Our old graders had been used for many hours of operation, and the maintenance and repair costs were going through the roof,” said Bobbitt. “These new graders are going to save the District money by reducing repair bills and down-time. They will also reduce diesel costs.”

Bobbitt said the G946 graders burn less fuel while producing more raw horsepower at lower revolutions per minute (RPMs) than the old equipment.

“In addition, by adequately maintaining and improving county roads, we can reduce expenses and stress to county motorists and their vehicles.” said Bobbitt.

For more information about Grant County District 2 and its ongoing commitment to the service of all county residents, call Bobbitt at (580) 395-2895.

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Planning continues for Grant County Cherokee Strip Workcamp (added 9/25/06)

Deer Creek-Lamont Public Schools, in partnership with the Community Development Support Association (CDSA) and Group Workcamp Foundation, are continuing their preparation for the Grant County Cherokee Strip Workcamp. This unique no-cost home-repair program will be held July 15-21, 2007. Although the program is still 10 months away, applications are currently being accepted, and eligible citizens are encouraged to apply. For more information, or to find out how you can get involved, please call Greg Smith at (580) 242-5131 or Bonnie Muegge at (580) 388-4315.

» Click here to learn more about the program.
» Click here to download a flier about the program in PDF format.
» Click here to download the workcamp application in PDF format.

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Outdoor burning still prohibited in Grant County (added 9/19/06)

Although recent rainfall and favorable short-term weather has reduced the imminent threat of fire across much of the state, 39 counties, including Grant County, remain under a ban of outdoor burning.

» Click here for more information from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

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County employees honored by Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma(added 9/2/06)

Two Grant County employees were honored at the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma (ACCO) summer conference July 19. Max Hess, District 1 Commissioner, and Robert Neumayer, District 2 Road Crew member, were recognized for their completion of the Oklahoma State University Local Technical Assistance Program’s “Roads Scholar” curriculum.

The Roads Scholar program is an educational certification series offered to County Commissioners, Road Foremen and road crew members.The entire series consists of nine courses related to the technical aspects of maintaining roads and bridges in rural Oklahoma.

To be certified as Roads Scholars, Hess and Neumayer completed 120 hours of instruction and laboratory experience in areas such as Aggregate Road Maintenance, Project Management, Basic and Advanced Surveying, and Equipment Maintenance.

“The Roads Scholars program is designed to enhance the skills of road crew personnel and improve their knowledge in basic civil engineering and other technical aspects of road construction and maintenance,” said District 2 Commissioner Cindy Bobbitt. “Max and Robert have gone the extra mile to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to build roads and bridges that last.” 

Grant County administration and employees routinely attend training programs, state-legislated accreditation programs, workshops, seminars, technical conferences and professional development retreats. Through these types of continuing education, Grant County can operate more efficiently and provide all segments of the population with the services they need and desire.

“Grant County now has three Roads Scholars,” said Bobbitt. “District 2 Foreman Bryan Brown completed the program last spring. I am very proud of the county’s commitment to excellence and participating in programs that will eventually result in better county infrastructure and save the taxpayers money.”

For more information about Grant County government, call District 1 Commissioner Max Hess at (580) 594-2925, District 2 Commissioner Cindy Bobbitt at (580) 395-2895 or District 3 Commissioner Jerry Shafer at (580) 532-6499. You may also visit http://www.grantdistrict2.com to learn more about other continuing education courses in which Grant County participates.

» Click here for more information about the Roads Scholar program.

» Click here for more information about Grant County District 2's continuing education efforts.

» Click here for more information about ACCO.

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Bridge Work in Lamont area completed in record time (added 8/20/06)

Grant County District 2 completed replacement of the county bridge located 0.3 miles north and 0.5 miles west of Lamont August 14. The project took four weeks and one day from start to finish, which is a record for District 2 for this type of project.

» Click here for more information about District 2's ongoing road and bridge projects.

