Wagoner County commissioners approve emergency generator purchases, personnel pay increase and routine contracts

Wagoner County commissioners on an icy morning approved emergency equipment purchases and other routine fiscal items and authorized a pay increase for an E911 worker while tabling several capital and auditing items.

The board voted to approve labor to install a recently purchased generator and to sign the contract for a Warren Cat generator for Emergency Management. Commissioners also approved a right-of-way permit for ONG to install a hydro valve at the roundabout at East 101st Street South and South 220 Fifth East Avenue, agreed to allow Cox Communications to omit the county’s franchising authority contact information from customer billing statements, and renewed a fixed-rate service contract with the Department of Corrections for Community Sentencing for fiscal year 2026.

The board approved several invoices and an internal transfer of appropriations from the assessor’s accounts to replace funds moved in July. In personnel business the commissioners approved a motion to raise E911 staff member Bobby Oberlander to $21 per hour.

Several items were tabled for further work: audits for the Wagoner County School Development Authority after the county’s auditor failed to respond, county roof projects, exterior courthouse waterproofing, and the planning-and-zoning vehicle purchase.

The meeting included announcements that emergency management would operate a command center 24/7 during the weather event and that the courthouse would be closed the following day due to icy conditions.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (with exception of item d): Motion by Tim, second by James — approved. - Labor for installation of emergency generator (local vendor quote): Motion to approve, second — approved; funding identified as Local Assistance to Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF). - Right-of-way permit 2632025 for ONG/B & H Construction (hydro valve, lane closure): Motion by Tim, second by Randy — approved; lane closure expected 2 days. - Authorization to cremate remains of Clarence Woods: Motion to approve, seconded — approved; county staff clarified this was not financial assistance and that Mr. Woods had prepaid funeral arrangements but state approval was required. - Cox Communications: Authorization to omit franchising authority contact information from customers’ billing statements: Motion by Randy, second by Tim — approved. - FY2026 fixed-rate service contract renewal with Department of Corrections, Community Sentencing: Motion to approve, seconded — approved (no contract changes). - Change Order No. 3 for Midcontinental Restoration for $3,600: Motion by Tim, second by Randy — approved. - Warren Cat generator purchase submission/signature (Emergency Management): Motion by Tim, second by Randy — approved; noted this action was signature on an already-approved purchase. - Financial approvals: Multiple invoices (off-site housing, juvenile detention, transportation claims) and an internal transfer of $22,500 to replace previously moved funds: Motion by Tim, second by Randy — approved. - E911 personnel action: Increase Bobby Oberlander to $21.00 per hour: Motion by James, second by Randy — approved (roll call recorded as Aye by Commissioner Haney, Commissioner Stamps, Commissioner Kelly).

Items tabled

- Audit for the Wagoner County School Development Authority: Motion to table while staff solicits additional audit firm proposals; the county reported difficulty contacting the original auditor, Sam Alexander. - County roof projects: Motion to table. - Exterior courthouse waterproofing: Motion to table. - Purchase of a vehicle for Planning and Zoning: Motion to table pending diagnostics and battery work on existing vehicles.

The board followed statutory process for executive session to discuss E911 personnel and returned to open session for the personnel action.