Wagoner County commissioners approve a slate of grants, contracts, payments and a property sale at Aug. 25 meeting

Wagoner County commissioners on Aug. 25 approved applications for two grants, the sale of a county-owned house, contract renewals, fiber service for the courthouse and a set of invoices and right-of-way payments, among other routine county business.

The approvals included a request by the county economic development office to submit a $5,000 matching application to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce Community Marketing Partnership Program; authorization for the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office to reapply for the Oklahoma Attorney General’s 2026 Sheriff’s Assistance grant (up to $300,000 eligible); and the sale of a county-owned house on Primrose (Lot 4, Block 1) to the lone bidder who offered $7,500. The board also approved funding to troubleshoot network drops in a planned digital forensic lab, renewed a stormwater MS4 services contract, accepted a fiber service agreement for the courthouse, and approved a range of financial claims and right-of-way payments.

Why it matters: several of the approvals affect county infrastructure and public safety capacity — notably the Attorney General grant application for the sheriff’s office, the MS4 stormwater support contract and the courthouse fiber service — while the property sale and right-of-way settlements have direct budgetary and land-use implications.

Most important actions

- Economic development grant: Darla Heller, economic development, said the county would apply for a $5,000 match through the Oklahoma Community Marketing Partnership grant to pay for market research, asset photography, marketing materials and drone footage of industrial properties. Heller said the $5,000 match would come from funds the board previously approved for her office. The motion to apply was approved by roll call.

- Sale of county property (Primrose Lot 4, Block 1): Wagoner County Treasurer (identified in the record as Levi) reported the county acquired the house at a tax sale the prior June and that the structure is in disrepair with interior damage and possible black mold. A lone bidder (identified as Mr. Swofford in the minutes) offered $7,500; the board voted to approve the sale. Commissioners and staff noted the property likely requires demolition and that building permits would be needed for any future rebuilding.

- Sheriff’s Office grant application: Under Sheriff Mark Siegrist requested approval to resubmit the same Attorney General 2026 Sheriff’s Assistance application the county received last year. Siegrist said the grant is eligible for up to $300,000 to help pay for equipment, training and technical assistance. He told the board that last year the funding paid for equipment, annual fees and vehicles and that he believed it had not been used for deputy salaries (the AG program does not allow salaries but can allow stipends; Siegrist said they did not use funds for stipends last year). The board approved resubmission.

- Digital forensic lab network drops: Sheriff Mark Severson described moving a digital forensics workstation into a media room and needing to verify network drops. A vendor quote represented a worst-case cost of $3,403.69 if additional work is required; Severson said the sheriff’s office would pay. The board approved the work.

- MS4 stormwater contract renewal: Casey Sanders, planning and zoning, presented a renewal of the county’s contract with WSB (formerly Meshack and Associates) for MS4 (stormwater) program services, including annual reporting to the state Department of Environmental Quality and inspections. The renewed contract removes the prior $10,000 cap. The board approved the renewal; one commissioner recorded an abstention on the roll call.

- Courthouse fiber service: Mark Ketchum, director of communications, said installation is complete and the board approved contracting for a one-gigabit up/down service from a second vendor to provide redundancy alongside the county’s existing Optimum service.

- Financial approvals and right-of-way claims: The board approved a set of invoices and ARPA-funded purchases and multiple right-of-way acquisition payments related to Project 270 (70th Street to 101st). Notable items approved on the consent/finance lists included: INCOG stormwater line annual fee $4,500; two professional-services invoices (approx. $5,004.75 and $3,008.23); a $60,002.30 settlement to Robert and Brooks (parcel work / driveway / landscaping and masonry noted); payments of $2,500 (Shannon Simmons), $8,005.70 (Tim Whitmark) and $49,003.72 (Daryl and Barbara Simmons Revocable Living Trust) for right-of-way or related acquisition work. The board approved all listed financial items by roll call.

- School Development Authority: In a separately noticed Wagoner County School Development Authority special meeting the trustees administered oaths of office for trustees (Randy Stamps and James), elected officers (chair and vice-chair), and approved a letter of engagement with Green CPAs to provide audits. Trustees discussed that multiple years of audits are required by statute and that the engagement will not exceed $8,800 per year; trustees approved the engagement.