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Burn Ban in effect for all 77 counties (added 8/20/06)

On August 2, 2006 Governor Brad Henry issued a Ban on Outdoor Burning in all 77 counties
Extended dry conditions has increased the fire danger in all the counties listed above. Dry, grassy fuels will ignite easily when the humidity is low and the temperature and winds are high. Avoid burning anything outdoors.

» Click here for more information from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

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District 2 employees participate in continuing education programs (added 7/31/06)

As part of Grant County District 2’s ongoing commitment to the service of all county residents, six district employees recently participated in continuing education and certification programs. County employees Jeremy Bellin, Richard Metcalf, Robert Moss, Danny Schneeberger, Jon Trenary and Steve Wilson recently attended classes to learn techniques in trench construction and backhoe operators safety.

“Safety is a group issue, not an individual issue. If one employee does something to endanger himself, it might have consequences for or hurt the entire crew,” said Cindy Bobbitt, District 2 commissioner. “District 2 tries to do as much as we can to help keep employees and citizens safe.”

The Trench Competency Certification and Backhoe Operators Training took place in Choctaw.  Participants learned techniques to safely operate a backhoe and properly dig and stabilize trenches during the three-day certification program.

In addition, Bellin, Moss and Schneeberger attended classes in Tulsa June 27 and 28 to receive certification in bridge welding. The certification program is based on proper welding procedures as required by the American Welding Society Bridge Welding Code. There are four levels of certification. Each level includes testing on one plate assembly with four plate positions in each assembly. Certification can be achieved within each assembly and position until all areas are successfully completed.

The Trench Competency Certification, Backhoe Operators Training and Bridge Welding Certification programs were provided by the Center for Local Government Technology (CLGT), which is a public service outreach program of the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University. Certification programs offered through the CGLT are provided free of charge to a variety of groups that specialize in serving the public.

Grant County District 2 administration and employees routinely attend these and other training programs, state-legislated accreditation programs, workshops, seminars, technical conferences and professional development retreats.

“Between January 2005 and June 2006, District 2 employees completed more than 1300 hours of continuing education through 126 training programs,” said Bobbitt. “Through these types of continuing education, Grant County District 2 can operate more efficiently and provide all segments of the population with the services they need and desire.”

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Grant County Courthouse gets a facelift (added 7/18/06)

Visitors to the Grant County Courthouse are greeted with a beautiful new view when they enter the building. Two murals were recently completed near the elevators, and murals are also in the process of being painted on the second floor also.

» Click on a thumbnail below to see a larger picture of the two completed murals.

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District 2 employees help put out fire (added 7/18/06)

When a fire broke out when an electic power line transformer ignited, District 2 employees in the area helped douse the flames and prevent extensive damage.

» Click on the thumbnail to the right to view photos taken shortly after the flames were under control.

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District 2 begins new road and bridge projects in Lamont area (added 7/15/06)

Road Work
Grant County District 2 has received a permit from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission Oil & Gas Conservation Division to apply Waste Oil to District 2’s sand roads.  In cooperation with KLO LLC and JB Transport, we will be using approximately 10,000 barrels over approximately 25 to 30 miles of county roads in the Lamont area. The waste oil will be incorporated into the top 4 to 8 inches of sand on the designated roads.

This newest effort by Grant County District 2 to improve and maintain the district's roads began July 12.

» Click here to download a PDF flier with more information about the project.

Bridge Work
Grant County District 2 will be replacing the county bridge located 0.3 miles north and 0.5 miles west of Lamont.

This project began July 13, and is projected to be completed within 30 to 45 days. During construction, please be advised that the bridge and road will be closed during construction.

» Click here to download a PDF flier with more information about the project.

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Judge Hammontree Day scheduled for July 21 (added 7/15/06)

In honor of Grant County's Associate Disrict Judge Jack Hammontree's recent selection as 2006 Oklahoma Court Reporters' Association Judge of the Year, Grant County will celebrate Judge Hammontree Day July 21. The celebration is open to all and is slated for 9-11 a.m. at the Grant County Courhouse.

The article below is re-printed with permission of the author, Korina Schneider, editor of the North Central Reporter

Jack Hammontree named Judge of the Year
By Korina Schneider
MEDFORD – Associate District Judge Jack Hammontree knew he had worked with some great court reporters, but he had no idea what they had been up to lately.

Thanks to a nomination by several of those court reporters in Garfield County, Hammontree has been named the 2006 Oklahoma Court Reporters Association Judge of the Year.

He, his wife and their daughter will travel Friday to pick up the award during a noon luncheon awards presentation at the Marriott Hotel in Oklahoma City.

“It was a real surprise,” Hammontree said Monday.

He said he has worked with several of the court reporters in Garfield County for many years and has enjoyed every minute of it. Since the spring of 2002, he travels to Enid each Wednesday to preside over court there.

For a while, when Garfield County was short-handed on judges, Hammontree spent even more time there.

“There were months, I’d go (to Garfield County) two or three times a week,” he said.

Those were the times he made such a good impression on the court reporters who nominated him for the award.

In the nomination letter, the court reporters cited the judge as being kind and considerate to everyone he meets.

“Corporate executives, murder defendants, attorneys, courthouse personnel – he treats everyone the same,” the letter said.

He also gives his time outside of the courtroom.

Each year, he is the featured guest for kindergartners on the letter “J” Day.

According to the letter, “‘Judge Jack’ has made a lasting impression on the kindergartners year after year.”

He also volunteers during Grant County Farm Bureau Day, when he teaches eighth-graders about how the court system operates.

In addition, Hammontree serves as the president of the Grant County Bar.

The nomination letter commended the judge for his commitment to his family and the Medford education system.

Hammontree and his wife set up a college scholarship for Medford High School graduating seniors. Each year, a senior receives the Blake Hammontree Scholarship, named after the Hammontrees’ son, a Medford High School graduate, who died in September 2004.

Other excerpts from the nomination letter include a side of the judge most people don’t see on a day-to-day basis: “Judge Hammontree’s other priorities certainly include his wife of 25 years, LeAnn, and their 16-year-old daughter, Olivia. As a family they enjoy traveling and shopping, but his new interest is a 2005 Honda Shadow Aero motorcycle. A trip to Sturgis is planned for August 2006. An avid OU football fan, Judge Hammontree shares his love of the game with anyone in the community who may not ever have a chance to attend a college game by buying their ticket and taking them too.”

Court reporters who nominated Hammontree for the award include Kristin O’Reilly, Melissa Atkinson, Debra Vogt, Kelly O’Rourke and Beth Malatin.

They said in the letter that it is a pleasure working with the judge: “Judge Hammontree has been an associate district judge in Grant County for four years. Since a reporter is not assigned to him, it is our privilege to commute from Garfield County to cover for him. Because of his passion for his career and his compassion for his co-workers, we don’t mind the drive at all.”

In closing, the court reporters added, “His judicial and interpersonal skills, combined with his intelligence and enthusiasm, make him stand out above the others. It is our honor to recommend him for this award.”

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Immediate Position Openings (added 7/15/06)

Immediate opening for person(s) capable of driving trucks, operating heavy equipment, and laborer for bridge construction and maintainance.

› Person(s) need to reside or being willing to relocate to Grant County.
› Must possess Class A CDL; one year experience preferred
› Must pass ODOT Drug Testing and adhere to rules.
› Hazmat endorsement and/or welding experience a plus

Work schedule is Monday-Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (40 hours/week).  Uniform services provided with full benefits after a probation period. Applications accepted until suitable candidate(s) found.

» Click here to get job application.