Other business

- The board took no action on a proposed annual memorandum agreement with the Cherokee Nation pending revisions and feedback from counsel.

- The board entered executive session to consult with counsel under 25 O.S. § 307(B)(4) regarding pending litigation (RRJ Sand Company LLC v. Board of County Commissioners, CV-2025-90, and Prisca/Berisca Solar LLC v. BOCC, CV-2025-111) and reconvened without public action on those cases.

Votes at a glance (motions, tallies and outcomes)

All items below were recorded on the Aug. 25, 2025 meeting minutes and decided by roll-call vote unless otherwise noted.

1) Consent agenda (with exception H-1) — outcome: approved (roll call: Commissioners present voted aye). 2) Economic development: apply for $5,000 match from Oklahoma Department of Commerce Community Marketing Partnership Grant — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 3) Sale of county-owned property (Primrose Lot 4, Block 1) to lone bidder (Mr. Swofford) for $7,500 — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 4) Oklahoma Attorney General 2026 Sheriff’s Assistance grant application (Sheriff’s Office; up to $300,000 eligibility) — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 5) Network drops / Digital Forensic Lab — vendor worst-case $3,403.69 (sheriff’s office to pay) — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 6) Add Raleigh Waits Subdivision (0.48 miles) to county inventory (District 3 county action report submission to ODOT) — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 7) Contract renewal with WSB (formerly Meshack and Associates) for MS4 assistance (stormwater program) — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: one abstention recorded). 8) Annual sprinkler system inspection — $1,350 — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 9) Microsoft Office 365 licensing pool (10 licenses; initial cost $1,007.33) — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 10) Courthouse fiber services (1 Gbps up/down redundancy service, separate vendor from Optimum) — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll call: aye). 11) Annual memorandum agreement with Cherokee Nation — outcome: no action (board let item fall pending counsel feedback). 12) Finance items (selected): INCOG $4,500; Gable Guthwaltz $5,004.75; Gabriel Gottwald $3,008.23; Business Imaging Systems $4,400 (ARPA) — outcome: approved (motions moved and seconded; roll calls: aye; one abstention noted on one invoice). 13) Right-of-way / acquisition payments for Project 270: Robert & Brooks $60,002.30; Shannon Simmons $2,500; Tim Whitmark $8,005.70; Daryl & Barbara Simmons trust $49,003.72 — outcome: approved (motion moved and seconded; roll calls: aye). 14) Executive session under 25 O.S. § 307(B)(4) regarding pending litigation (RRJ Sand Co. v. BOCC CV-2025-90; Prisca/Berisca Solar LLC v. BOCC CV-2025-111) — outcome: board entered executive session and reconvened; no public action taken on those matters at this meeting.

What commissioners and staff asked or emphasized

- County treasurer noted the Primrose property has interior damage and possible black mold and that demolition costs and hazardous-material removal would affect net value. Board members discussed that permits would be required for future rebuilding. - Under Sheriff Mark Siegrist confirmed prior-year spending categories for the AG grant (equipment, vehicles, annual fees), and told the board the AG program does not allow salaries though it can allow stipends; he said funds were not used for stipends last year. - Planning staff said the Raleigh Waits Subdivision addition was approved previously (2014) but did not make it onto ODOT’s map; a new county action report was required because of a change in district representation. - Trustees of the School Development Authority emphasized the statutory requirement to complete multiple years of past audits and approved Green CPAs to proceed at a not-to-exceed annual cost of $8,800.

Next steps and follow-up

- Economic development will file the Community Marketing Partnership application this week. - The sheriff’s office will prepare and submit the AG grant application. - County staff will complete closing paperwork for the Primrose sale and note demolition liability and permitting considerations for the buyer. - The county will execute the fiber service agreement and maintain Optimum service as a separate vendor for redundancy. - Trustees will sign the Green CPAs engagement letter and staff will proceed with the multi-year audit work required by statute.

Ending: The board closed routine business items and recessed; the next regularly scheduled meeting was noted in the record and public announcements included a County Fair and a town-hall by U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin scheduled the same afternoon at the Wagoner Community Center.