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No-Cost Home Repair for Low-Income, Elderly or Disabled Homeowners

GRANT COUNTY, Okla. – The Community Development Support Association (CDSA) in partnership with the Deer Creek-Lamont Public Schools and Group Workcamp Foundation will host the Grant County Cherokee Strip Workcamp.  This special program will provide no-cost house repairs for approximately 70 elderly, disabled and low-income Grant County homeowners. 

Group Workcamp Foundation, of Loveland, Colo., is a faith-based organization that recruits young people from across the nation to spend a week working to serve others in need. The goal of Group Workcamps is to help young people grow in their Christian faith through experiencing new places, cultures, and different ways of life while improving the quality of life in the communities they visit. The Group Workcamp Foundation provides materials, labor and logistical assistance for projects that will be identified by CDSA.

During the week of July 15–21, 2007, approximately 450 church youth and adult sponsors will visit Grant County to assist homeowners with tasks such as: painting, light carpentry, weatherizing and other similar activities.  Group Workcamp participants will be housed in the Deer Creek – Lamont High school and travel to worksites scattered all over the county.

Applications are currently being accepted for this unique home repair program.  For more information, or to have an application mailed to you, please call either Greg Smith at (580) 242-6131 or Bonnie Muegge at (580) 388-4315.

» Click here to download a flier about the program in PDF format.
» Click here to download the workcamp application in PDF format.

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County Government Day at the State Capitol

April 5, 2006 was “County Government Day” at the State Capitol. Elected Officials from all across Oklahoma verged on the Capitol to visit with Senators and Representatives.

Grant County Officers visited with and thanked Representative’s Dale DeWitt and Jeff Hickman and Senator David Myers for their efforts and support of county government, especially for the additionally $25 million appropriated
for county bridges all across Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Legislature approved a $125 million plan to repair or replace Oklahoma’s worst bridges and allocated $25 million of the emergency money to fix the worst-of-the-worst county bridges. The rest is reserved for bridges in the state transportation.

Gov. Brad Henry signed the funding bill into law on March 14 and the $25 million will be allocated to the state-administered County Bridge and Road Improvement Fund during the 2007 fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2006.

Grant County will receive $421,746.50 from this legislation. This will not fix all the bridges in Grant County, but it is a “golden opportunity” to help begin making a noticeable improvement for our infrastructure.

Grant County Officials at County Government Day (L to R):
Deana Kilian, Court Clerk; Max Hess, Commissioner – District 1; Representative Dale DeWitt; Jerry Shaffer, Commissioner – District 3; Cindy Bobbitt, Commissioner – District 2;and Debbie Kretchmar, County Clerk.

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Distribution of State Bridge Repair Money

The following article appeared in the April 2, 2006, edition of the Enid News and Eagle.

» Click here to view the article on the newspaper's Web site.

Debate hot over distribution of state bridge repair money
(From CNHI News Service)
OKLAHOMA CITY — It was a dispute about nothing.

It all started when the Legislature approved a $125 million plan to repair or replace Oklahoma’s worst bridges and allocated $25 million of the emergency money to fix the worst-of-the-worst county bridges. The rest was reserved for bridges in the state transportation system.

The funding bill was signed into law by Gov. Brad Henry on March 14 and the $25 million will be allocated to the state-administered County Bridge and Road Improvement Fund during the 2007 fiscal year, which begins on July 1.
Then the Association of County Commis-sioners of Oklahoma stepped into the bridge funding fray. The group devised a plan to distribute the $25 million equally among the state’s 77 counties, with each county receiving $324,675 for bridge repairs. Counties would then pool their money with other counties in the same engineering district.

Trouble is, ACCO has no authority to decide how the state money will be distributed. And the state Department of Transportation, which by law distributes money in the county bridge and road fund using a 25-year-old formula, has no authority to delegate that duty, transportation officials said.
“Whatever the sta-tutes are, that’s what we’re going to follow,” transportation director Gary Ridley said.

But that didn’t stop county commissioners statewide from engaging each other in a firestorm of criticism and debate over ACCO’s plan.

On Wednesday, Oklahoma County commissioners suggested legal action to stop ACCO from implementing it and made plans to ask the Legislature to reverse the association’s decision.

Several commissioners said the plan is unfair to urban counties. Under the plan, Oklahoma County, the state’s most populated, will receive a per capita allotment of 49 cents per resident. Tulsa County would get 57 cents.
Cimarron County in the Panhandle, the state’s least populated with less than 3,000 people, would receive more than $103 per person.
“This board thought they could divide up the pie in 77 shares,” Oklahoma County commissioner Jim Roth said. “Action by the Association of County Commissioners will not stand.”

Garfield County Commission Chairman Steve Hobson quoted ACCO officials saying the state formula is inconsistent.

ACCO is a board composed of eight county commission districts, with differing numbers of counties in them. Garfield County is in District 8, which has 13 counties.

If each county received the same amount of money, they could then meet in district meetings and determine who needed more money, due to the number of bridges needing updating.

Hobson’s district in Garfield County has 161 bridges of 20 feet in length or longer, the state criteria for funding eligibility.

“If you go by population, it all goes to Oklahoma and Tulsa counties,” Hobson said. “Some smaller counties wouldn’t get anything, like Grant County. We’re trying to figure out a way to get the most bridges built throughout the state.”

At the Capitol, lawmakers and bureaucrats scratched their heads, wondering what all the fuss was about.

“It’s not all bad what they were thinking. But it doesn’t have the force of law,” said Rep. Mark Liotta, R-Tulsa, co-author of the emergency bridge funding bill.
“It’s more of a suggestion,” Liotta said.

“It’s very surprising that the Oklahoma County commissioners are so aggressively pursuing something that has no impact on the distribution of the funds,” said Rep. Jeff Hickman, R-Dacoma.

“Obviously, there’s been some misinformation. I have trouble understanding what the uproar is all about,” Hickman said.

Officials at ACCO and rural county commissioners who support the group’s plan believe the state formula should be set aside for the emergency bridge money. They argue the formula, in effect since 1981, is heavily weighted toward urban areas.

“This $25 million has nothing to do with population,” said Randy Robinson, transportation engineer for ACCO. “This is something different.”

Cindy Bobbitt, a commissioner in Grant County, population 5,144, said the county has more bridges than any other in the state — 476. By comparison, there are only 65 bridges in Oklahoma County’s bridge inventory. That number does not include bridges maintained by Oklahoma City and other cities within the county.

“I have no money,” said Bobbitt, who described the state’s one-time appropriation as a “golden opportunity” for the county to reopen some of the more than 20 bridges that have been closed due to unsafe conditions.
“We’re a poor county,” she said. “That’s why this bridge money is very important to us. We need that money. We deserve that money. That money should be ours.

“I think the citizens of Grant County are just as important as the citizens of Oklahoma County.”

Robinson said the money should be distributed outside the state formula because it did not come from traditional sources of transportation funding, such as fuel taxes and motor vehicle license fees.

Money for the bridge program will come from spillover funds expected to accrue after July 1 because of the limit on funds that can be deposited into the state’s constitutional Rainy Day reserve fund.

But by law, the state revenue must still be distributed under the formula that governs how money deposited into the county road and bridge fund is spent, transportation officials said.

“It’s not where the money comes from, it’s where it’s being deposited,” said Terri Angier, spokeswoman for the agency. Under the formula, money is divided according to the miles of roads and bridges in a county, miles driven, terrain and the availability of other funds.

“There’s a formula in place for a reason,” Hickman said. Responsibility for county road and bridge funds was moved to the state after the county commission scandal of the early 1980s.

Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart said the real problem in the dispute is the amount of money allocated to roads and bridges, not the distribution formula.

“That’s why there was so much squabbling. That is not what we need to do,” Rinehart said. “We need to work together as county commissioners statewide to increase the funding for our roads and bridges.”

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